U​niversity of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Guide to Academic Programs & Careers

 

​Pre-Law / Political Science

Department of Political Science
UW - Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI 54481
(715) 346-2688
 
 
 

Academic

While the American Bar Association does not stipulate a specific course of study, it is common for pre-law students to do extensive work in the social sciences and humanities. On this campus and nationally Political Science forms the core of these studies and offers not only the general body of courses appropriate for the pursuit of a legal career, but courses designed to aid pre-law students and to expose them to techniques of legal research and reasoning.
 

Faculty

About one-third of the professors in the department teach courses of this nature. Of special interest is religion and the law. The department also offers internships with the District Attorney and the Public Defender, among others. In addition, numerous other departments offer courses of benefit to pre-law students. The number and popularity of these courses has markedly increased in the last few years.
 

Facilities

The resources available in the Learning Resources Center that deal specifically with law have been vastly improved. These include regional reporters, legal encyclopedias, reference services, specialized reporters, law reviews and social science journals. In addition, students have access to the Portage County Law Library. The University provides access to LEXIS, a major computerized tool for legal research. Additionally other computer legal sites are linked on UWSP’s Political Science Homepage. There is also a Legal Services office on campus that is staffed by members of the Student Legal Society working under the direction of the Legal Services' attorney.
 

Employment Opportunity

The most common field employment opportunity for pre-law students occurs after completion of law school. However, there are opportunities for people with interests in law to work in fields such as criminal justice planning, judicial administration, para-legal work, policing, and corrections. In the latter areas, combining pre-legal courses with our Public Administration and Policy Analysis major enhances job opportunities.
 
Political Science students have been remarkably successful in gaining admission to graduate and professional programs. They constituted the largest percent attending graduate or professional schools of any major at UWSP. Traditionally, Political Science students have gone on for further education at a rate three to five times greater than graduates of other UWSP departments.
 

​Suggested Course of Study

Preparatory for Law School
  • Political Science 212 - Introduction to Law and Legal Systems
  • Political Science 320 - The Legislative Process
  • Political Science 330 - Constitutional Law: Government Power and Federalism
  • Political Science 331 - Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
  • Political Science 332 - Rights of Persons Accused of Crime
  • Political Science 333 - Theories of Constitutional Interpretation
  • Political Science 334 - The Judicial Process
  • Political Science 335 - Law and Society
  • Political Science 388 - International Law
  • Political Science 450 - Administrative Law
  • Political Science 455 - Internship in Government
  • Philosophy 121 - Critical Thinking
  • Philosophy 315 - Philosophy of Law
  • Accounting 210 - Financial Accounting
  • Sociology 230 - Criminology
  • Sociology 332 - Juvenile Delinquency
  • Sociology 333 - Corrections
  • English 251 or 351 - Business Writing

Graduates at Work

Attorney
Rock County, WI
Potawatomi Tribe

Law Librarian and Professor
Yale University

Partners
Foley and Lardner
Milwaukee, WI
Quarles and Brady
Madison, WI

Public Defenders
Portage County, WI
Woodstock, IL

Deputy Sheriff
Wood County, WI
Portage County, WI

Law Clerk
Outagamie Circuit Court

Assistant Attorney General
State of Minnesota

Assistant Federal Attorney
Minneapolis, MN

U.S. Secret Service
Washington, D.C.