What is the Pre-law Program?

The Political Science Department hosts two minors (Pre-law and Legal studies) a student club (Pre-law club), runs legal and judicial internships and sponsors an annual Law Day that collectively constitute the Pre-law Program. Although many pre-law students major in Political Science, it is not necessary to declare a major in Political Science in order to complete the minor programs or participate in these extracurricular activities.

 

The department's pre-law advisor, Dr. Nicholas LaRowe, is available to meet with students who anticipate applying to law school in order to:

• Advise students about the Pre Law minor and relevant courses in the Political Science Department and other departments
• Supply information about the LSAT (the standardized test required for admission to all law schools)
• Supply information about the process of applying to law schools
• Advise students on how to obtain information about particular law schools
• Provide information about the Pre-law Club and various pre-law activities sponsored by the Political Science Department

Pre-law Club

The Pre-law Club is an official University club open to all students interested in a career in law. Its activities include:

• Hosting the Indiana Court of Appeals “appeals on wheels” program as part of Law Day each spring
• Sponsoring speakers who address topics related to the legal profession
• Holding study sessions to prepare students for the LSAT as well as days to take a practice exam
• Each semester visiting law schools in the region, including IUPUI, Washington University, St. Louis University, Indiana University, and others
• Moot court team, coming soon…

Advisor:  Dr. Nicholas LaRowe
Phone: 464-1727
Email: nllarowe

Pre-law Internship Program

The Pre-law Internship Program provides an opportunity for students to receive course credit while working as an intern for an attorney or a judge. Students who want to intern for a judge need to enroll in POLS495 (Judicial Internship). Students who want to intern for an attorney need to enroll in POLS496 (Legal Internship).

Course Work

The Pre-law program now includes two minors, one for students who plan to attend law school (the Pre-law minor) and another for students interested in a career in law, who do not plan to attend law school (the Legal studies minor):

Pre-Law Minor Requirements (21 Hours and a 3.0 cumulative grade point average) Visit the eBulletin for course descriptions.

	Required Courses in the University Core Curriculum
	CMST 101	Introduction to Public Speaking (3 hours)
	POLS 102	Introduction to American Politics (3 hours)
	PHIL 201	Introduction to Ethics (3 hours)
	Required Foundations Courses: 12 hours
	CMST 107	Introduction to Interpersonal Communication (3 hours)
	PHIL 205	Introduction to Logic (3 hours)
	ENG 301	Advanced Composition (3 hours)
	ECON 327X	Cost-Benefit Analysis (3 hours)
	Elective Courses: 9 hours (1 at 100-200 level; 2 at 300-400 level)
	ANTH 211	Introduction to Forensic Anthropology (3 hours)
	BLAW 263	Legal Environment of Business (3 hours)
	BLAW 363	Law for the Entrepreneur (3 hours)
	COMM 494	Mass Communication Law and Ethics (3 hours)
	CRIM 302	Criminal Law (3 hours)
	CRIM 370	Seminar in Criminal Justice (3 hours)
	CRIM 411	Criminal Enforcement Strategies: Evidentiary Problems (3 hours)
	ECON 208	Principles of Microeconomics (3 hours)
	PHIL 441	Political and Legal Philosophy (3 hours)
	POLS 208	Law, Courts, and Justice (3 hours)
	POLS 3993	Gender, Politics and Policy (3 hours)
	POLS 3993	Constitutional Cases in Context (3 hours)
	POLS 404	Indiana Constitutional Law (3 hours)
	POLS 405	Constitutional Law (3 hours)
	POLS 406	Constitutional Rights (3 hours)
	POLS 464	Environmental Politics and Policy (3 hours)
	POLS 473	International Law (3 hours)
	POLS 495	Judicial Internship (3 hours)
	POLS 496	Legal Internship (3 hours)
	POLS 497	Legislative Internship (3 hours)

NOTES:

1. Two additional economics courses have been proposed as electives and will be added at a later date. These include “Economics and the Law” and “Problem Solving.”
2. One additional political science class has been proposed as an elective and will be added at a later date. This course would be a 200-level legal research course.
3. Students may repeat POLS 399 for credit with topic change. [Capped at 6 hours]
4. Students who complete the Political Science or Sociology major may count up to six hours of credit towards the Pre-law minor.
5. Students who complete the Pre-Law minor cannot minor in Legal Studies.

Legal Studies Minor Requirements (21 Hours and a 2.5 cumulative grade point average) Visit the eBulletin for course descriptions.

	Required Courses in the University Core Curriculum
	CMST 101	Introduction to Public Speaking (3 hours)
	POLS 102	Introduction to American Politics (3 hours)
	PHIL 201	Introduction to Ethics (3 hours)
	Required Foundations Courses:
	Complete two courses from this list (6 hours)
	CMST 107	Introduction to Interpersonal Communication (3 hours)
	PHIL 205	Introduction to Logic (3 hours)
	ENG 301	Advanced Composition (3 hours)
	ECON 327X	Cost-Benefit Analysis (3 hours)
	Complete two courses from this list (6 hours)
	CRIM 244	Police and Society (3 hours)
	CRIM 234	Introduction to Corrections (3 hours)
	POLS 208	Law, Courts and Justice (3 hours)
	SOC 225	Criminology (3 hours)
	Elective Courses: 9 hours (1 at 100-200 level; 2 at 300-400 level)
	ANTH 211	Introduction to Forensic Anthropology (3 hours)
	BLAW 263	Legal Environment of Business (3 hours)
	BLAW 363	Law for the Entrepreneur (3 hours)
	COMM 494	Mass Communication Law and Ethics (3 hours)
	CRIM 302	Criminal Law (3 hours)
	CRIM 370	Seminar in Criminal Justice (3 hours)
	CRIM 411	Criminal Enforcement Strategies: Evidentiary Problems (3 hours)
	ECON 208	Principles of Microeconomics (3 hours)
	PHIL 441	Political and Legal Philosophy (3 hours)
	POLS 3993	Gender, Politics and Policy (3 hours)
	POLS 3993	Constitutional Cases in Context (3 hours)
	POLS 404	Indiana Constitutional Law (3 hours)
	POLS 405	Constitutional Law (3 hours)
	POLS 406	Constitutional Rights (3 hours)
	POLS 464	Environmental Politics and Policy (3 hours)
	POLS 473	International Law (3 hours)
	POLS 495	Judicial Internship (3 hours)
	POLS 496	Legal Internship (3 hours)
	POLS 497	Legislative Internship (3 hours)

NOTES:

1. Two additional economics courses have been proposed as electives and will be added at a later date. These include “Economics and the Law” and “Problem Solving.”
2. One additional political science class has been proposed as an elective and will be added at a later date. This course would be a 200-level legal research course.
3. Students may repeat POLS 399 for credit with topic change. [Capped at 6 hours]
4. Students who complete the Political Science or Criminal Justice major may count up to six hours of credit towards the Legal Studies minor.
5. Students who complete the Legal Studies minor cannot minor in Pre-Law.

Please see the course catalogue or ask Dr. LaRowe for more information about specific courses. Advice regarding appropriate courses for pre-law students offered by other departments can be obtained from the Pre-law coordinator, Dr. Nicholas LaRowe, phone: 464-1727, email: nllarowe.