Law & Criminal Justice
What Should I Major In?
There is no "law" major at most universities. Students that want to become lawyers will attend law school after completing their Bachelor's degree. Here is more information on choosing a major for pre-law students.
"The ABA does not recommend any undergraduate majors or group of courses to prepare for a legal education. Students are admitted to law school from almost every academic discipline. You may choose to major in subjects that are considered to be traditional preparation for law school, such as history, English, philosophy, political science, economics or business, or you may focus your undergraduate studies in areas as diverse as art, music, science and mathematics, computer science, engineering, nursing or education. Whatever major you select, you are encouraged to pursue an area of study that interests and challenges you, while taking advantage of opportunities to develop your research and writing skills. Taking a broad range of difficult courses from demanding instructors is excellent preparation for legal education. A sound legal education will build upon and further refine the skills, values, and knowledge that you already possess."
More on preparing for a law career here: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/legal_education/resources/pre_law/
Common Majors for Law School
Political Science: One of the most common majors for pre-law students. Political science is a very popular pre-law major because politics is heavily interrelated with legislation. The study of political behavior, government systems, and how the judicial system works are all very useful in law school. Students in this major also explore other country’s legal systems and gain an understanding of how laws are created and executed.
Psychology: A Psychology degree can be very helpful for prospective attorneys, since practicing law is as much about the people involved as it is about the law itself. Psychology also provides students with an understanding of concepts like stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination, cognitive dissonance, and other theories and issues that are useful to future lawyers.
Criminal Justice: Criminal justice is a natural fit for law school for those who are interested in pursuing a career in criminal law. In this major, students learn about the corrections system, court proceedings, and other parts of the legal system.
English: Practicing law also requires strong oral and written language skills for things like case briefs, reports, and analyzing & presenting a case. You’ll be expected to use these skills in law school as well as in practice.
History: Law is tightly entwined with History, as it requires knowledge of legal precedents and origins of laws.
Economics: If you’re interested in corporate or tax law, an Economics major is a good foundation. Economics is also broadly applicable to other areas of law, such as intellectual property.
Philosophy: Law and Philosophy are like the positive and negative poles of a magnet. Very different, but inseparable. At their foundation, the law must consider ethics, human nature, common sense, and other philosophical topics to be effective. In addition, what you learn in a philosophy major can help prepare you for the logic tests on the LSAT.
Arts & Humanities: In general, arts & humanities majors can help students prepare for law school due to the reading, writing, and critical thinking involved with the various coursework. Since law schools tend to prefer students with a variety of courses, having a liberal arts degree provides students with the opportunity to take a lot of different classes. This major may include concentrations like language, religion, and design.
Sociology: Sociology is the study of people in groups. Laws are guidelines for how people are expected to act in groups. Similar to Arts & Humanities majors, a sociology major involves a lot of writing and critical thinking, while also incorporating some quantitative and qualitative reasoning, all of which are helpful in preparing for law school. Communications: Communications majors have to do a lot of reading, writing and research, as well as public speaking and negotiation, all of which are important areas to develop for law school success. Organizational management, crisis communication, critical thinking, and conflict management are also useful aspects of a communications major for law school.
Paralegal
Are you interested in paralegal studies?
The Santa Rosa Junior College Paralegal Studies Program is an academic program for students seeking employment in the legal field and in business. The curriculum blends an understanding of legal theory and practical skills, based on actual paralegal job responsibilities. Classes will be taught by practicing attorneys and paralegals in the evenings and on weekends.
The guiding principles of the program are two-fold: to offer a curriculum that teaches the practical applications of legal theory and to advance the paralegal profession by offering a rigorous course of study that develops resourceful legal problem solvers.
The program meets the educational requirements for paralegals as stated in the California Business and Professions Code, commencing with section 6450.
Students will earn an Associate in Arts Degree, which can be completed in four semesters and a summer session.
Major Info: https://bd.santarosa.edu/paralegal-studies-major
Detailed Program Information: https://portal.santarosa.edu/srweb/SR_ProgramOfStudy.aspx?MajorCertID=2284
Becoming a Paralegal
Resource for finding paralegal programs. https://www.becomeaparalegal.org/