Lawyers are critical to the protection and promotion of justice in our society. To become a great lawyer requires a passion for–and mastery of–a legal specialty and an uncanny ability to advocate for your clients’ best interests.
Program Overview
Make your dreams of becoming a lawyer your reality.
The Pre-Law emphasis will prepare you for law school through coursework, advising and an abundance of opportunities beyond the classroom. To ensure that you are ready for the LSAT and law school admission, you’ll have the unique opportunity to work one-on-one with Professor Brian Bernhardt, a Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) adviser. Western graduates have attended law school at the University of Denver, University of Colorado Boulder, American University and Willamette University–among others. After law school, you’ll have the skills and experience to pursue a rewarding career as an environmental lawyer, state legislator, corporate lobbyist and more.
Taking the next step
Western’s Pre-Law program prepares aspiring lawyers for the requisites and demands of law school.
Program Requirements
At Western, course rotations are crafted to encompass a variety of subject fields for a comprehensive education and versatile degree. For required courses and degree plans, visit the official University Catalog. Below is a general overview of courses at Western Colorado University related to this area of study.
Program Requirements
A minimum of 60 credits is required including the following:
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
BUAD 210 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
BUAD 315 | Advanced Business Law | 3 |
POLS 117 | Introduction to Political Ideas (GT-SS1) | 3 |
POLS 180 | Introduction to American Politics (GT-SS1) | 3 |
POLS 300 | Constitutional Law I | 3 |
POLS 301 | Constitutional Law II | 3 |
POLS 309 | Political Theory I- Ancient to Early Modern | 3 |
POLS 310 | Political Theory II-Modern and Contemporary | 3 |
POLS 390 | Mock Trial (Mock Trial) | 3 |
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
POLS 255 | Introduction to Comparative Politics (GT-SS1) | |
POLS 260 | Introduction to World Politics (GT-SS1) | |
POLS 282 | Issues in State and Local Government | |
Select four of the following: | 12 | |
BUAD 240 | Strategic Negotiations | |
BUAD 342 | Environmental and Water Law | |
BUAD 410 | Water Law | |
POLS 331 | The Politics of the Presidency | |
POLS 340 | Politics of Social Movements | |
POLS 350 | Human Rights | |
POLS 360 | American Foreign Policy | |
POLS 370 | Political Economy | |
POLS 376 | American Political Thought | |
POLS 390 | Mock Trial (Mock Trial) | |
Select five of the following courses in at least three disciplines: | 15 | |
ACC 201 | Introduction to Financial Accounting | |
ACC 350 | Income Tax | |
COM 371 | Small Group and Conflict Management | |
ECON 201 | Macroeconomics (GT-SS1) | |
ECON 202 | Microeconomics | |
ECON 476 | American Economic Development | |
ENG 152 | Women and Literature | |
ENG 153 | Literary Culture of the American West | |
ENG 255 | Ancient World Literature (GT-AH2) | |
ENG 331 | Literature and Ethnicity: Studies in: | |
HIST 333 | American Revolution and the Early Republic | |
HIST 336 | U.S. Civil War and Reconstruction | |
HIST 340 | Emergence of the Modern U.S. | |
HIST 343 | Depression and World War II | |
HIST 346 | Recent American History | |
PHIL 101 | Introduction to Philosophy (GT-AH3) | |
PHIL 200 | Symbolic Logic | |
PHIL 335 | Advanced Ethics | |
PSY 368 | Psychopathology | |
SOC 259 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | |
SOC 349 | Law Enforcement | |
SOC 367 | Corrections | |
Select one of the following capstone courses: | 3 | |
POLS 485 | Studies in Political Theory: | |
POLS 486 | Studies in American Politics: | |
POLS 487 | Studies in International Relations: | |
POLS 488 | Studies in Comparative Politics: | |
Total Credits | 60 |
Year One | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | |
POLS 117 | Introduction to Political Ideas (GT-SS1) (also Gen Ed) | 3 |
POLS 180 | Introduction to American Politics (GT-SS1) | 3 |
Gen Ed | General Education Courses (including ENG 102) | 9 |
HWTR 100 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
Credits | 16 | |
Spring | ||
POLS 260 | Introduction to World Politics (GT-SS1) | 3 |
BUAD 210 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
POLS | Pre-Law Elective (1 of 5) | 3 |
Gen Ed | General Education Courses (including ENG 103) | 6 |
Credits | 15 | |
Year Two | ||
Fall | ||
POLS 300 | Constitutional Law I | 3 |
POLS 309 | Political Theory I- Ancient to Early Modern | 3 |
BUAD/POLS | BUAD/POLS Elective (1 of 5) | 3 |
Gen Ed | General Education Courses | 6 |
Credits | 15 | |
Spring | ||
POLS 301 | Constitutional Law II | 3 |
POLS 310 | Political Theory II-Modern and Contemporary | 3 |
BUAD/POLS | BUAD/POLS Elective (2 of 5) | 3 |
Gen Ed | General Education Courses | 6 |
Credits | 15 | |
Year Three | ||
Fall | ||
POLS 390 | Mock Trial | 3 |
BUAD/POLS | BUAD/POLS Elective (3 of 5) | 3 |
POLS | Pre-Law Electives (2 of 5) | 3 |
Gen Ed | General Education Courses | 3 |
Elective | Electives | 3 |
Credits | 15 | |
Spring | ||
BUAD 315 | Advanced Business Law | 3 |
BUAD/POLS | BUAD/POLS Elective (4 of 5) | 3 |
POLS | Pre-Law Elective (3 of 5) | 3 |
Gen Ed | General Education Courses | 3 |
Elective | Electives | 3 |
Credits | 15 | |
Year Four | ||
Fall | ||
BUAD/POLS | BUAD/POLS Elective (5 of 5) | 3 |
POLS | Pre-Law Elective (4 of 5) | 3 |
Elective | Electives | 9 |
Credits | 15 | |
Spring | ||
POLS | POLS Capstone | 3 |
POLS | Pre-Law Elective (5 of 5) | 3 |
Elective | Electives | 9 |
Credits | 15 | |
Total Credits | 121 |
Careers
Take the first steps toward your academic and personal growth.
