You can study certain aspects of the law in college without attending law school.
Law school, a course of study that leads to the Juris Doctorate degree, prepares graduates to practice law. While most law schools require a four-year undergraduate degree and only allow law students to enroll in classes, there are ways to study aspects of law as an undergraduate student. That said, undergraduate pre-law courses are not required to apply to law school and are not recommended by law school admission counselors.
Instructions
1. Enroll in a legal studies or paralegal studies program at a college or university. Such two- and four-year programs provide an entry-level introduction to various aspects of law, including legal research and writing, business law, civil procedure and general jurisprudence. Students can use what they learn to submit better law school applications or to work as paralegals or legal assistants.
2. Register for undergraduate law classes. Certain academic departments such as business and political science offer undergraduate law courses. Undergraduate law courses with a business and political science focus provide a basic overview of the legal topics and provide insight about current legal cases related to the subject matter. For example, constitutional law classes offered by political science departments focus on Supreme Court cases related to discrimination, while business law courses focus on the way the law applies to business and finance.
3. Sit-in on law classes offered at law schools near you. Contact law professors to find out if they allow undergraduate students to audit their courses. While law professors most likely won't let you take courses for credit, they may allow you to sit-in to get a preview of what to expect in law school.
4. Read law review articles. Law schools publish journals featuring scholarly articles and commentaries on current legal topics. Some law reviews feature general law articles on a variety of subjects, while others focus on a single aspect of law such as intellectual property law. Law review journals can be found in libraries or online.
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