Communication Studies-to-Law Pathway Programs
Written and oral communication skills are essential to the practice of law. This makes Communication Studies an excellent major for law school-bound students. At ºÚÁÏÍø choosing Communication Studies as your pre-law major will give you both a skillset you need to succeed — and low-cost, fast-track pathways to well-respected law schools in the Northeast Ohio region:
ºÚÁÏÍø’s 3+3 law pathway programs (B.A. to J.D.) allow students to shave a year off the typical seven-year plan to complete both degrees. Interested students can elect the Communication Studies-to-Law School pathway program during or before their freshman year and work closely with their College of Communication and Information academic adviser to ensure they are on a track to complete required undergraduate courses over the course of three years. For students accepted into the program, the senior year is completed concurrently with the first year of law school.
Communication Studies as a Pre-Law Major
As a Communication Studies student, you’ll practice public speaking, writing and critical thinking in almost all of your major coursework — essential skills for future lawyers.
Coursework in High Impact Professional Speaking; Communication and Influence; Communication and Conflict; Argumentation and Persuasive Communication; Difficult Decisions in Communication; and, Freedom of Speech; as well as coursework in advocacy, crisis communication, and information literacy are just a few of the types of classes that will give you practice:
- Crafting and presenting cogent arguments and sorting fact from fiction
- Analyzing multi-faceted information and making logical connections
- Collaborating in small groups on complex projects
- Presenting opinions and arguments in a compelling way through writing or speech
- Working with digital media tools and with media platforms to present, disseminate or elevate information.