Pre-Law Students
Philosophy is an excellent major for students who intend to go to law school, and the department offers a wide range of courses for pre-law students.
- Prof. Rebecca Chan currently serves as the University Pre-Law Advisor.
- University Pre-Law Advising
Courses especially recommended for pre-law students:
- PHIL 57 (Logic & Critical Reasoning)
- PHIL 155 (Philosophy of Law)
- PHIL 132 (Ethical Theory)
- PHIL 195 (Seminar in Philosophy of Law)
Why should a Pre-Law student major in philosophy?
| Major | LSAT Score | Compared to average | Popularity of major | Number of students |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philosophy | 157.0 | +4.7pts | 11 | 1,447 |
| Economics | 156.2 | +3.9pts | 6 | 2,575 |
| History | 154.5 | +2.2pts | 2 | 5,107 |
| English | 153.5 | +1.2pts | 3 | 4,968 |
| Psychology | 151.7 | -0.6pts | 4 | 3,758 |
| Political Science | 151.5 | -0.8pts | 1 | 13,229 |
| Accounting | 151.5 | -0.8pts | 7 | 2,098 |
| Sociology | 149.4 | -2.9pts | 8 | 1,888 |
| Communications | 149.4 | -2.9pts | 9 | 1,780 |
| Business Administration | 148.2 | -4.1pts | 10 | 1,758 |
| Criminal Justice | 145.2 | -6.9pts | 5 | 3,185 |
Source: Clemson University's Philosophy and Pre-Law page
| Major | LSAT Score | Compared to average | Popularity of major | Number of students |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philosophy | 157.0 | +4.7pts | 11 | 1,447 |
| Religion | 156.6 | +4.3pts | 10 | 200 |
| Literature | 154.5 | +2.2pts | 5 | 348 |
| Music | 155.0 | +1.7pts | 7 | 245 |
| French | 153.9 | +1.6pts | 8 | 224 |
| English | 153.5 | +1.2pts | 1 | 4,968 |
| Foreign Lanuages | 153.3 | +1.0pts | 9 | 203 |
| Journalism | 151.9 | -0.4pts | 4 | 793 |
| Liberal Arts | 150.8 | -1.5pts | 6 | 320 |
| Spanish | 149.1 | -3.2pts | 3 | 827 |
Source: Clemson University's Philosophy and Pre-Law page
More good reasons for pre-law students to major in philosophy:
From the American Bar Association, Law as a Career:
An undergraduate should be aware that there is no particular course of study that is required or preferred by law schools. Accordingly, students from a wide variety of majors (e.g., philosophy, physics, political science, engineering, and business) are admitted to law schools each year. There is no true pre-law curriculum. Generally, a broad-based education that is rigorous and that stresses analytical and verbal communication skills will be useful.
From the Law School Admission Council's Official Guide to U.S. Law Schools:
While no single curricular path is the ideal preparation for law school, you should choose courses that sharpen analytical reasoning and writing skills. Law schools prefer students who can think, read, and write well, and who have some understanding of what shapes human experience.
From Richard Posner (federal appellate judge and former law professor), Overcoming Law. (Cambridge and London: Harvard University Press, 1995):
The methods of analytic philosophy and of legal reasoning--the making of careful distinctions and definitions, the determination of logical consistency through the construction and examination of hypothetical cases, the bringing of buried assumptions to the surface, the breaking up of a problem into manageable components, the meticulous exploration of the implications of an opponent's arguments--are mainly the same. (p. 9)
From the American Philosophical Association:
Intermediate to advanced courses in logic and in the general area of ethics, for instance political or social philosophy, philosophy of law, medical ethics, and business ethics, are very useful. Epistemology, which examines standards of evidence, philosophy of mind, which bears on moral and legal responsibility, and philosophy of language, may also be of special benefit. Philosophy of science is particularly valuable for those intending to practice in the technological or scientific sectors.
Many philosophers and students of philosophy go to law school, and there are now many successful philosopher-lawyers. On the basis of information from law school faculty, from philosophers who have kept track of their students who have gone into the law, and from independent studies, it is clear that philosophical training tends to be of great value both in law school and in legal practice. Further, philosophers tend to do very well on the LSAT examination. A philosopher at a distinguished university noted that even their average graduate students in philosophy who transferred to law school usually did outstanding work as law students... The law is not only a career that interests many philosophers and philosophy students; it is also a field for which philosophical training is generally excellent preparation.
