Pre-Law and Paralegal Studies (Minor)

According to the Law School Admission Council, "Law schools want students who can think critically and write well and who have some understanding of the forces that have shaped the human experience." English courses support legal studies by honing skills in reading, analysis, interpretation, logic, problem solving, persuasive writing, and argumentation. This prepares you for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), for law school, and for the profession. An English major, minor, or certificate will improve your chance of succeeding. The FSU Pre-Law Society will also help you to plan ahead.

Why choose to minor in Pre-Law and Paralegal Studies?

The Pre-Law and Paralegal Studies minor is a multi-disciplinary minor which can easily be combined with any number of majors, and is designed to prepare students for further legal studies.

Law schools emphasize the value of reading comprehension, analytical reasoning skills, and a solid command of written English. While these skills can be developed in various ways, a general liberal arts background is recommended, although other fields such as business can be successfully pursued.

Video Transcript
Justice Rushing
Pre-Law Student

What Will You Learn?

  • FSU students who major in English and minor in Pre-Law do a lot of reading and writing. They are expected to write and speak with clarity and focus, and to use textual evidence in support of their arguments.
  • Because of their training and experience in these areas, our students are better able to respond with confidence and competence when they encounter the problem-solving questions on the LSATs.

To learn more about specific course work, view the course catalog.

What Will You Do?

The reading, writing, and thinking skills we teach in our department have applications that extend well beyond the world of standardized tests. Most lawyers spend most of their careers working with complicated texts (contracts, codes, statutes, case law, depositions, and so forth) and striving to organize their readings and interpretations into coherent and persuasive arguments.