A pre-law student standing in a courtroom
  1. Academics
  2. Majors, Minors, and Programs
  3. Pre-Law

Pre-Law

Centre is well regarded by law schools because they know that students here receive a broad and thorough education. The broad-based skills that law schools emphasize are also essential goals of Centre’s liberal arts curriculum.

Overview

Law schools look for students with skills in writing, analysis, and logical argument more than any particular pre-law program. Centre’s broad liberal arts program provides this kind of training in many courses. The most common majors for future lawyers have traditionally been politics, history, and English, while economics has made a strong showing recently. Any major Centre offers, though, can be good training for lawyers. 

Curriculum

The most common majors for future lawyers have traditionally been politics, history, and English, while economics has made a strong showing recently. Any major Centre offers, though, can be good training for lawyers. Natural science students, for example, have learned analytical skills that are directly transferable to law, and their technical knowledge gives them a leg up in such burgeoning fields as biotechnology regulation and patent law.

Experiential Learning

Students engage in hands-on learning experiences and reflection to develop skills and increase knowledge retention.

In addition to the formal curriculum, Centre has an active Law Society, in which students and other members of the college community meet regularly to discuss legal matters and the process of getting into law school.

Internships

We're committed to helping students find quality internship experiences in the career area of their choice.

Many pre-law students have internships during their time at Centre. Students can work in private law firms of every size, as well as with judges, in government agencies, and in public interest organizations dealing with all aspects of law and policy. Students have interned in Danville, Lexington, and Louisville, and in government settings in Washington, D.C., Frankfort, and other places in Kentucky.

Careers

Our extraordinary liberal arts and sciences education prepares students for meaningful lives and careers.

Centre has an exceptional network of lawyers and strong contacts in every aspect of law. Centre lawyers are found in all the principal law firms in the state, in many government agencies, and on the judicial bench at every level. Centre lawyers are also well represented in elective of office, both in Kentucky and nationally. Since its founding in 1819, Centre has produced 13 United States senators and two U.S. vice presidents.

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