Law
2013-14
Advisor: DAVID DEHNEL, Professor (Political Science)
B.A., Wisconsin; M.A., Ph.D., Minnesota
The key to preparing for law school is a broad and demanding liberal arts education. Such an education develops the skills needed for graduate study in law: the ability to think critically, to read and comprehend difficult material, to write and speak clearly and effectively, to do research and develop and defend an argument. Law schools do not specify a preference for any particular undergraduate major. Accordingly, Augustana does not offer a pre-law major, but offers relevant courses and pre-law advising to assist students majoring in any field.
To develop skills needed for law school and the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), students are encouraged to take:
ENGL-201 The Writing Process
PHIL-110 Critical Reasoning
COMM-104 Public Speaking or COMM-204 Argumentation and Oral Advocacy
To explore the role of lawyers in society and learn how to analyze court cases, students are encouraged to take:
POLS-260 The Legal System
POLS-361 Constitutional Law I and POLS-362 Constitutional Law II
Students with an interest in the study of law may also wish to consider:
PHIL-325 Philosophy of Law
SOC-361 Crime and Society
All students considering a law-related career should contact the pre-law advisor.
Admission to law school is highly competitive. For a good chance of admission to an accredited law school, students generally need a grade average of B or better and an LSAT score above the median. In addition to strong grades and LSAT scores, law schools seek students who engage in activities that demonstrate the qualities of leadership and citizenship. Additional information is available from the advisor.
