why should you major in philosophy to be a lawyer?

A philosophy major is good discipline to study for future lawyers because a student of ‘philosophy’ will learn how to analyze arguments and organize their thoughts into coherent and cogent ideas.

Full Answer

Is philosophy a good major to prepare for Law School?

Answer (1 of 2): The best major is whatever you enjoy most, so long as you can keep your grades up. Your major will have no meaningful bearing on your admissions chances at any law school. Yes, philosophy majors may, on average, score better on the LSAT.

What can I do with a major in philosophy?

The skills you develop while taking philosophy courses – such as careful, critical writing about detailed arguments – are the very ones you will need in law school. Philosophy majors typically do extremely well on the LSAT (though to be honest, we must add that it is not clear whether this is because studying philosophy causes students to get better at solving LSAT-type problems, or …

What are the best pre-law majors for Law School?

Jan 03, 2022 · A philosophy major is good discipline to study for future lawyers because a student of ‘philosophy’ will learn how to analyze arguments and organize their thoughts into coherent and cogent ideas. These students will learn how to follow the rules of logic when making arguments as well as how to take the opposite side of an argument and question the …

What should I major in to become a lawyer?

UMSL students and guests gather on the rooftop of St. Louis University School of Law following an afternoon tour of the 12-story Scott Hall on Oct. 2, 2014. UMSL students looking to prepare themselves for law school, and for a career in law, should consider pursuing a major in Philosophy. There are two main reasons to do so.

Can you major in philosophy and go to law school?

Classes that stress research and writing are excellent preparation for law school, as are courses that teach reasoning and analytical skills." The acceptance rate for philosophy majors applying to law school is higher than the acceptance rates for all other pre-law majors (and second overall, behind physics majors).

How does philosophy help in law?

Traditionally, philosophy of law proceeds by articulating and defending propositions about law that are general and abstract—i.e., that are true not of a specific legal system at a particular time (e.g., the United Kingdom in 1900) but of all legal systems in the present or perhaps of all laws at all times.

What is the best major to become a lawyer?

The Best Majors for Aspiring LawyersBusiness. A business major is a great option for those who are entrepreneurial-minded. ... Criminal Justice / Criminology. Criminal justice is the identification and explanation of criminal behavior patterns. ... Economics. ... English. ... Philosophy. ... Political Science. ... Psychology.Jan 3, 2022

Do philosophy majors do better on the LSAT?

On the LSAT, philosophy majors rank significantly better than any other humanities degree, with an average score tied with economics for the highest of any field with more than 2,000 students taking the exam for the 2007-2008 year.

Is philosophy a good degree for law?

Careers in law You may think legal careers are predominantly the domain of graduates with a law degree, but in fact a philosophy degree can provide a good foundation for this career path.

How is philosophy important?

The study of philosophy enhances a person's problem-solving capacities. It helps us to analyze concepts, definitions, arguments, and problems. It contributes to our capacity to organize ideas and issues, to deal with questions of value, and to extract what is essential from large quantities of information.

Does major matter for law school?

Do law schools really care about your major? Unlike medical school, which requires certain prerequisite courses, law school doesn't require that you major in anything specific or take certain classes before applying. Your LSAT score and your GPA are the key determining factors in law school admissions.

What is a lawyer major called?

A Juris Doctor degree is the required legal degree for professionals who are pursuing a career as a practicing attorney.

Do double majors look good for law school?

Even if you decide to work after graduation and attend law school at a later date, what you gain by taking harder classes will pay off when you take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). A double major, or even a single major with a strong concentration in a secondary subject, will make you that much more competitive.Dec 5, 2019

Is philosophy a good major?

Some surveys show that philosophy majors perform better on average than most of their peers on exams for law, medicine and other graduate schools. And research by the salary data site PayScale showed that philosophy majors rank in the top 100 of all academic fields for average mid-career salary, at $84,100.Jun 20, 2017

What major gets the highest LSAT score?

Math majorsFor an updated look at this analysis, here are the LSAT scores and GPAs by major for 2017-2018 law school applicants based on numbers reported by the LSAC. The general trends identified by Muller remain the same with one notable difference—Math majors' LSAT scores and GPAs are now the highest among all the majors!

Is philosophy a popular major?

A site called Match College lists philosophy as the 89th most popular major. It comes in just after “Baking and Pastry” and “Respiratory Therapy,” which is perfect, because if true I will need to take some deep breaths and console myself with a piece of cake. At least philosophy has more majors than engineering.Apr 19, 2017

“What’S The Point of Studying A Field in Which There Aren’T Any Right Answers?”

It’s true that there is no consensus, even among professional philosophers, on the correct answers to most of the basic problems of philosophy (e.g...

