Pre-law FAQ: Pre-law at GVSU
What is the GVSU pre-law program?
Grand Valley State University's pre-law program, in keeping with the recommendations of U.S. law schools and LSAC (Law School Admissions Council), is not one major that is defined as pre-law. As law school officials point out, students will learn the law in great detail once they attend law school. As undergraduates, pre-law students should focus on gaining a broad liberal arts education.
"There is no pre-law curriculum of required courses that corresponds to the pre-med courses a student must take before being admitted to medical school. Law schools prefer that you reserve your legal study for law school and fill your undergraduate curriculum with broad, diverse, and challenging courses. Pre-law courses that introduce you to broad legal principles may present you with enough information to decide whether you want to continue with a legal education, but they are rarely taught with the same depth and rigor as actual law school courses. A pre-law curriculum that is designed to encompass a broad array of liberal arts courses, however, can be excellent preparation for law school" (LSAC 2001, 32)
GVSU's approach to pre-law encourages students to pursue majors that will complement their law degree while providing the diverse intellectual foundation necessary for success in the field of law. GVSU also recommends that students experience several pre-law courses, courses related directly to law, to help students understand if they are suited for a career in law.
What is PERL?
The mission of the PERL (Pre-law Education Residential Living) program is to provide advising and support to students of any major who are interested in attending law school and pursuing a career in law (also known as pre-law students) after completing their undergraduate degree. GVSU's PERL program is an academic learning and living community designed for 46 first-year students.
We have excellent facilities in the living center so that you’ll feel comfortable and at home your first year. For instance, there is a computer lab for use by PERL residents. The computer lab will be available to you 24/7 in Johnson. Johnson has a spacious great room with couches, large bay windows, a fireplace, and a TV, as well as other spaces for study sessions or meetings
Besides the physical space, being a member of PERL means you will have many opportunities to meet and network with GVSU professors who teach law, especially our pre-law advisors who will hold weekly office hours on-site, as well as members of the Law Society student group.
What is LEAP?
There are LEAP programs in political science, business, and legal studies. This answer mainly addresses PLS LEAP. For more information on the others, check with the Seidman School of Business or the Legal Studies Program. The Legal Education Admission Program (LEAP) provides an opportunity for GVSU’s political science undergraduate students to earn both degrees in about six years of full-time study (three years of political science studies plus three years of legal studies). The program was developed by Grand Valley State University’s Political Science Department and Michigan State University College of Law (MSU Law). For more information, click here.
What is the Legal Studies program?
The School of Criminal Justice administers the major and minor in Legal Studies. Students may choose Legal Studies to focus directly on the processes of law making, implementation, enforcement, and practice. The Legal Studies program also prepares students to be legal assistants, also known as paralegals, who may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law. "The GVSU Legal Studies program is designed to develop legal assistants/paralegals. Although many legal assistants/paralegals opt later to become lawyers, the GVSU program is designed to prepare students for an occupation that is both separate and different from being a practicing attorney. It is not designated or expected to be used by a traditional college student preparing him/herself to go directly to law school. Therefore, while it is a preferred degree for many students who will have to work before attending law school, it is not a pre-law program, per se." - from the GVSU Legal Studies site.
What is the role of MSU Law at GVSU?
GVSU and MSU Law have collaborated to form the Legal Institute of West Michigan. For more information, visit the Legal Institute of West Michigan website.
There are several GVSU-MSU Dual Degree programs, including the dual MBA-JD, and the LEAP Programs (dual bachelor's degree in political science, legal studies or business from GVSU plus a JD from MSU in 3+3 years.
What should I major in if I am interested in law?
For GVSU students planning to attend law school, the choice of major is limited only by the imagination. GVSU encourages students to consider majors that, when combined with a law degree, make our students stand out among other job candidates by uniquely qualifying them for the area of law in which they specialize.
Students choose political science to gain an understanding of the politics of the institutions that make and implement the law. Students may choose Legal Studies to focus directly on the processes of law making, implementation, enforcement, and practice. The Legal Studies program also prepares students to be legal assistants, also known as paralegals, who may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law (see above question on Legal Studies). GVSU students interested in corporate law choose majors such as business, economics, engineering, computer science and biology, among others. The combination of a B.S. in computer science and a law degree is outstanding preparation for a career as a patent lawyer. For international law, a language major such as Chinese, French, or Spanish is an excellent choice. Students who want to work in corrections management combine our criminal justice major with a law degree. Social science disciplines such as economics, psychology, sociology and anthropology explain human behavior. History and Classics provide lawyers with the context necessary to understand the development of our common law legal tradition. Philosophy cultivates the logical reasoning skills that are integral to a successful legal career. Communications, English and Writing refine oral and written communication skills.
Should I take courses related to law or focus on broadening my education?
There are two schools of thought here. One is that you should not take anything related to law, and instead obtain an education that emphasizes breadth and theory. Harvard Law School recommends broad, analytic majors over practical ones. The second school of thought is that by taking a few courses related to law, you will be better prepared when you deal with these topics for the second time in law school. This may ease the transition to law school and improve your performance. My own view is that you can gain a broad education and learn about the law. GVSU requires all undergraduates to obtain a fairly broad education. Taking a few courses related to law will help you to better understand if you are truly interested in law as a career and improve your preparation for law school.
What are some of the courses at GVSU that are related to law?
Classics 287 Roman Law
Philosophy 330 Legal Philosophy
Women and Gender Studies 310 Sexual Orientation and the Law
Women and Gender Studies / Criminal Justice 320 Crimes Against Women
Women and Gender Studies / Legal Studies 370 Women and the Law
Criminal Justice and Legal Studies: entire curriculum. Examples include:
CJ 302 Criminal Law
CJ 305 Constitutional Rights and Civil Liberties
CJ 325 Criminal Justice and Human Rights
CJ/LS 408 White-Collar and Corporate Crime
CJ 444 Forensic Behavior and Law
CJ 463 Corrections Administration and Legal Issues
LS 301: Introduction to Law
LS 424: Legal Research and Writing
Political Science:
206 American Constitutional Foundations
306 Constitutional Law I (Federalism and Separation of Powers)
307 Constitutional Law II (Civil Rights and Liberties)
308 American Judicial Politics
314 International Law
Many other political science courses cover how laws and policies are made.
Seidman College of Business:
Business 201 Legal Environment for Business
Accounting 317 Federal Income Tax Theory and Practice-Individual
Accounting 318 Federal Income Tax-Corporations, Partnerships, and Fiduciaries
Management 334 Labor and Employment Law
Management 355 Diversity in the Workforce
Management 432 Grievance Arbitration and Collective Bargaining
At the graduate level there are many Seidman College of Business courses related to law. Examples include:
Accounting 624 and 625 Corporate Tax I and II
Accounting 612 The Accountant's Legal Environment
Business 531 Legal Environment for MBA Students
Management 637 Labor and Employment Law for MBA Students
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