Fostering your intellectual development is the primary focus of every academic program at Western. Our professors and Office of Career Services will help you identify your strengths, hone your skills, define your goals, and prepare for a fulfilling and enriched life after graduation. Wondering how you can apply your program of choice to your intellectual and personal journey? Check out our “What Can I Do With This Major?” tool to explore the diverse opportunities and pathways within any degree program.
Scholarships
Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
Find your ScholarshipsWestern’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
Find your ScholarshipsAlumni Association Future Alumni Scholarship
The Alumni Association Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $1,000 and is applicable for the student’s junior or senior year at Western.
Any child or grandchild of an alumni is eligible to receive the Future Alumni Scholarship.
- This is a one-time non-renewable scholarship of $1,000.
- Only one Future Alumni Scholarship will be awarded per academic year.
- GPA must be 3.2 or above (college).
Due date has been extended to April 30 for 2024. An Alumni selection committee, appointed by the Alumni Advisory Council, will review applicants and select awardee by June 1.
Alumni Legacy Scholarship
The Alumni Legacy Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western (incoming freshman or new transfer students are eligible).
Do you have a son or daughter looking at college? Have they considered attending Western? As an alumni, your son, daughter and/or grandchildren are eligible for certain benefits distributed through this scholarship, as follows:
- This is a one-time scholarship of $1,000.
- Nominee must be an incoming first-year student or new transfer.
- The cost of orientation is reduced by half (a $45 value).
- GPA must be 2.5 or above (high school or college of transfer).
The applicant must fill out the application form found below. Application forms are accepted year-round. If the applicant meets the GPA guidelines, the scholarship will be awarded.
Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship
The Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western. This scholarship is not available to midyear transfers or students beginning in the spring semester.
Are you an alumni or employee of Western and know a prospective (or incoming) student who would be a great fit at Western? A recommendation from alumni and employees can support any new student and provide them a $500 scholarship their first year. (Western employees may not recommend a spouse or dependent receiving tuition benefits).
- Any Western alumni/employee may nominate only one student per academic year to receive the $500 scholarship (distributed $250 per semester).
- The scholarship is good for the first year only and is non-renewable.
- The recommended student must be a full-time undergraduate student, attending Western for the first time.
The applicant must fill out the application form found here. The nominating alumni/employee must fill out the application form and submit the required documents by June 1. The recommended student must meet university admissions acceptance standards and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The Presidential Promise is guaranteed to students who have received a scholarship through the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) and/or GearUp—and are eligible for a Pell Grant.
For students who meet these criteria, Western will cover the cost of tuition and fees through the combination of federal, state and institutional aid. For more information on the Presidential Promise, visit our scholarships page.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or Central Plains (CP) tuition represents a substantial savings relative to normal, out-of-state tuition. Students eligible for the WUE or CP program will be charged 150% of Western’s total in-state tuition. For 2018-19, total in-state tuition was $8,934. WUE/CP tuition was $13,401. The WUE/CP discount is valued at $4,695.
For more information about the WUE and CP geography-based programs, visit Western’s Tuition Discount Programs Page.
Immediately upon acceptance at Western, every student is considered for a merit scholarship worth between $2,500-$4,500 per year for in-state students and $8,000-$10,000 for out-of-state students. The amount is based on the student’s GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Visit our Net Price Calculator at western.edu/cost to determine whether you qualify for a merit scholarship.
For more information about merit scholarships at Western, visit our scholarships page.
Note: Students enrolled in a Western-CU Boulder Partnership Program (i.e. major) do not qualify for Western Merit Scholarship programs. See the Rady Merit Scholarship section above for scholarship opportunities.
Get Involved
Expand your community and your network.
There are so many ways that you can maximize your educational experience at Western. Take advantage of these opportunities to advance your career.
- Events: Global Justice Film Series, visiting speakers, political debates and voter registration.
- Internships: Students intern with political candidates, elected officials, nonprofit organizations and legal professionals.
- Mock Trial: Introduces students to real criminal or civil cases to prepare for trial after graduation.
- Model United Nations: Competes in the National Model United Nations event in New York City.
- Politics Club: A student-led club that tackles political topics, provides professional development opportunities and works to bring dynamic debate to campus.
Prepared for trial
Mock trial introduces students to real criminal or civil cases to prepare for trial after graduation.
News & Research
Department Information
Behavioral & Social Sciences (BASS) Department
Department Chairperson
Heather Thiessen-Reily, Ph.D.Professor of History
Administrative Assistant
Patricia McCarthyDepartment of Behavioral and Social Sciences Administrative Assistant
Campus Location
Western Colorado University
Kelley Hall 240
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81231