Do Law Schools Like Double Majors?

Students earning pre-law degrees have many undergrad options to choose from, but some degrees might look better when applying for law school. Students can choose a double major for their bachelor's degree to become more appealing to top schools.

Double majors, which involve two areas of study within one degree, can provide an advantage in more well-rounded skill sets. They also offer an education base for more specific studies of law, such as business, accounting, and more.

Will a Double Major Help for Law School?

Before practicing law, students must complete graduate school. Choosing an undergraduate double major can help prepare you for law school in a few ways. Lawyers often choose specialties when they begin practicing law, such as international relations or public policy.

Beyond expanding the knowledge of these specialty areas of law, there are other benefits for aspiring law students.

Benefits of a Double Major for Law School

The biggest benefit of a double major is gaining a deeper understanding of topics that can be applied in law school. Students learn concepts in multiple subjects as compared to a single undergraduate major. Other benefits for students who double major include:

• gaining additional opportunities for internships or other work experience
• using electives to complement your law school coursework directly
• networking opportunities that can benefit your law career
• supplementing education with other fields (e.g., liberal arts classes)
• learning skills to prepare you for graduate school, such as time management

On the other hand, some students may pursue a dual degree program. Instead of a single degree with two majors, dual degree programs include two separate degree programs that culminate in separate degrees. This program is often preferred for students trying to earn an undergraduate and graduate degree in differing areas of study.

Best Double Majors for Law School

Although many law schools don't have strict requirements for the type of undergraduate degree a student earns, admissions officers may prefer several double majors. Generally, choosing double major programs that involve humanities or social sciences will have some of the most benefits for potential law students. Students can select from many popular options or choose a field of interest that complements their degree.

Political Science and Economics

Many lawyers either become politicians or work closely with them. A major in political science and economics can provide additional information on the societal structures that lawyers work within.

These two areas of study can provide some of the best backgrounds for lawyers looking to work with public policy.

English and Sociology

This combination might not seem applicable to the work done in a law firm. Still, there is value in pairing English and sociology. Much of a lawyer's work is done via written word, both writing and reviewing documents. Working on your writing skills before pursuing your graduate degree will provide a good foundation.

Sociology focuses on the way groups work, particularly within larger social structures. Knowing how society impacts different demographics can help you relate to clients when you begin practicing law.

Economics and Psychology

Economics studies the monetary flow of businesses and governments and how that impacts the lives of people. Many of these actions are controlled by governmental and other legal regulations that lawyers need to understand. When working on the legal end of economic policy, it's important to also understand the systems that are impacted.

Psychology is the study of the human brain and behavior. Understanding why people act the way they do is an invaluable skill, especially for criminal defense attorneys. Psychology also teaches students critical thinking skills that they can use to understand motives better.

Psychology and Criminal Justice

Understanding the minds and behaviors of potential clients is valuable, but combining that with an understanding of the criminal justice system can be even better. Criminal justice is a very common pre-law school degree program because of its direct relationship with legal work, especially for future prosecutors. Psychology paired with criminal justice can give lawyers a unique understanding of the legal systems and the mental impact that these systems can have on people.

Accounting and Business

Although neither is directly related to the law, pairing accounting and business majors can have huge benefits for a law school student. Business law is a promising legal work sector involving contracts, negotiations, and other ethical aspects of business. Accounting is subject to multiple government regulations. Knowing about the accounting process and how people violate these laws can help you work with companies or accounting firms as a legal advisor.

Philosophy and Political Science

The law is built around ethical action and equity. Political science degree programs teach the practical applications of these moral theories, but a philosophy program will teach you more about how various systems of ethics were developed. Philosophy also involves skills, like critical thinking, that will be vital to a lawyer's work.

Law and Accounting

Pre-law degrees are one of the most common degrees for law school applicants because they lay the foundation for graduate-level law school. The addition of accounting courses can help prepare business lawyers to work with various contracts and business matters around money.

Business and Psychology

Business and psychology make a good combination for lawyers because of their concentrations. Business can help people make decisions they might not in other situations. Understanding the human mind and behavior under stress will be beneficial to corporate lawyers negotiating contracts or trying to mediate disputes.

Criminal Justice and Business

Although many aspects of business law are contractual and negotiation-based, there are aspects of business law that include legal action. The intersection between criminal justice and business is something that business lawyers need to know to prepare them to help their company or a client.

Law and Computer Science

Computer science majors learn a variety of fields, especially those directly related to AI and other forms of emerging machine learning. As these fields grow, legal action around them will only increase as AI-related lawsuits concerning copyright issues become more common. This double major will help prepare law students to enter a new and expanding field.

Tips for Law School Applicants Pursuing a Double Major

Applying to law school isn't always as simple as applying to an undergraduate program or even other forms of grad school. The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) provides tips and additional information that can prepare students to apply for law school.

Even though grad programs start after you complete your undergraduate degree program, you shouldn't wait until your senior year to start planning.

Choose a Relevant Double Major

Most schools require a declared double major in the first year of your undergraduate program to make sure that you'll be able to satisfy all the requirements of both major programs by the time you graduate. Choosing a double major is a huge step in your education. There are many options available, but you need to make sure to choose one that is relevant to law, especially if you plan to work within a certain legal concentration.

Focus on Earning a High GPA

Topping class rankings will always look good to admissions officers at schools like Yale, Harvard, and more, but even smaller law schools prefer higher GPAs. Your high school transcripts won't have the same weight as your undergraduate GPA, but some schools might still consider it.

Earn a High LSAT Score

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is the common entrance exam to Juris Doctor programs at law schools. Many programs have minimum scores required for application, so it's important to earn as high of a score as possible. One alternative is the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) test. Some law schools accept GRE scores in place of an LSAT score, but this is less common.

Collect Letters of Recommendation

Law school applications are highly competitive. You may need personal statements from teachers, employers, or leaders of extracurricular activities you participated in to explain your abilities. These letters can show admissions officers who you are and what your goals are for law school.

FAQs About Double Majors

Double majors can be hard to choose, especially when trying to prepare yourself for graduate programs like law school. Several common questions arise in students applying to law school.

What Major Gets Into Law School the Most?

Some of the most popular undergraduate degrees for law students include history, English, and business administration. These degrees have transferable skills that can help to prepare students for law school.

Do Law Schools Prefer Certain Majors?

Law schools have no official preference for undergraduate majors. Although some majors will be more applicable to aspects of legal studies, most admissions officers put more emphasis on LSAT scores, GPA, passion for the law, and other criteria than they do on major selection.

Do Law Schools Have a Preference for Applicants With a Double Major?

Law schools don't have an official preference for a double major. The main advantage of a double major is the expanded knowledge and skills that come from this degree program. Law school admissions will generally consider the added commitment and hard work that comes with a double major. Still, a double major won't inherently increase an applicant's chances if they have a low GPA or standardized test scores.

What Is the Difference Between a Dual Degree and a Double Major?

A double major is a single degree earned with two major concentrations of study. A student satisfies the degree requirements of two bachelor's degrees but only receives one degree. A dual degree program is two separate degrees that can be earned in different fields of study and at different degree levels. Unlike a double major, a dual degree program results in two individual degrees.