Law

Pre-Professional Advising
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Law education prepares students to become attorneys, judges, public servants, teachers or administrators in government or the private sector. Attorneys are concerned with the interpretation of law and its application to specific situations. This involves in-depth research, writing reports and briefs, advising clients and representing parties in the courts.

Law school consists of three years of graduate-level study. Instruction includes classroom lectures and discussion, considerable research and practice of courtroom procedures. Law school graduates must pass a state bar exam in order to practice.

Completion of a bachelor's degree is required for admission to most law schools. Students should have a strong academic record and high scores on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). While law schools do not prescribe a specific undergraduate major for admission, a liberal education is the best preparation. Students planning a legal career should select courses that enhance oral and written communication skills, expand understanding of human values and institutions, and develop analytical reasoning and logical thinking. English, philosophy, history, literature and the social sciences are valuable areas of pre-law study. Courses in accounting and economics are helpful as well. Recent trends indicate that students with an undergraduate degree in the natural sciences are gaining in favor for law school admission.

Students interested in a legal career can obtain assistance through the Academic Advising Center for discussing program planning, professional schools and financial planning. See www.uaf.edu/advising/degree/preprof/law.html for detailed information on preparing for law school while at UAF.