Pre-Law Curriculum

The Department of Philosophy offers multiple courses that provide important and useful Pre-Law preparation to interested undergraduates. Together, these courses emphasize the development of skills in logical reasoning and argumentation, in linguistic and ethical analysis, and in clear and precise communication.

Pre-Law Courses

All Philosophy courses emphasize oral discussion and well-reasoned writing, both of which are absolutely essential and non-negotiable for careers in law. However, the Department also offers several courses of special interest to students interested in the law. These include:

• PHIL351: Political Philosophy (3): Analysis of fundamental political concepts such as the legitimacy of government, the relation of justice to coercive power, the morality of war, political obligation, and sovereignty; and/or a study of political ideologies such as socialism, classical liberalism, and conservatism.
• PHIL352: Philosophy of Law (3): Study of the historical development of the philosophy of law and examination of the problems in the field ranging from general theories to analysis of fundamental legal concepts and normative issues.
• PHIL363: Ethical Theory (3): Introduction to main concepts and problems of ethical theory, such as normativity, agency, obligation, character, deontic categories, justice, practical rationality, well-being, and related topics.
• PHIL448. Freedom and Agency (3): Inquiry into the nature of freedom, conation, volition, autonomy, agency, and related topics in applied metaphysics and ethics.
• PHIL451. Liberty and Justice: Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in American Law (3): Philosophical and legal analysis of how liberty and justice for different races, ethnic groups, and genders have been treated in American law.
• PHIL489: Philosophy Internship/Pre-Law (3–6): Internship with private organizations and governmental agencies with law-related focus. Recent internships have been completed at the California Coastal Commission, the Orange County Public Defenders’ Office, the Orange County Bar Foundation, and various private firms. Work is done under the joint supervision of the program sponsor and CSULB Philosophy Pre-Law Advisor. A mid-term and final report and internship conferences are required. Grading: Credit/No-Credit. Prerequisites: completion of a minimum of 15 upper-division units required for the Philosophy major.

Students are encouraged to take the following course from the College of Liberal Arts:

• CLA 394 A/B/C: Law School Readiness (can be taken for 1–3 units): (A) “Preparing for Law School and a Legal Career,” (B) “Becoming a Successful Law School Applicant,” (C) “Law School Admissions and Financial Aid”)

Philosophy majors interested in the law are also encouraged to enroll in the Legal Studies Certificate program. Note that some of the requirements for the Legal Studies Certificate will double-count toward the Philosophy major.

Choice of Major

Law schools do not recommend any particular major for admission. In particular, the American Bar Association (in Law as a Career) states:

An undergraduate should be aware that there is no particular course of study that is required or preferred by law schools. Accordingly, students from a wide variety of majors (e.g., Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Engineering, and Business) are admitted to law schools each year. There is no true pre-law curriculum. Generally, a broad-based education that is rigorous and that stresses analytical and verbal communication skills will be useful.

Law School Admissions Test (LSAT)

Philosophy majors consistently outperform nearly all other majors on the LSAT, both nationally and internationally.

However, because admission to law school is highly competitive, there is no easy path to success. Good students who develop skills in the comprehension and analysis of complex material through the study of Philosophy and a strong GE program can position themselves to compete with the best.

Advising

Students looking for more information about pursuing the Pre-Law emphasis should contact the ATLAS advising center. Students who would prefer advising by faculty should contact the CLA Dean’s Office to request that the Department of Philosophy be given advising support.

Placement

Our Philosophy majors and minors have been accepted at many outstanding law schools. The table below gives a sample of these placements. It is updated irregularly, and we sometimes overlook students that use their Philosophy degree to go on to law school. If you have any news or corrections, please contact the department with your update.