Apr 18, 2024  
Undergraduate Day Catalog 2021-2022 
    
Undergraduate Day Catalog 2021-2022 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Pre-Law, B.A.


120 Credit Hours

Program Learning Outcomes


“Expected student learning outcomes specify the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes students are expected to attain in courses or in a program.” Page 69. Resource Manual for the Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), 2018.

1.   Demonstrate effective written communication skills.

2.   Demonstrate effective public speaking skills.

3.   Demonstrate effective analytical skills.

4.   Demonstrate ability to construct well-formulated arguments.

5.   Analyze primary and secondary legal texts.

6.   Demonstrate knowledge of the main elements of the Anglo-American legal and political tradition.

7.   Demonstrate knowledge of the main political, economic and social developments in U.S. history from the European discovery to the present day. 

8.   Demonstrate knowledge of America’s founding ideas.

9.   Explain the political and legal characteristics of the American system of government.          

10. Explain how the U.S. Constitution allocates governing authority.

11. Identify and apply the main protections of civil liberties in the U.S. Constitution.

12. Demonstrate knowledge of Christian perspectives on law and justice.

13. Demonstrate knowledge of Christian perspectives on government.

14. Analyze the role of Christianity in the development of Western law.

Graduation Requirements


Conferral of a Baccalaureate degree in this program of study is determined by successful completion of the Baccalaureate Graduation Requirements outlined here .

NOTE: Students must earn 42 upper level (3000-4000) credit hours in order to graduate. A total of at least 21 of these upper level credit hours must be completed in the selected major.

Visit this program’s information page  for additional program-specific requirements.

Faith, Roots, and Reason (General Education) - 43 Credit Hours


Pre-Law majors must meet the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements  as set out in the Faith, Roots, and Reason (General Education) Program . The Faith, Roots, and Reason (General Education) Global Studies and Social Science requirements are fulfilled through other courses in this major. Only 37 of the 43 credit hours of Faith, Roots, and Reason (General Education) will still be required for the completion of this program.

Pre-Law majors must receive a grade of at least “C-” or higher in the following Faith, Roots, and Reason (General Education) courses.

Pre-Law, B.A. Program - 53-56 Credit Hours


Pre-Law Major - 45 Credit Hours


School of Arts and Sciences Additional Natural Science Requirements - 5 Credit Hours


Students in the School of Arts and Sciences must take five additional hours of natural science: 1 lab to accompany the course taken for general education [BIO 1043 , BIO 1023 , ESC 1043 , OCY 1043 , PHY 1033  or PHY 1063 ], and one additional natural science course and accompanying lab. The two natural sciences must be in different areas: The two natural sciences must be in different areas: one must be a life science (biology) and the other must be a physical science (chemistry, physics, oceanography, earth science, or forensic science). In sum, students are required to take a minimum of 8 hours of natural science courses (one life science and one physical science, with their associated labs). 

Modern Language Requirement - 3-6 Credit Hours


Pre-Law majors are required to successfully complete (with a final grade of C- or higher):

  • One intermediate modern language course (3 credit Hours), OR
  • Two elementary modern language courses (6 credit Hours), OR
  • One elementary and one intermediate modern language course (6 credit Hours).

Pre-Law majors who choose another major or minor with its own language requirements may elect to use the language requirement of that major or minor as a substitute for their Pre-Law modern language requirement.

Meets Faith, Roots, and Reason (General Education) Global Studies requirement.

Note: No CLEP, AP, IB, or transient study credit may be used to fulfill this requirement. These credits must be fulfilled at PBA.

Additional Required Credit Hours - 27-30 Credit Hours


This program must include a minor or an additional major.

Optional Politics as a Second Major - 27-30 Credit Hours


Pre-Law majors may choose to fulfill the additional required credit hours through Politics as a second major. Fulfillment of Politics as a second major is determined by the completion of the following requirements:

  • One American Government elective not counted toward the Pre-Law degree.
  • One Political Theory elective not counted toward the Pre-Law degree.
  • One World Politics elective not counted toward the Pre-Law degree.
  • One Law and Constitution elective not counted toward the Pre-Law degree.
  • One additional PLS Upper-Level Elective not counted toward the Pre-Law degree.
  • General Electives - 3-6 Credit Hours.

Sample Degree Plan


Pre-Law Degree Plan