Pre-Law, Philosophy, BA
Likes Precision of Word Choice in Philosophy
"I like the precision of philosophy, particularly on word choice. I like being able to elaborate on and articulate very specific ideas."
Emily Gaertner, Class of 2015, Philosophy Pre-law with a double major in Criminology
Learn the Lessons Before Law School
The Philosophy Pre-Law Track is designed for students intending to pursue an advanced degree in law. It provides ideal training in the skills required for close, critical reading of legal texts, a fact borne out by law school admissions rates and LSAT performance data.
In addition to philosophy courses, you'll also take seven courses covering business, criminology, economics, history, English, and political science for the Pre-Law track. The courses in the Pre-Law track provide the academic preparation demanded by law schools and help you to develop the skills and knowledge you'll need for the LSAT. An honors program in philosophy is available to students in this major.
Students of philosophy learn to read carefully, think independently, communicate clearly, argue cogently, spot fallacies, clarify muddled reasoning, and identify questionable assumptions. Several lawyers are among the philosophy graduates highlighted on our alumni page.
Law School Admissions Test (LSAT)
Of all the pre-law majors, philosophy majors have the highest average score on the LSAT (tied with economics majors). The analytical skills you learn in philosophy courses are useful for legal analysis and make you a competitive candidate for law school (see comments from Judge Richard Posner, United States Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and information from the American Bar Association.)
Here are the average LSAT scores for the 12 largest disciplines, with at least 1,900 students entering law school:
