Central students aspiring to a career in law should consider majoring in Philosophy. Here are a few reasons why Philosophy has proven to be a popular pre-law major:
- In recent years, students majoring in Philosophy at Central have had great success being admitted to law school. Several of our graduates now hold J.D. degrees and careers in law.
- Philosophy courses teach the skills that you will need to succeed in law school. According to the Law School Admission Council, one of the best ways to prepare for law school is to choose courses that “will enhance your reading comprehension, writing, and analytical skills. By challenging yourself as an undergraduate, you will be better positioned to do well on the LSAT and in law school.”1 Philosophy courses at Central are designed to be challenging in exactly these ways. Also, philosophy majors generally tend to do score highly on the LSAT.2
- Many of our courses allow students to examine topics and arguments that legal professionals consider on a regular basis. These include:
PHIL 144 Moral Issues Critical examination (both practical and theoretical) of issues arising in the private and public conduct of one's life. Typical issues for examination are abortion, violence, capital punishment, and conflicts between personal values and professional duties.
PHIL 211 Philosophy & Global Justice Critical examination of theoretical and practical issues within the field of global justice. Theoretical concerns include the nature and scope of justice, the moral significance of national boundaries, and the possibility of cross-cultural reasoning at the global level. Practical concerns include global poverty, women's human rights, terrorism, and environmental degradation.
PHIL 221 Introduction to Modern Logic Introduction to formal systems of deductive reasoning (Aristotelian syllogism, Venn diagrams, sentential, and predicate logic), as well as non-deductive reasoning and the relations between logic and philosophy.
PHIL 244 Introduction to the Philosophy of Social Justice Introduces students to philosophical theories and issues of social justice within the United States. Critically explores the philosophical aspects of systemic oppression and the role of various social institutions and structures in producing inequality and injustice. Possible topics include structural inequality and poverty, racism in the criminal justice system, gender-based violence, and affirmative action.
PHIL 344 Topics in Philosophical & Social Justice Examines topics in the philosophical literature on social justice. Possible topics include democracy, social activism, welfare, structural inequality and oppression, racism, and poverty.
PHIL 346 Theoretical and Practical Ethics Critical examination of practical and theoretical problems about right and wrong conduct, good and bad character, and justified and unjustified practices, policies and institutions, as well as of ethical theories for addressing the problems.
PHIL 349 Philosophy of Law The nature of law and of such correlative concepts as legal rights, obligations, responsibility and punishment. The logic of judicial reasoning. The relationship between law and morality.
Given our small class sizes, faculty in the Department of Philosophy will remember you and will be able to write strong personalized letters of recommendation for your law school application.
Students interested in attending law school after graduating from Central should consult with Dr. Cameron Brewer, the Department of Philosophy's Pre-Law Advisor. He can provide information regarding the law school admissions process and help you pursue your study of Philosophy with the goal of attending law school.
Dr. Cameron Brewer
Pre-Law Advisor, Department of Philosophy
Willard DiLoreto Hall W 304-09
860-832-2918