Pre-Law
Interested in becoming a lawyer? Our pre-law program will prepare you for the next step in your career.
Become a Top-Tier Graduate School Candidate
We offer a rigorous curriculum and experiential learning opportunities that will prepare you well for a career in law. Pre-law is not a major at UW-Eau Claire, but rather a declaration of your intention to continue your education and become a lawyer.
A specific major is not required to get into law school, but certain skills and curriculum are favored. For example, the American Bar Association recommends that future lawyers select a major that develops skills in reading and interpreting texts, research, and writing. Additional skills valued in law school are analytic and problem-solving skills, so courses that challenge students in these areas are recommended.
Law school admissions are based on successful completion of an undergraduate degree, scores on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), a strong GPA, letters of recommendation, and other criteria set by particular programs.
Studies show that students in the following majors consistently score highly on the LSAT: economics, finance, history, literature, philosophy, physics/math, political science, and religious studies. A popular major choice for students at UW-Eau Claire is legal studies.
Program Details
Every pre-law student is assigned a faculty advisor from the political science department. Your advisor will provide you with individualized attention and is available to answer questions about law programs, courses, and other concerns. They also have up-to-date information on the admission requirements of regional law schools and can help you plan your schedule accordingly.
Pre-law students fare very well in seeking admission into law school. Graduates regularly attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Minnesota, Hamline University, and Marquette. Other recent graduates have attended Indiana University, Boston University, Northwestern, Harvard, University of Michigan, Princeton, and Yale.
The high quality of UW-Eau Claire’s liberal arts education provides students with cultural awareness and breadth of knowledge that graduate and professional schools find desirable. Your professors will know you by name and will do all they can to support you in earning your degree and pursuing law school.
Blugold Stories
Ever since he was 5 years old, Sgt. Cliff Hayes had his sights set for the military. Soon after joining the Wisconsin Army National Guard, Hayes enrolled at UW-Eau Claire to pursue a career in criminal justice. Being the first in his family to go to college, he needed some guidance on understanding his roles and duties as a veteran and full-time student. He turned to the Veterans Center at UW-Eau Claire and received resources and support to guide his educational needs.
I’m most interested in the community-service-oriented angle of criminal justice. I want to help people who maybe can’t do it on their own. That’s the real driving force in my wanting to go to law school.
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Through a variety of electives, you'll build a wealth of skills. Courses like business law, philosophy, economics, and national politics will prime your critical thinking abilities, preparing you for success on your LSATs and graduate school applications.
Here are a few courses in Pre-Law at UW-Eau Claire.
POLS 331
International Organization and Law
An analysis of the historical and current patterns and theoretical concepts and theories relevant to the organization of global affairs.
POLS 346
Public Policy in the United States
Emphasizes policy analysis, the policymaking process, and the content of American domestic policy; includes coverage of a wide range of policy areas such as economics, environment, energy, business, labor, poverty, welfare, health, education, and agriculture.
POLS 301
State and Local Politics
Study of federalism, state and local political and governing institutions, and public policy.
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