Pre-Law

Advisors: Matthew Harrigan (Director of Pre-Law Advising), Mike Dana, Melissa Donegan, Meg Eppel Gudgeirsson, Diana Morlang, Lawrence Nelson, Terri Peretti

Santa Clara University provides a wide range of opportunities for undergraduates to build a strong pre-law foundation. Early in their undergraduate program, pre-law students should consult not only with their major advisor but also with one of the designated pre-law advisors to help determine whether a career in law matches their particular interests and strengths. Consultation with a pre-law advisor familiarizes the student with the rigors of law school, the practice of law, the burden of law school debt, and the means to best secure employment as an attorney. Advisors will help formulate a program to prepare students for the complexity of the application process, including preparation for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). To schedule a meeting with a pre-law advisor, students can either make a pre-law advising appointment in the Drahmann Center system or reach out to an advisor directly.

There is no specific major or curriculum required to qualify for law school admission. Successful law school applicants come from a diverse range of majors, across the social and behavioral sciences, humanities, business, and STEM fields. However, to successfully prepare for the LSAT, students are advised to select courses that deepen reading comprehension and promote logical reasoning. Law school admissions officers generally recommend undergraduate preparation by selecting courses that demand discipline, analytical ability, research skills, close reading of texts, creativity, verbal skills, and precision in written and oral work. The departments of philosophy and political science offer pre-law emphases within the major (in philosophy, it is also available within the minor). Elective courses also provide valuable training and breadth of academic and analytical experience. Some elective courses strengthen specific abilities, while others provide perspective on legal issues and topics. Possible electives include, but are not limited to, the following:

Business

BUSN 85. Business Law

Communication

COMM 2. Public Speaking

COMM 167. Communication Law

Economics

ECON 126. Economics and Law

English

ENGL 100. Writing in the Public Interest

ENGL 115. Argumentation

Environmental Studies

ENVS 120. Introduction to Environmental Law and Regulation in the United States

ENVS 122. Environmental Politics and Policy

ENVS 124. Water Law and Policy

ENVS 170. Environmental Justice

Ethnic Studies

ETHN 120. Immigration in the United States

ETHN 126. Latina/o/x Immigrant Detention and Incorporation in the Age of Terrorism

ETHN. 127 Race and Mass Incarceration

Experiential Learning for Social Justice

ELSJ 50. Law and Social Justice

ELSJ 51. Legal Pathways to Equity: Navigating the Intersection of Law and Social Justice

Finance

FNCE 125. Corporate Financial Policy

FNCE 131. Real Estate Law

Management

MGMT 169. Business and Public Policy

Philosophy

PHIL 17. Informal Logic

PHIL 30. Ethics and the Law

PHIL 43. Religion and American Law

PHIL 44. Free Speech, Hate Speech, and Civil Discourse

PHIL 45. Civility and Democracy

PHIL 117. Bioethics and the Law

PHIL 118. Ethics and Constitutional Law

PHIL 119. Ethics and Criminal Law

PHIL 123. Philosophy of Law

Political Science

POLI 45. Criminal Justice System

POLI 125. International Law

POLI 160. Equality and the U.S. Constitution

POLI 161. Law and Politics in the United States

POLI 167. Making Public Policy

POLI 168. Special Topics in Public Policy

POLI 171/WGST. 118 Gender and the Law in the U.S.

Sociology

SOCI 159. Crime and Punishment

SOCI 160. Law and Society

SOCI 161. The Criminal Justice Systems

SOCI 162. Gender and Justice

SOCI 176. Care and Dignity Across the Lifecourse

Theatre and Dance

THTR 8. Acting for Nonmajors

THTR 21. Voice I: Voice, Speech, and Presentation Skills

Women’s and Gender Studies

WGST 118. Gender and the Law in the U.S.

WGST 189. Sex, Law, and Social Justice