Pre-Law Minor

This is an archived copy of the 2021-22 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.ndsu.edu.

Pre-law can be a vital building block for students who pursue a career in law.  Getting into law school is certainly an achievement, but it is just a start in the process of becoming a lawyer. Many students are unprepared for the sort of intensified reading, writing, and in-class argumentation necessary to succeed in law school. Indeed, depending on the institution, anywhere from ten to thirty percent of all new law students drop out of school by the end of their first year. A rigorous pre-law minor with a focus on abstract thoughts and methods would facilitate NDSU students’ success in law school and beyond.

A law career itself lends itself to a generation of students who will change careers several times in their lives.  Within the law itself, there are several different career paths available to students, including a private practice lawyer, corporate attorney, legal aid attorney, and in-house attorney for non-profit groups. Law is a stable and well-paying career option in the Upper Midwest. The profession of attorney is projected to grow by 3.0 percent by 2024 (as compared to 2014 numbers).

NDSU graduates who pursue a law education typically attend law school through the University of North Dakota, the University of Minnesota, or Hamline University. However, NDSU graduates have also been admitted to such prominent institutions as the University of Michigan Law School, the University of Notre Dame Law School, and DePaul University College of Law.

If you have any questions, please contact the NDSU Department of Political Science & Pubic Policy at ndsu.poli.sci@ndsu.edu.