“What Are You Going to Do With That?”

There aren’t many careers that a bachelor’s degree in philosophy will give you specific training for. But there are very many different kinds of ca...

About Law School and Medical School

Law schools know that philosophy is one of the best pre-law majors. The skills you develop while taking philosophy courses – such as careful, criti...

How Much Money Do Philosophy Majors Make?

A lot of students are deterred from majoring in philosophy by the widespread belief that a degree in philosophy translates into low earning potenti...

What are the skills that philosophy develops?

The study of philosophy develops many skills, including: • critical thinking. • evaluation of chains of reasoning. • construction of chains of reasoning. • consideration of many different perspectives on a single subject. • clear written communication on complex topics.

What is philosophy training?

Training in the practice of philosophy means training in: Stating your own views as clearly and precisely as possible. Seeking out the best possible arguments against your own views. Seeking out the full range of alternatives to your own views that a reasonable person might take seriously.

What majors have higher salary potential?

According to this World Economic Forum post, philosophy majors have higher average salary potential than chemistry, marketing, business administration, history, and many other majors (with the biggest increase of any major in earning power during the first ten years after graduation). A Washington Post article in which various philosophy majors ...

Is philosophy a pre-med?

Though it is often over looked for this purpose, philosophy is also an excellent pre-med major. Here at Chapel Hill, the requirements of the philosophy major have a great deal of flexibility built into them, making it relatively easy to fit in all the science courses you need to take as a pre-med.

Is philosophy a good pre-law major?

Law schools know that philosophy is one of the best pre-law majors. The skills you develop while taking philosophy courses – such as careful, critical writing about detailed arguments – are the very ones you will need in law school.

Is there consensus in philosophy?

It’s true that there is no consensus, even among professional philosophers , on the correct answers to most of the basic problems of philosophy (e.g., what makes some actions morally right and others wrong? do we have free will? what is reality ultimately made out of? is there a god? can the legitimacy of the authority of the state be established, and if so then how? is mathematics something humans discovered or something humans invented?), but that doesn’t mean that philosophy doesn’t make progress, and it doesn’t mean that we can’t learn by studying other philosophers. What we learn by studying the field of philosophy includes:

Do philosophy majors apply to medical schools?

A recent issue of a journal published by the American Medical School Association indicates that a very high proportion of philosophy majors applying to medical schools have been accepte d. See it here. You may also see this article about a major medical school that is very friendly to humanities majors.

Business

A business major is a great option for those who are entrepreneurial-minded. Students interested in corporate law might find that classes in management and economics are well-suited to their postgraduation career needs. Word of warning, business majors should be careful not to focus solely on the fundamentals.

Economics

An economics major spends a lot of time summarizing large amounts of quantitative data. This is great training for law school as an econ major will be well-prepared to sort information and evidence in order to build a case backed by evidence.

English

Lawyers must be well-versed with the English language as they spend a lot of their time researching, writing, and speaking in court. English majors will learn how to analyze and synthesize large bodies of text, developing a command of written and verbal language (sometimes more than one).

Philosophy

Is there a more “prelaw school” major than philosophy? It’s no surprise that students majoring in philosophy dive deep into logic, ethics, and morality, which are all big, existential questions relevant to the study and practice of law.

Political Science

Political science majors should be prepared to study political systems, public policy, and the relationship between types of government and the law. This major is probably the closest to a law school curriculum in undergrad that a student will find.

Psychology

Psychology is the study of human behaviors and this major gives students insight into the human psyche. For instance, students might apply their psych studies to criminal cases, questioning how human error could possibly lead to wrongful convictions or how innocent people sometimes make incorrect judgments.

Bottom Line

For students considering a career in law, some majors are a reliable source of the skills and knowledge central to the profession. However, no major will guarantee a law school acceptance letter — and no major will disqualify a student, either.

What do philosophy majors study?

Philosophy majors delve deep into the study of logic, ethics, and morality —areas of thought that also happen to be the cornerstones of law. You'll debate with classmates, present arguments and do a lot of research to support your case, which is not all that different from what lawyers do to prepare for court.

What is the closest thing to law school?

Political Science. Of all majors, this may be the closest to a "law school" curriculum as you can get. In this major, you'll study political systems, public policy, international relations and the relationship between government, the law, and individual rights, among other things.

What is an economics major?

Not only are economics majors trained to think logically and analytically, but economic policies and procedures, as well as how resources are distributed and managed, are topics closely connected to the legal issues you'll encounter as a lawyer.

What do history majors learn?

From a practical standpoint, history majors are also tasked with lots of research and writing and must learn to draw conclusions based on historical documents, a great precursor to the work you'll do in law school.

