Classes and Majors
While law schools admit students from nearly every undergraduate major, three fields of study at WSU offer pre-law tracks: history, philosophy, economics, and political science. These pre-law undergraduate major options do not necessarily give students an advantage in applying to law school, may be of interest to students considering a career in law.
Regardless of your major, there are a number of courses offered at WSU that are likely to be of interest to pre-law students and/or help students develop the skills necessary to succeed in law school.
Classes
Business Administration Courses
Business Law 210: Law and the Legal Environment of Business
Communication Courses
Communication 415: Media Law
Criminal Justice Courses
Criminal Justice 320: Criminal Law
Criminal Justice 365: Juvenile Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice 380: Criminal Courts in America
Criminal Justice 420: Criminal Procedure
English Courses
English 201: Writing and Research
English 255: English Grammar
English 360: Principles of Rhetoric
English 364: Legal Writing
Economic Courses
Econs 326: Aspects of Sustainable Development
Econs 391: History of Economic Thought
Econs 425: Industrial Organization
Econs 428: Global Capitalism Today: Perspectives and Issues
Econs 430: Managing the Global Environment
Econs 431: Economic Analysis of Environmental and Natural Resource Policies
History Courses
History 410: History of American Indian Sovereignty and Federal Indian Law
Philosophy Courses
Philosophy 103: Introduction to Ethics
Philosophy 200: Critical Thinking and Writing
Philosophy 201: Introduction to Formal Logic
Philosophy 470: Philosophy of Law
Political Science Courses
Political Science 300: The American Constitution
Political Science 301: Political Simulations/Mock Trial
Political Science 402: Civil Liberties
Political Science 404: The Judicial Process
Sociology Courses
Sociology 360: Social Deviance
Sociology 361: Criminology
Sociology 362: Juvenile Delinquency
NOTE: If you are a faculty or staff member and would like to suggest a course to add to this list, please email us at prelaw@wsu.edu.
Majors
Law schools welcome undergraduates of all majors. To be a successful law school student, you should have strong analytical and writing skills – undergraduate training in a specific discipline is not required. That said, some popular majors among WSU students pursuing law school are business, communication, criminal justice, English, history, political science, and philosophy. At WSU, three of these majors (history, philosophy, and political science) offer pre-law tracks.
Student interested in law school should choose a major that interests them, regardless of subject. Doing so, increases the likelihood of mastering the skills necessary for law school and a GPA that reflects that, a key consideration for law school admission.