Navigating the Undergraduate Law Classes Curriculum: A Comprehensive Guide

For undergraduates considering law school, navigating the curriculum can feel overwhelming. Unlike some professional fields, law schools typically don't mandate specific undergraduate majors or courses. This article provides a comprehensive overview of how to approach undergraduate studies with law school in mind, drawing on insights from various institutions and perspectives.

What are Pre-Law Courses? Redefining the Path to Law School

Traditionally, "pre-law" implied a rigid set of courses. However, the modern approach emphasizes a broader development of skills and knowledge. At the University of Kansas (KU), for example, pre-law students have access to both academic and pre-law advisors. These advisors assist students in identifying opportunities within their chosen degree program to prepare for law school. Any degree can be a pre-law major, and pre-law students work with their advisors to build an individualized KU pre-law experience. Instead of focusing on specific courses, the emphasis is on selecting a major that interests and challenges the student, fostering strong writing and analytical thinking skills. Remember, any degree can be a pre-law major. Focus on a major that excites you and helps you become a stronger student. Your KU Core 34 courses and elective courses in your major can often be tailored to your pre-law interests. There are no prerequisite courses required for most law school programs.

The American Bar Association (ABA) reinforces this philosophy, advising that any undergraduate major can serve as a path to law school. The ABA identifies ten key skills, values, and experiences crucial for law school preparation.

Core Skills and Experiences for Aspiring Law Students

Rather than specific course titles, focus on cultivating abilities that are foundational to legal education and practice. These include:

Analytical and Critical Thinking

Law school demands the ability to dissect complex issues, identify key components, and form logical arguments. KU students should seek out courses and opportunities that push their ability to think critically about the world and its problems. Classes that use projects, research assignments, and other activities that push you to understand and address a question are helpful. Law school will teach you how to "think like a lawyer," but you will need the foundational skills to look at a situation and understand how you will approach it. Being able to think analytically is a first-step to being ready to attend to law school. Courses that emphasize critical thinking, problem-solving, and logical reasoning are invaluable.

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Reading Comprehension and Literacy

Law students are expected to process vast amounts of information. KU students should seek out courses and opportunities that improve their ability to interpret information and develop strong literacy skills. Law students will consume large amounts of information, and it is important to have strong reading skills going into law school. This includes being comfortable reading complex ideas, interpreting an author's viewpoint, evaluating arguments, and reading lengthy sources. Developing strong reading comprehension skills is paramount. This involves not just understanding the words on the page, but also grasping the author's intent, evaluating arguments, and synthesizing information from multiple sources.

Communication Skills: Speaking and Writing

The legal profession hinges on effective communication. In law school, you’ll spend lots of time structuring and evaluating arguments. As a legal professional, you’ll need to read closely and with a critical eye. Expressing yourself clearly and concisely is a must in the legal world. Speaking clearly and persuasively is another key skill in the legal profession, and being an excellent listener is crucial to building strong relationships with clients and colleagues. Cultivating the ability to articulate ideas clearly, concisely, and persuasively, both in writing and orally, is essential. Competency in written expression is particularly essential. These skills can be perfected generally through courses that emphasize essay tests, term papers, and other written exercises, and specifically through English department courses in expository writing (e.g., W231, W233) and Communications courses in persuasive speaking (e.g., S121, S122, S223).

Research Proficiency

Lawyers are investigators and need to be adept at gathering information from various sources and applying it to specific legal problems. Lawyers must know how to find data of all kinds and apply them to specific problems. A significant research project -- for example, a senior thesis or the equivalent in the student's major discipline -- will help develop these basic skills. This includes knowing how to conduct thorough research, evaluate sources, and synthesize findings into a coherent argument.

Broad Knowledge Base

A good lawyer must understand the social and governmental context in which problems arise. Courses in history, political science, sociology, and psychology are recommended. A well-rounded education in the humanities and social sciences provides context for understanding legal issues and their impact on society. Broad knowledge of social, economic, and political topics is beneficial in law school and beyond.

Course Selection Strategies

While there are no mandatory pre-law courses, strategic course selection can significantly benefit aspiring law students. Here are some areas to consider:

Foundational Knowledge

History: HIST H105American History Understanding historical context is crucial for interpreting laws and legal precedents. As close to a history class as you will take in your first year, "Con. Anyone interested in achieving an understanding of broader policy issues will appreciate the significance of this material.
Political Science: Courses exploring government structures, political theory, and public policy provide a framework for understanding the legal system.
Economics: Studying economic principles can be valuable, as many legal issues involve economic considerations. Business Knowledge: a significant number of legal problems arise in or out of the business world. The School of Business and Economics regularly offers courses (e.g., L201) which introduce students to law and its connection to business. The study of economics, finance, and especially accounting can also be most useful.
Sociology and Psychology: These disciplines offer insights into human behavior and social dynamics, which are relevant to many areas of law.