Is business a good major?

A business major is a good option for those who plan to go into corporate law. That said, be sure to supplement business fundamentals with humanities and liberal arts electives so you can train your analytical and critical thinking muscles, as well as practice research and writing, too.

Does it matter what you study as an undergraduate?

If you have your heart set on landing a legal gig, it's important to know that it doesn't necessarily matter what you study as an undergraduate. This is truly a profession suited to those coming from vast educational backgrounds.

Is Discover Student Loans affiliated with LSAT?

LSAT is a registered trademark of the Law School Admission Council, Inc., and is not affiliated with Discover Student Loans.

Why do lawyers need an English major?

The English major is a very popular major for law school because of its immediately obvious benefits: advanced reading comprehension and persuasive writing skills. Students of the English major study dense and complex literature and are then required to process the information, make connections and create organized analytical arguments and defend positions. In this light, the critical thinking skills required of English majors mirror the skills required by law students. Strong reading and writing skills are required by all lawyers, so the English major is a no-brainer when it comes to selecting a major for law school.

Why is sociology a good major?

Sociology is a great major for potential law students because it studies the big picture of society. It looks at the social issues we face in our society like poverty, economic justice, racial discrimination, and LGBT rights. Sociology looks at the way the law can help, and how to develop solutions to fight inequality. In this light, sociology is a great area of focus for students that hope to one day end up using the law to affect public policy.

What is the LSAT test?

The LSAT tests for critical thinking skills rather than subject matter expertise. Law schools look for candidates with abstract thinking skills, the ability to interpret written texts, and high reading comprehension. They want candidates that have fine reasoning abilities, the ability to think logically. Notice how all majors have students that ...

What are the skills required for an English major?

In this light, the critical thinking skills required of English majors mirror the skills required by law students.

What is psychology major?

Through the psychology major’s coursework, students develop a solid understanding of how people can make correct or incorrect judgments that can lead to things like stereotyping, prejudice, or discrimination. Psychology courses also teach students how to network and prepare for negotiations.

What is the study of human behavior and the mental processes that fuel how people interact with each other and the world around them

Psychology is the study of human behavior and the mental processes that fuel how people interact with each other and the world around them. Since law is a system designed to govern human behavior, psychology can help lawmakers understand what kind of laws will have positive effects on society.

What is political science?

Political science is the study of government systems, political behavior, and how the judicial system works. This is where a political science degree shows its advantage in law school. Students in this field often have a better understanding of how laws are created and executed as well as the history behind them.

Five Reasons to Major in Philosophy

I get a lot of students who tell me that they loved the one or two philosophy classes they took as an undergraduate student, and that they would have enjoyed taking more courses if their schedules allowed it, but since they weren’t majoring in philosophy it just wasn’t possible.

What You Learn When You Study Philosophy

Before we do anything else we need to spend a bit of time talking about what it is that you actually learn as a philosophy major.

1. Philosophy Has Intrinsic Value

The search for truth and wisdom about the most important issues that face human beings — this has intrinsic value, it’s important for its own sake.

3. Employers Are Looking For These Skills

For starters, employers really are looking for the skills that philosophy teaches. Business leaders routinely say that finding smart, technically competent employees isn’t hard, there are tons of those on the market. What’s much harder to find are employees who have strong communication, critical reasoning and problem-solving skills.

4. Your Income Expectations Are Higher Than You May Think

Here’s another fact that might surprise you. With a philosophy degree, your income expectations are higher than you might think. And hopefully it’s becoming more clear why this is the case.

What majors are common for pre-law students?

With that in mind, certain majors do seem somewhat common among pre-law students including Political Science, History, Philosophy and Business. If one is interested in a particular aspect of law (which you stated you are but did not specify which aspect) then they may find related courses helpful.

Is language skills important interpersonally?

But your language abilities, though immensely valuable interpersonally, will most likely prove somewhat less valuable than other assets you will need to secure an international commercial or transnational (inter -governmental) practice .

Is international law a small part of law school?

International law coursework will inevitably be a relatively small proportion of your curriculum in law school. Upon graduating, your career prospects will probably not be greatly enhanced by your language skills, but instead will have much more to do with the quality of the law school you attended and your class rank.

Is law practice competitive?

If you are skilled in these areas, you may succeed well. Law practice is highly competitive, and success tends to be merit-based and also somewhat "political.". You may also wish to think seriously about what it means to you to envy or admire "top" performers.

Is an accounting degree good for law?

A: An accounting degree is really a good background for almost any type of law practice. Any type of corporate or securities law and tax law are definitely good choices. Also, large accounting firms hire lawyers with accounting backgrounds, and often send them back to school while they are working to get an LLM in tax.

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