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Prelaw
AT FDU
PRELAW at FDU
Prelaw is FDU's legal studies program. We combine traditional liberal arts education with opportunities to gain practical, hands on experience in the legal world.
WHAT We Offer
FDU Prelaw offers courses, a minor, and roundtables and workshops with professionals, academics, and admissions officers. Our students have unique networking, classroom and field experiences.
WHO is Prelaw For?
Prelaw is for any admitted FDU student (at the Florham Campus) interested in studying law from a critical, cross-disciplinary perspective drawing on scholars and practitioners, classroom and experiential learning.
The Prelaw Minor
The Pre-Law Minor provides students with the substantive background and specific skills for success in law school as well as basic exposure to legal systems and concepts. Our Pre-law minor has the following requirements:
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PRELAW MINOR
Requirements: 15 CREDITS TOTAL
(1) Must take EITHER
(a) Intro to Law (CMLGY 1210/GOVT 1200) 3 credits
OR
(b) Law and Society (CMLGY 3308/GOVT 3240/SOCI 3334) 3 credits
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NOTE: IF STUDENTS TAKE BOTH Intro to Law and Law and Society, THE SECOND COURSE WILL COUNT FOR ONE OF THE 12 ELECTIVE CREDITS BELOW
ALSO
(2) Must take an additional 12 credits of elective Prelaw courses. CLICK HERE FOR A FULL LISTING.
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You can declare your Minor by going to Records (in the basement level of the Mansion).
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Majors and Pre-Law at FDU
Pre-law at Fairleigh Dickinson can be combined with any major. Fairleigh Dickinson, along with many other universities across the country, endorses the position of the American Bar Association that there is no single "best" prelaw curriculum. Law schools do not select students based on undergraduate major. Your choice of major should be made by first considering what areas of study most interest.
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Choosing Courses
You should not be worried about what you think are courses that any law school might want. You can go to law school whether you major in art history, English literature, biology, criminology, history, political science, psychology, sociology, or indeed any undergraduate major. 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, writing, and analytical skills. The key is doing well in a broad range of difficult courses from demanding instructors. These should include courses that demand intensive critical reading and writing requirements, as well as organizational and problem solving skills, research experience, and strong oral communication. Courses in science and mathematics can also be very helpful in developing strong analytic skills. Experience and coursework that help you develop and improve these skills will greatly prepare you for the vigorous coursework of law school.