Pre-Law and Law, Liberty, and Justice Emphasis
Why choose Philosophy for Pre-Law?
All of Clemson's degree programs in philosophy are excellent preparation for law school, but the Law, Liberty, and Justice (LLJ) emphasis area is designed specfically for students interested in going to law school and students interested in social/political philosophy and social justice issues. The LLJ track combines specific philosophy courses with selected social science courses.
1. Philosophy is fun and challenging.
Students of philosophy think about fundamental questions, such as: Do we have free will? Why is there something rather than nothing? What is a person? Is reality fundamentally material? How should we live? What do we owe others? What is justice? According to the Association of American Law Schools, a pre-law student ought "to acquire a college education that will last a lifetime.” That is exactly what philosophy offers.
2. Philosophy fosters fine-tuned reasoning, analytical, and writing skills.
Philosophy stimulates deep thought. In studying philosophy, one develops a skill set that is crucial crucial for doing well in law school and succeeding as a lawyer or judge. These skills include: the capacity to reason carefully, independently, and critically, the capacity to think for oneself, the ability to express one’s thoughts with clarity and force in oral and written form. Philosophy also helps to develop insight into the institutions and values with which law deals, as well as about the cultural heritage of Western societies, including their moral, philosophical, and legal foundations.
3. Philosophy majors outperform all other humanities majors on the LSAT.
Philosophy majors also outperform all other majors on the GRE. On the LSAT, they are tied with economics majors and only second after physics/math majors.
LLJ Emphasis Area Requirements (Catalog Years 2022-2023 and after)
Philosophy majors (including those on the LLJ track) must meet the requirements of the School of Humanities, South Carolina REACH Act requirements, complete HIST 1720 and HIST 1730, and take 12 hours of 3000-4000-level coursework in one of the following areas: humanities (other than philosophy), math, science, or social science. In addition, the LLJ emphasis area requirements are as follows:
- PHIL 1000 - Introduction to the Philosophy Major
- PHIL 1040 - Introduction to Law, Liberty, and Justice
- PHIL 3150 - Ancient Philosophy or PHIL 3160 - Modern Philosophy
- PHIL 3430 - Philosophy of Law
- PHIL 4500 - Senior Seminar
- One course selected from CHIN 3120, CHIN 3130, CHIN 4140, PHIL 3050, PHIL 3120, PHIL 3130, PHIL 3150, PHIL 3160, PHIL 3170, PHIL 3180, or PHIL 4140.
- One course selected from PHIL 3040, PHIL 3200, PHIL 3260, PHIL 3400, PHIL 3440, PHIL 3450, PHIL 3460, PHIL 3470, or PHIL 3480.
- One course selected from PHIL 3200, PHIL 3210, PHIL 3700, or PHIL 4220. An alternative course in social or political theory may be substituted with approval of the Philosophy advisor. A course substitution form must be submitted if an alternative course is approved to satisfy this requirement.
- Twelve additional credits from PHIL courses, six of which may be at the 1000 level.
Students with this emphasis area are also strongly encouraged to take POSC 4370 and/or 4380 as an elective, minor, or advanced area requirement.
Requirements For Catalog Year 2021-2022
Philosophy majors (including those on the LLJ track) must meet the requirements of the School of Humanities, complete HIST 1720 and HIST 1730, and take 12 hours of 3000-4000-level coursework in one of the following areas: humanities (other than philosophy), math, science, or science. In addition, the LLJ emphasis area requirements are as follows:
- PHIL 1020 - Introduction to Logic
- PHIL 3150 - Ancient Philosophy
- PHIL 3160 - Modern Philosophy
- PHIL 3040 - Moral Philosophy or PHIL 3200 - Social and Political Philosophy or PHIL 3210 - Crime and Punishment
- PHIL 3430 - Philosophy of Law
- PHIL 4010 - Studies in the History of Philosophy or PHIL 4020 - Topics in Philosophy
- HIST 3280 - United States Legal History to 1890 (or appropriate substitute)
- HIST 3290 - United States Legal History Since 1890 (or appropriate substitute)
- Nine additional credits from PHIL courses, CHIN 3120, CHIN 3130, or WS 3490, three of which may be at the 1000 level.