Skill-Building Courses

English Composition and Rhetoric: Courses that emphasize writing, argumentation, and critical analysis are essential for developing strong communication skills.
Logic and Philosophy: Courses in Philosophy (e.g., P150, P100) These courses hone analytical and reasoning abilities.
Public Speaking and Debate: These courses build confidence and proficiency in oral advocacy.

Introductory Law Courses

Some universities offer introductory law courses for undergraduates. Minnesota Law regularly offers three courses open to all undergraduate students at the University of Minnesota. These courses are designed to be accessible, having no prerequisites and open to students from all colleges and departments. Students are encouraged to begin their legal studies with Law 3000, Introduction to American Law and Legal Reasoning, as it is designed to be an introduction to the law school classroom and the case method approach. Law 3050 The Law of Business Organizations, and Law 3064 Law, Business and Human Rights, are both courses that may be taken as part of the undergraduate Business Law minor. These can provide a valuable introduction to legal concepts and reasoning. Examples include:

LAW 101 Intro to US Law: Surveys United States legal system: presents structure and methods of the legal system and fundamentals of several substantive areas of law.
LAW 102 Intro to Criminal Law: Explores criminal law and statutes using primary and secondary sources.
LAW 104 Intro to Business Law: Examines the context of everyday commerce, shaped by contract, tort, business entity, and securities law, to uncover how the law both affects and is affected by business.
LAW 201Intro to Environmental Law and Policy: An introduction to environmental policy and law, with an overview of major themes and the regulatory framework. Focuses on community resilience.
LAW 202Intro to Public International Law: An introduction to the origins, application, and main actors in international law, international institutions, and international legal processes.
LAW 203Controversies in Constitutional Law: In-depth examination of five to seven landmark Supreme Court cases over the course of the term, spending three to four class sessions on each case.
LAW 204Immigration and Citizenship: Interdisciplinary study of the way in which the American legal order has constituted citizenship.

Specialized Law-Related Courses

Depending on your interests, consider courses that explore specific areas of law:

Criminal Justice: SPEA J301Substantive Criminal Law, SPEA J303Evidence, SPEA J306Criminal Courts Administration
Environmental Law: LAW 201Intro to Environmental Law and Policy, LAW 310Environmental Regulations: Provides students with an understanding of laws regulating activities that affect the environment as well as the skills to analyze and apply these laws to current issues.
Human Rights: LAW 415Human Rights, Law, and Culture: The history, theory, and practice of human rights from a global perspective. LAW 416Transitional Justice: Historical and theoretical overview of the conflicts and international mechanisms, with a focus on cultural, historical, and legal forces that shape post-conflict peace-building efforts.
Constitutional Law: LAW 203Controversies in Constitutional Law
Family Law: LAW 304American Law and Families: Examines the family through a legal lens: the rules that affect legal relationships among family members and laws related to family property.
Conflict Resolution: CRES 101Intro to Conflict Resolution: Explores up-to-date conflict management theories and practical steps to communicate effectively in sensitive situations. CRES 410Managing Conflict in Organizations: Prepares students to assist in managing disputes within organization. Students will receive a basic introduction to organizational context, and strucure, leadership and communication styles, and sources of workplace disputes. The course also provides an overview of the processes by which organizations typically resolve disputes. CRES 415Conflict and Gender: Focuses on the multiple relationships among conflict, violence, and gender in situations of warfare, militarization, and peacemaking. CRES 420Restorative Justice: Provides a critical introduction to the principles and practices of restorative justice. CRES 435Israel and Palestine: Examination of the Palestinian and Israeli conflict.

Beyond the Classroom: Extracurricular and Practical Experiences

Law school admission committees value well-rounded applicants. The study and practice of law is not purely an academic exercise; it deals with every aspect of society. Extracurricular experiences and practical work experience, especially for a lawyer or in a law-related field, strengthen the application. The development of leadership skills is a definite asset. Consider participating in activities such as:

Debate clubs and mock trial teams: These provide opportunities to hone argumentation and public speaking skills.
Student government and leadership roles: These demonstrate leadership potential and commitment to civic engagement.
Internships in law firms, government agencies, or non-profit organizations: These offer practical experience in the legal field. Schar School students interested in legal studies can earn credit toward their degree while completing an internship during each semester.
Volunteer work: This demonstrates a commitment to service and social justice.

The Schar Patriot Pre-Law Program is a faculty led program that helps students gain an advantage in the highly competitive law school admissions process and ultimately on the legal job market. Assistant Professor Phillip Mink, a career lawyer, guides students as they search for the right law school and complete the application process. The Patriot Pre-Law Group is a student led organization that provides support and educational and professional opportunities for students interested in law school. One of four learning communities at the Schar School, the Jurisprudence Learning Community, focuses on building connections between you and your peers as well as law professionals.

