Pre-Law

A Personal Approach to Professional Preparation

You’ll work side-by-side with a faculty advisor who will help you identify, refine and pursue your professional goals. You’ll refine your plan regularly in ongoing conversations with your advisor and with additional expert, caring faculty who understand what it takes to enroll in law school and succeed in the legal profession.

Your advisor will help you design a personal academic plan, will guide you through the law school application process, and will connect you with all the people, resources and experiences you need to make your dreams a reality. These close, productive relationships are at the heart of Dominican’s pre-law program.

Purposeful Learning for a Law Career 

Lawyers need to be able to think critically, write and speak clearly and persuasively, research and analyze complex issues and understand the social and historical context of events. The Dominican experience is designed to build those skills. Pre-law students major in any subject. In recent years, most of Dominican’s successful law school applicants have majored in one of the following subjects: political science, philosophy, criminology, English and psychology. We encourage you to follow your passions and academic interests. 

Your pre-law advisor will help you select appropriate courses from across the curriculum, such as constitutional law, environmental law, business law, philosophy, and law and society. Courses in oral communication and additional English writing courses, and minors if time permits, are strong additions to any transcript. 

In addition to coursework, students should seriously consider experiences that broaden their appeal, such as study abroad and internships. Your advisor also will help you to identify internships, study abroad experiences and other ways to learn—and put your learning into practice in the real world. Students should seriously consider the pre-law minor and use the course list to select courses. 
 

Accelerated Program with Prestigious Law Schools 

Dominican offers distinctive academic partnerships with the UIC School of Law and Case Western Reserve University School of Law in Cleveland, Ohio. With UIC, an accelerated program enables students to obtain both a bachelor’s degree and a law degree in just six years, instead of the usual seven. You’ll save time and tuition dollars. Your pre-law advisor will work closely with you to develop a curriculum that efficiently meets all program requirements. Dominican graduates who finish in the top half of their class and score a 150 or better on the LSAT are also eligible for three years of half-priced tuition at Case Western Reserve.

Interested students will need to work closely with an advisor to develop a three-year schedule that meets all requirements. Serious commitment will definitely be necessary; summer courses may be needed. Dominican students are not guaranteed admission to the UIC School of Law, but they do have an advantage if their applications are competitive.

The Challenges and Support You Need to Succeed

For aspiring lawyers, the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) is a key part of the application process. Your pre-law advisor will help you prepare for this challenging exam. You’ll even be able to experience the LSAT process in advance by taking practice exams on campus. Your advisor will help you identify law schools that may be good fits for you, encourage you to visit them, and support you through all stages of the application process. Dominican has a strong record of placing graduates in law school.
 

See More of the World

Study abroad opportunities have been part of the Dominican experience since 1925. We were the second campus in the country to start an overseas academic program. Today you can choose from among programs in Argentina, China, England, Ghana, Guatemala, France, Ireland, Italy, Spain and South Africa. A deep dive into another society and culture will expand your language and interpersonal skills and is excellent preparation for law school and beyond.