Pre-Law
Pre-Law is a program of study which incorporates courses from several studies of discipline that would help a student in a career in law, including from English, History, Political Science, Psychology, Religion and Sociology.
Pre-Law is designed to prepare you for law school, and possibly a career as an attorney, prosecutor, judge, or a position in a government agency dealing with the law. In the Pre-Law Program you will
- Learn about the law.
- Get ready for the LSAT, the Law School Admission Test.
- Take courses which emphasize the speaking and writing skills that are useful in law school.
It is important to note that a student does not need to major in Political Science or Pre-Law to apply for law school. This program is designed to help students prepare for law school and a law career, but students have the freedom to major in whatever they choose at LaGrange College.
The Pre-Law Advisor is Professor Jeff Lukken, from the Political Science Program. He can be reached at jlukken@lagrange.edu. He and adjunct professors in the program have law degrees.
Useful courses for the Pre-Law:
- ENGL 2212 Rhetorical Theory (3). This course introduces undergraduates to the theory that informs the modern practice of teaching composition. Fundamentals of persuasion and human communication are presented as well. Prerequisites: ENGL 1101 & 1102.
- ENGL 3310 Art of Argumentation (3). This course presents the fundamentals of effective persuasion, including the three appeals (logical, emotional, ethical), logical fallacies, inductive and deductive reasoning, and evaluation of evidence. Students from all majors, as well as undeclared majors, are encouraged to enroll.
- HIST 3310 Constitutional History of the United States to 1900 (3). This course is an analysis of fundamental constitutional development from 1776 to present. Prerequisites: HIST 1111 and HIST 1112
- HIST 3311 Constitutional History of the United States, 1901 to the Present (3). An analysis of fundamental constitutional development from 1901 to the present.
- POLS 1101 United States Government in Global Perspective (3). An introduction to political science through an analysis of the political system of the United States. Topics considered include basic concepts of political science, federalism, civil liberties and civil rights, basic governmental institutions, elections and public opinion, political parties and groups, and domestic and foreign public policy.
- POLS 1102 Introduction to Political Science (3). An introductory course that focuses on the nature of the discipline of political science and deals with the way political scientists study politics through an overview of the major topics of the discipline.
- POLS 3310 State and Local Government (3). A study of state and local government in the United States. Topics considered include the political cultures and social environments of American states and communities, political processes in states and communities, the structure of state and local political institutions, and policy issues facing states and communities.
- POLS 3312 Public Administration and Public Policy (3). An introduction to the study of public administration and public policy. Topics considered include theoretical approaches to the study of public administration; the historical and constitutional basis for public administration in the United States; the organization and management of public institutions; the social, political, and legal environments of public institutions; the role of political processes in public administration; the analysis and evaluation of public policy; and the ethical basis of public administration.
- POLS 3313 American Judicial Institutions (3). A study of judicial institutions in the United States. Topics considered include the functions of legal and judicial institutions, the structure and powers of national and state court systems, the legal profession, judicial selection, judicial procedure, court administration, and policy formation by judicial institutions.
- POLS 3314 American Constitutional Law: Institutions (3). An introduction to the study of constitutional law as it applies to government institutions in the United States. Topics considered include basic concepts of constitutional analysis, historical development of present legal institutions and regimes, judicial policy decisions in different areas of law, and the social, political, and economic factors affecting those decisions.
- POLS 3315 American Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights (3). An introduction to the constitutional liberties and rights accorded American citizens. Topics considered include basic concepts of constitutional analysis; historical development of present legal interpretations and regimes; judicial decisions in different areas of law; the social, political, and economic factors affecting those decisions; and their effect on governing in the United States.
- POLS 3322 International Organizations And International Law (3). A study of the current international system. Topics covered include the nature of “systems”; the recent history of global affairs and the evolution of the international system to its present state; selected theoretical analyses of international systems; the nature, roles, and functions of the various actors in the system; how advances in technology have fundamentally changed the world; and the evolving roles of both states and supranational institutions.
- POLS 4410 Selected Topics in Political Science (3). This course examines particular issues related to topics in political science selected by program faculty. [Such as a Law & Lawyers & LSAT Class].
- PSYC 2298 Behavioral Statistics (3). Introduction to the measurement of behavior and quantitative methods of data analysis, emphasizing parametric statistics and their application to the behavioral sciences. May be taken simultaneously with PSYC 1101. Prerequisite or Corequisite: PSYC 1101.
- PSYC 3321 Social Psychology (3). A course dealing with behavior as affected by social influences. Major topics include social perception, social communication (verbal and nonverbal), altruism, attitudes, aggression, and prejudice. Also, applied areas such as forensic psychology are considered. Prerequisite: PSYC 1101.
- RLGN 1105 Christian Ethics and Contemporary Social Issues (3). A study of contemporary ethical issues in the light of the moral traditions central to the Christian faith. The course examines such issues as marriage and family, war and peace, racism, abortion, and the environment. Servant leadership component.
- SOCI 3307 Criminology (3). This course examines the nature and impact of crime in the United States. We will focus on the following topics: 1) historical foundations of crime; 2) theoretical perspectives of criminology; 3) characteristics of victims and offenders; 4) different types of crime; and 5) an analysis of policies concerning crime and control.
- SOCI 3400 Deviance and Criminology (3). This course is a multi-disciplinary examination of deviant behavior and corrections, with an emphasis on competing theories regarding the origins and incidence of deviance. Special attention will be given to the social forces underlying criminal and deviant behavior. Prerequisite: SOCI 1000.
- SOCI 3550 Drugs and Society (3). This course focuses on drug use and abuse as a social phenomenon. This course will examine the following: 1) The history behind drug laws; 2) The relationship between drugs and race/gender/class; 3) Use patterns related to specific drugs; 4) Drug policy, legislation, and enforcement; and 5) Drug use subcultures.
- SOCI 3850 Corrections and Society (3). This course examines the history and background of the American corrections system. Specific attention will be placed on law, policies, issues, and controversies, as well as an examination of how race, class, and gender intersect within the criminal justice system. Alternatives to incarceration, capital punishment, and community based treatment plans will be discussed.
Requirements for Law School
Students accepted to law school have the following LaGrange College’s three C’s: Critical Thinking, Communication and Creativity. More specifically, they include:
1) Completed admission application and application fees.
2) Strong LSAT Scores. The LSAT, administered by the Law School Admission Council, tests reading and reasoning skills. Applicants need to do well in reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logic.
3) Supportive letters of recommendation from professors and relevant work experience supervisors.
4) Evidence of scholarship, conference or campus presentations, papers and publications, and/or relevant service and internship experience strengthen an application, and should be included
Majors and Minors
Major Minor
Pre-Law
