Pre-Law Pathway
The pre-law pathway in the College of Arts and Sciences at Western Michigan University offers advising, resources, programs and courses to prepare undergraduates for admission to and success in law school and legal careers. Pre-law is not a major; rather, it is a carefully designed plan intended to prepare you to achieve your unique academic and career goals.
Majors
Students who choose the pre-law pathway may select a major in any discipline that fulfills the requirements for a bachelor's degree at WMU. No special college program is required or recommended by most law schools. As long as a student receives a quality education featuring critical analysis, logical reasoning, and written and oral communication, any major is acceptable for a pre-law student.
Majors most often chosen are business, economics, English, history and political science, but disciplines such as accounting, anthropology, aviation, communication, education, engineering, fine arts, mathematics, natural sciences, philosophy and sociology also are suitable choices. An academic advisor can help you with this decision.
Courses
Regardless of one's major, courses in the following foundations are essential:
- Writing, such as English and technical communication;
- Legal reasoning, such as administrative law, constitutional law and business law;
- Awareness of the structure and processes of government, such as national government, legal environment and judicial processes; and,
- Structure and development of American business, the American historical experience, economics and logic.
Advising
To schedule an appointment with an academic advisor to discuss the Pre-Law pathway, follow the instructions on the page below:
Get Involved
The WMU Pre-law Society is an organization for students interested in pursuing careers in law. The society routinely sponsors discussions with judges and practicing attorneys, trips to law schools in the area, and visits from admissions officials from various law schools.
Supervised internships for pre-law students are frequently arranged. Internship experiences provide an invaluable opportunity for educational growth and enhance a student's undergraduate record substantially. Depending on specific interest and background, students may intern with sponsors from judicial, legislative and executive branches of government at the federal, state and local levels. Private sector internships, often with law firms or business corporations in the area, may be arranged as well. Academic credit may be earned for work done as an intern through the academic departments or through the college and must be arranged prior to the actual internship. Students should meet with their major advisor for more information.
Additional information
More information about WMU's undergraduate pre-law pathway can be found on the WMU Libraries' pre-law information page.