What's the point of the Law, Societies, and Justice (LSJ) department at UW?

<p>As far as I know, the most common pre-law majors are things like political science, history, philosophy, English, and so on. They're not things like LSJ. LSJ does not help for pre-law, and it doesn't even have its own graduate program or offer graduate degrees. So once you're done with a bachelor's degree in LSJ, then what? What is it good for? It seems kind of like a dead end. Why would it be competitive? Those people probably don't go on to law school and become lawyers; I imagine them becoming cops more than anything else. People seem to make it out to be this great major, but I don't see what all the fuss is about.</p>

<p>Well I transfered to UW for the LSJ major, and it’s pretty amazing for those who are pre-law students planning on attending law school. </p>

<p>Most people who want to go to law school major in political science, english, philosophy because there simply aren’t any undergraduate majors for law. Those majors are popular for pre-law students because they are the majors that most closely relate to topics in law, because most universities do not offer law classes for undergrads. Those other courses prepare for an education in law, but they don’t teach you about the law. </p>

<p>With the LSJ major, you get that education in law starting in undergrad, which is huge for people who know they want to study law and become lawyers. As a poli sci major at my previous university, I felt like I was wasting my time exclusively studying government when I really wanted to be studying what I love, which is the law. And like me, a lot of LSJ majors do plan on going to law school and becoming lawyers, as well as law enforcement, government employees, paralegals, etc. The LSJ major at UW lets pre-law students and those interested in going to law school a chance to study the subject they are interested in, and gives a solid foundation for law school.</p>

<p>Great answer Lawgirl1 !</p>

<p>Interesting. Thanks, Lawgirl1! By the way, any idea on how the professors in LSJ become professors for it? Because you typically need a PhD in the program you’re studying for to become a professor of it. Well, LSJ has no graduate program, therefore no PhDs. Do you have to have a PhD in something else to become an LSJ professor?</p>

<p>my lsj professor got his phd in criminology at another university. (Also, he has alot of real world experience being a former cop)</p>

<p>Wender? Yeah, I’ve had him for two classes. The rest are mostly just PhDs in political science, with some in sociology.</p>