Pre-Law program
Are you thinking about law school?
Although there is no specific major that will win you admission into law school, joining the pre-law track is a way to supplement whatever major you choose.
Simply tell your advisor you are on the pre-law track, and you will be signaling your intent to apply to law school or pursue a career in the legal field after graduation. Joining the track will connect you with UW-La Crosse peers and professors to learn about law school preparation resources from law-related classes and field trips to LSAT exam preparation opportunities.
To more formally commit to earning a pre-law credential and gaining grounding in relevant theories, methods and principles of legal systems, students can declare a legal studies minor, a flexible 18-credit program that prepares students for law school and related fields.
What is the pre-law track?
Pre-law is NOT a major or minor at UW-La Crosse. It is a statement of your intention to apply to law school or pursue legal careers after graduation. Joining the track is a way to learn about law school preparations without the need to declare a major or minor.
You will still need to select a major in one of the many academic fields available at UWL to complete your undergraduate degree. For the best law school preparation, choose a major in a field you are most interested and passionate about as your success and genuine interest in your studies will help you stand out in the graduate school admissions process.
Academics
The American Legal System
Debate
Crime and Punishment in America
Ethics and Meta-Ethics: Theory, Justification, and Objectivity
Topics in Environmental Justice
Pre-law track students have access to a wide range of classes in legal studies (see example courses to the left.) Courses cover everything related to law including methods, theories, and principles of legal systems. Students will also engage in inquiry and analysis about legal principles that shape relationships between citizens and the state, individual liberty and more.
Lawyers also need to have strong reading, writing and analytical abilities. Classes prepare students more broadly in areas of communication and language skills, analytical reasoning, critical thinking and respect for ethical conduct and differing points of view. These are the skills employers look for as they are foundational.
Get involved
Increasingly law schools are taking note of extracurricular activities and work experiences as criteria for admission. UWL offers a Pre-Law Society student group that exposes members to different aspects of the legal profession, while also providing law school preparation exercises. Through Pre-Law Society, students can compete in the intercollegiate Moot Court competition and experience the appellate advocacy process. This competition mirrors the trial advocacy competitions in which one would participate in law school.
Out of classroom experiences
Internship opportunities will help supplement coursework in the legal studies field. UWL’s internship program, offered for variable credit, provides an acceptable supplement to academic training. Internship positions — paid and unpaid — are available in public offices, law firms and other private businesses. Though none of these things will substitute for a specific entrance requirement, they may entitle a law school applicant to more favorable consideration than he/she would otherwise receive.
