Courses & Curricula

No particular major or course of study is required for entrance to law school. Whatever major is chosen, a student should look to develop knowledge in areas that are beneficial to pursuing a legal education. The ABA lists the following as the types of knowledge that would be beneficial to anyone interested in a legal education:

• A broad understanding of history, including the various factors (social, political, economic, and cultural) that have influenced the development of our society in the United States
• A fundamental understanding of political thought and the contemporary American political system
• Some basic mathematical and financial skills, such as an understanding of basic pre-calculus mathematics and an ability to analyze financial data
• A basic understanding of human behavior and social interaction
• An understanding of diverse cultures within and beyond the United States, international institutions and issues, world events, and the increasing interdependence of the nations and communities within our world

Many courses offered at UIC will help you gain the types of knowledge listed above. One course, however, deserves specific mention: Because the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is heavily based on logic skills, it is highly recommended that every pre-law student take Philosophy 102 Introductory Logic at UIC or its equivalent at another institution.
Students should plan to take Philosophy 102 as close as possible to when they expect to begin preparing for the LSAT (in
order to keep it fresh); typically, this would mean either second semester sophomore year or registering for it for their
junior year. Students planning to take one or more building years post UIC before taking the LSAT and applying to law
school may want to take Philosophy 102 their senior year.

LAS Minor in Law and Society

The minor in Law and Society is designed to assist students in developing aptitudes, skills, and substantive knowledge that will be of value in law school and in careers related to law. Rather than being a narrow or technical course of study, the minor exposes students to the social forces that impact the development, design, and impact of legal rules. The minor gives students interested in law a formal preparatory course of study that provides a helpful degree of direction, discipline, and focus.

The Law and Society minor is a good option for students in any major who are interested in law school or other courses of graduate studies related to the law.

The minor is offered by the Department of Criminology, Law, and Justice in cooperation with other departments in LAS. The minor is comprised of 18-19 semester hours of regularly scheduled courses selected from several participating departments. The requirements for the Law and Society minor are listed in the UIC Undergraduate Catalog, and students may discuss any questions regarding the minor with an academic advisor for Criminology, Law, and Justice (807 UH; (312) 355-5133; SocialSci@las.uic.edu).