Department Contact:
Chair: Dr. Denise Holladay Damico
Coordinator: Dr. Joseph A. Melusky
Program Description:
The BA in Political Science with a Pre-Law Specialization is a multidisciplinary major, including an array of courses in political science, English, philosophy, history, and more. Students learn about political process and policymaking in the United States from institutional, ethical and philosophical perspectives, and take courses in U.S. Constitutional Law, civil liberties and civil rights, and business law. Students will study case law, logic, writing, and public speaking, while developing and refining their communications skills and critical reasoning abilities. Students will also learn how to do political and policy research. The specialization provides a unique preparation for law school as students will receive professional advising from a Pre-Law adviser. The BA in Political Science with a Pre-Law Specialization is an excellent choice for students interested in going to law school and eventually joining the legal profession as a public interest lawyer, government lawyer, private-practice lawyer or seeking election or appointment to the judiciary. In addition, the program is good preparation for further study leading to a paralegal career. Saint Francis University offers two highly competitive early admission programs for pre-law students, in collaboration with Duquesne University School of Law and Drexel University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law. These partnerships provide special academic opportunities for qualified students to earn both an undergraduate degree and a law degree in just six years rather than seven. Either program can easily be completed with the Political Science major.
Paralegal courses can be taken as pre-law electives. This makes it very feasible for interested students to complete the pre-law specialization and the paralegal minor simultaneously.
Estimated Completion Time:
Typically 4 years of full-time study
Total Credits Required:
128 credits minimum