Minor Requirements (18-24 hours)
As with the standard philosophy BA, the law specialization requires a minor. Students completing law specialization will have satisfied coursework in two of the five areas of the pre-law minor (PHIL 213 satisfies the critical thinking requirement; PHIL 343 satisfies the theory and application of law requirement), and will need to complete five additional courses outside of philosophy to complete the pre-law minor. See the pre-law section of the undergraduate catalog for details. The following are also excellent choices for a minor (or a second major), since these courses of study (along with philosophy) are correlated with high law school acceptance rates and high LSAT scores:
Religious Studies Minor
The Department of Philosophy is also home to the SIUE religious studies minor. A student must have a declared major in addition to pursuing the religious studies minor, and philosophy is a natural choice.
Religion deserves rigorous attention and scholarship as it is one of the most significant facets of human experience and civilization building. Human history is inseparable from religious belief and practice, and it continues to be a major influence in self-expression, art and literature, politics, economics, ethics and civic engagement.
The religious studies minor is a multi-disciplinary and, hence, methodologically pluralistic program administered by the Department of Philosophy. A wide array of courses taught by faculty from diverse disciplines can be combined to earn a minor in religious studies, giving students multiple academic perspectives through which to gain a deeper understanding of this major human undertaking.
For more information, please read the corresponding portions of this website, or contact Dr. Matthew Schunke, religious studies minor and assistant professor of philosophy.
Pre-law Minor
Students are admitted to law school from a wide variety of academic disciplines, and no specific major is required for entrance into law school. The American Bar Association (ABA) recommends pursuing an area of study that interests you and that helps you develop a strong skill set in problem solving, critical reading, writing, oral communication, and research. Law schools judge applicants based upon their diversity of experiences, grade point average, and Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores.
Students aspiring to law school may also wish to complete the pre-law minor. The philosophy major offers excellent preparation for law school, because it excels at teaching the skills that you will use in law school and in legal professions. Students completing the BA in philosophy with a law specialization will need to complete five additional courses outside of philosophy for the pre-law minor. On average, philosophy majors tend to excel on the LSAT, and philosophy majors have a high law school admission rate.
The philosophy department offers a BA in Philosophy with a Law specialization that specifies 15 hours of 33 required credit hours to complete the philosophy major. By including this coursework, the law specialization is designed to guide students toward curricular decisions that will facilitate their future success in law school and in subsequent legal professions.
