Pre-Law Program

Why Philosophy?

If you are planning to go to law school, our department would like you to consider majoring or minoring in philosophy. If you have found your first course in philosophy to be enjoyable and stimulating, we think that no field of study is a better preparation for a career in the law than philosophy.

Why? Because philosophy provides the kind of skills and intellectual background that law schools are looking for. Our department offers a major in philosophy with an emphasis in political and legal studies that we think is a good choice for pre-law students.

What is Philosophy?

As you probably already know, its subject matter involves the deepest and most basic questions at the heart of human existence, such as:

• What is truth?
• What is justice?
• What are the best principles of conduct?
• Is there a God? What is the meaning of life?

Philosophy also trains students to pursue these and other questions in a reasoned way. Students are encouraged to examine cultural and intellectual assumptions, to analyze and clarify sophisticated concepts and problems, to critically evaluate various answers to philosophical questions, to appreciate and strive for well-argued positions.

In short, philosophy students not only learn about great thoughts, they also learn how to think well and how to think for themselves. How, then, does studying philosophy prepare you for a law career? In a number of ways:

1. Our legal system is the outcome of a long history of intellectual, social, and political principles in the western tradition, beginning with the ancient Greeks. When you study the great thinkers of the past, you engage the sources and inspiration for much of what goes on in the law and government.

Our political principles reflect ideals of freedom, equality, autonomy, and fairness that have been championed by many philosophers. The resolution of conflict through negotiation also reflects these values. And in courtrooms, such things as rules of evidence, procedures for questioning witnesses, and the call to jurors for impartial reasoning are reflections of long-standing philosophical principles governing knowledge, demonstration, and methods of persuasion.

2. The law is not static and fixed in the past. It is a dynamic, ever-changing process. Often social and political controversies that involve the law touch on the kinds of issues and questions that philosophy examines. For example, the abortion issue is loaded with philosophical subjects: the nature of persons, privacy, responsibility, etc.

The point is that people with a background in philosophy not only have some understanding of the historical roots of our legal system, they also are well prepared to participate in its ongoing evolution.

3. Lawyers have to do a lot of painstaking work analyzing cases, legal documents, and precedents. They must be able to understand and negotiate conflicts of competing interests. And, of course, they often have to argue a case in court. Philosophy trains people in the careful analysis of complicated texts and problems, and in sorting out biases and sound evidence.

Philosophy students continually attend to rational arguments and counter-arguments, as well as all the elements that make for a persuasive position (clarity, good definitions, organization, evidence, etc.). Consequently, no discipline will better prepare people for the kinds of tasks working lawyers face.

4. Some tangible evidence for the benefits of philosophy is the fact that philosophy majors typically perform very well on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). In a sample year, philosophy majors on average scored third highest of all majors (behind mathematics and economics).

This is not surprising, considering what the LSAT is testing for. Most of the questions involve reasoning skills and intellectual comprehension--just the kind of things philosophy emphasizes. In fact, it is not uncommon for ideas and passages from great philosophers writing to show up in some of the questions. Law school will train you specifically in the law. But philosophy can shape the kind of mind law schools are looking to train.

Requirements for a Philosophy Major and Minor:

Philosophy majors take a minimum of 30 hours at the 300 and 400 levels. There are required courses in logic, historical periods, recent philosophy, ethics and values, a seminar, and 9 hours of electives.

Pre-law students can take a major in philosophy with an emphasis in political and legal studies, which specifies 12 hours within the 30-hour requirement drawn from courses that are relevant to the study of politics and the law (for example, Social and Political Philosophy, Philosophy of Law, and courses in Applied Ethics). This emphasis includes a 6-hour requirement chosen from relevant courses outside the discipline of philosophy.

A philosophy minor (which automatically fulfills your upper-level general education requirement) involves 12 hours of philosophy courses at the 300 and 400 levels. The department also offers a minor in political and legal studies and a minor in applied ethics, which can suit the needs of pre-law students quite well.

There are other disciplines that give good preparation for law school--for example, English, history, political science, and criminal justice. Combining a philosophy major with a minor in these subjects, or a minor in philosophy with a major in these subjects, is a good move, we think.

In any case, we want you to know that philosophy can not only be a rewarding and enjoyable academic experience, it can also be a great practical benefit to your career goals. If you have any questions about these matters, your philosophy professor will be happy to talk with you, tell you more about our program, and refer you to our departmental representatives.