A Glimpse into the First-Year Law School Curriculum (1L)

Understanding the structure of the first-year law school curriculum can further inform your undergraduate course selection. The first-year curriculum is the brick and mortar of your law school education. The typical 1L curriculum includes:

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Civil Procedure: Students are introduced to the principal elements of the civil litigation process, including the major phases of a lawsuit, issues of standing and jurisdiction, the effects of prior adjudication, the role of the jury, and alternatives to formal adjudication. This course also covers pleadings, discovery, pretrial adjudication, pre- and post-trial motions, and remedies such as injunctions and punitive damages. “Civ Pro" is the study of the often dizzyingly and complex rules that govern not only who can sue whom, but also how, when, and where they can do it.
Constitutional Law: This course explores the architecture of the Constitution, the American tradition of judicial review, and theories of constitutional interpretation and enforcement. Students learn about the individual and group rights afforded by the Constitution, its amendments, and two centuries of judicial interpretation, and they consider the foundations of constitutional consent, authorization, and limitations on states and the federal government, including separation of powers.
Contracts: Contract law examines the nature of promises. Explore how contracts are formed, interpreted, breached, and enforced. Consider contracts within a range of contexts, such as the sale of goods or land as well as employment or family agreements, and discuss legal doctrines that govern contracts in relation to theories of justice, economic analysis, and other frameworks for evaluating public policy. Contractual relationships are varied and complicated-so much so that you'll study them for two full semesters.
Criminal Law: Defining and administering the penal code is at the forefront of policy debates across the United States. This course considers crimes and defense strategies in light of the purposes of punishment (e.g., deterrence or retribution), the application and adjudication of law by the judicial system, and the role of criminal sanctions in modern society. The course also addresses the intersection of criminal law with criminology, jurisprudence, and social theory. Even if you become a criminal prosecutor or defender, in practice you will probably never encounter the crimes you will be exposed to in this course. Can a man who shoots the dead body of someone he believes to be alive be charged with attempted murder? What if someone forced him to do so at gunpoint? What if they were both on drugs-or had really rough childhoods? Your crim.
Legal Methods I and II: Legal Methods I offers an intensive introduction to the legal system and case analysis. All students take Legal Methods I, and each section shares a virtually uniform curriculum. Legal Methods II builds on that introduction, exposing students to important legal methods and jurisprudential, ethical, social, or cultural perspectives relevant to different areas of the law.
Legal Practice Workshop I and II: In the fall semester, students are given intensive training in the research, writing, and analytical skills needed in legal practice through written assignments situated in practice contexts, seminar discussions, and personal conferences. The second part of the workshop, in the spring, emphasizes appellate advocacy. Students research, write, and argue an appellate brief through the Foundation-Year Moot Court program or one of the alternative extramural competitions. This course travels under various aliases, such as “Legal Research” and “Writing or Elements of the Law.” It will most likely be your smallest, and possibly your only respite from the Socratic method, though it may also take up the most prep time outside the classroom.
Property: As a core social institution, property law poses fundamental questions about efficiency, fairness, the distribution of wealth, and the tension between public and private rights. This course examines the history and theory of ownership, government regulation, and the legal devices for allocation and development of resources. Questions about ownership of intellectual property (such as artistic and digital creations) are considered, and emerging issues, such as the ownership of body parts and cyberspace, also are explored.
Torts: Tort law focuses on the common-law doctrines and precedents that assign duties of care and liability for noncontractual wrongs. This course considers negligence, the role of custom, malpractice, emotional and economic harm, causation, strict liability, products liability, nuisances, damages, defenses, and alternatives to litigation. A tort is a harmful act for which someone might be held legally responsible under civil law. You'll study the rationale behind judgments in civil cases.
Moot Court: Foundation-Year Moot Court: To help students develop the core skills of legal practice, such as writing and delivering an argument, the Foundation-Year Moot Court requires each student to write a legal brief and argue the case orally in front of a panel of judges. Students also may choose to participate in one of many approved extramural moot court competitions in specialized areas of law, such as international or intellectual property. In addition to these course requirements, many law schools require 1Ls to participate in a moot court exercise. As part of this exercise, students-sometimes working in pairs or even small groups-must prepare briefs and oral arguments for a mock trial.

Additional Considerations

GPA: Law schools place a great deal of weight upon the student's grade point average, and it is usually easier to maintain a high average while pursuing a major that one enjoys.
LSAT: Take a LSAT practice test with us under the same conditions as the real thing.
Pre-Law Advisor: Considering Law School? You can also schedule an appointment with a Pre-Law Advisor. Students may contact a prelaw advisor at (219) 980-6841 or (219) 980-6636 for assistance.
Course Load: Law school admission committees also judge the applicant on the overall quality of his or her undergraduate course of study as well as grades, so the Pre-Law student should avoid overloading schedules with pass/fail or lower level courses.

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