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Law

Overview

Law programs prepare people to become lawyers.

Law programs teach people the theories and processes of the legal system. Students learn about civil and criminal laws.

Law programs include topics such as:

Law programs also include preparation for state and national bar exams.

Concentrations

In law programs students may be able to specialize in:

Internship

Internships allow students to develop skills at companies or organizations. Some law programs require students to complete an internship.

Schools

To enter a law program, students must already have a bachelor’s degree.

Many universities offer Juris doctor (JD) degrees in law. JD degree programs usually require three years or study beyond the bachelor’s degree.

See schools that offer this program.

Graduate Admissions

Admission to graduate programs is competitive. You need a bachelor's degree, good grades, and good test scores.

You must do two things to apply to law school:

In nearly all cases, you must have your JD or its equivalent to apply to jurisprudence programs. Typically you must finish your LLM, and less commonly, the MCJ, before you can be admitted to a JSD or SJD program.

Admission to jurisprudence programs is competitive. You need a JD (law school degree), excellent grades, and strong letters of recommendation. You may also be required to submit a writing sample.

Typical Course Work

This program typically includes courses in the following subjects:

For LLM and MCJ students, most of your courses will be the same courses taken by JD (law) students. Course work depends somewhat on the specialty you choose. For foreign-trained students, a course about the American legal system is usually required.

This program typically includes courses in the following areas of specialization:

JSD and SJD course work is specialized to your research interests. Course work usually includes preliminary exams, a dissertation, and dissertation defense.

Things to Know

Most law schools don't require you to take certain classes as an undergraduate or major in a specific subject to be accepted. They prefer prospective students to have a broad liberal arts background. For example, they look for courses in history, composition, political science, sociology, and economics. In addition, courses in statistics and accounting can be useful and computing, library, and reading skills are also important.

You can major in a narrow field (such as microbiology) if you want to focus on a specific area of the law (such as environmental policy).

The LSAT (Law School Admissions Test) is a four-hour, standardized test that tests your reading and verbal reasoning skills. The higher your score (the maximum is 180), the more likely you will be admitted into high-ranking law schools. The LSAT is offered four times per year, but law schools prefer that you take it in October or June to ensure they receive your scores in time.

Schools

King-Snohomish Area

Golden Gate University - Seattle

Northeastern University - Seattle

Seattle University

University of Washington - Seattle

Spokane Area

Eastern Washington University

Eastern Washington University (Spokane Campus)

Gonzaga University