Students with this emphasis area are also strongly encouraged to take POSC 4370 and/or 4380 as an elective, minor, or advanced area requirement.
For more information on School of Humanities, REACH Act, or general education requirements, students should consult the Clemson University Catalog for their catalog year.
Alumni Profile: Sylvia Wu ('21, Harvard Law '26)
Sylvia entered Clemson as a Philosophy major and a National Scholar and later added a second major in Math and a minor in Psychology. She was drawn to philosophy by questions about ethics that were sparked by studying ethical theories and their application. While at Clemson she was a member of the Ethics Bowl team, which took third place in the national championships in 2019. Sylvia entered Harvard Law School in 2023 after working at a think tank in Oakland, CA.
In reflecting on the Philosophy program Sylvia recognizes both personal and career benefits:
“Among the faculty, I saw a diversity of approaches to an enormous range of issues. My philosophy teachers helped me discover new ways to critically engage with some of the most important ethical questions today. Seeing this not only exposed me to different types of arguments but also taught me how to disagree agreeably.
“Through philosophy, I developed an appreciation for complex logical arguments…having to marry those arguments with other types of arguments and a complicated fact pattern is what really intrigued me. The writing training I got within the Philosophy program was truly unmatched, which ended up helping me both at my job and now in law school.”
Pre-Law Internships
The Law, Liberty, and Justice Program offers service learning internships, to provide students with an opportunity to integrate academic studies, meaningful community service, and career experience. These internships are offered to all philosophy and religious studies majors, with a preference for those in the Law, Liberty, and Justice program. Cary Berkeley Kaye is the Pre-Law Liaison and Internship Advisor.
Internship Paper (PHIL 4900)
Students can earn credit for their internship by registering for PHIL 4900. They can earn up to 3 credit hours per internship, and a maximum total of 6 credits. Exact hours will be arranged with the internship sponsor.
During the internship, students are requested to keep notes of their experiences: what they learned, what surprised them, and what questions they developed as they learned.
In the fall term, students will write a paper with the Internship Advisor, Cary Berkeley Kaye, on a topic raised during the internship (to be selected with the Internship Adviser). The length of the paper will depend on the number of credits sought, by agreement between the student and the Internship Advisor.
Summer Pre-Law Internship Opportunities
The South Carolina Supreme Court (Columbia, SC)
- Full-time summer internship at the Supreme Court of South Carolina in Columbia.
- Stipend
- The successful applicant must be willing to live in Columbia, SC, over the summer. The Department will do its utmost to help the successful applicant finding housing, but this is ultimately the student’s responsibility.
- The intern must have an adequate means of transportation.
- The intern will work with a wide variety of offices collected under the umbrella of the Supreme Court.
Last year’s intern got to sit in on court proceedings at the state and federal level and to meet with a judge and a variety of lawyers.
Other internship possibilities
Students with an interest in developing an internship should reach out to the Internship Advisor to discuss the possibility of taking PHIL 4900 and, if available, of a departmental stipend to support the student in part during the internship. The Internship Advisor is available to advise on networking methods and the effort to develop an internship oneself.
Recent internships developed by the department (other than with the S.C. Supreme Court) have been with a Family Court judge or in the Tenth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office. Earlier department internships included time in a U.S. Congressional office, with the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit’s Solicitor’s Office, and with the Sixth Circuit Public Defender’s Office.
Other possibilities include South Carolina Legal Services, the Guardian ad Litem Program (over 21 years old), the South Carolina Appleseed Justice Center, and the Center for Heirs Property Preservation.
Moot Court Team
The department has established a moot court team to compete in events held by the American Moot Court Association. Moot court is a mock appellate argument of the type held before the Supreme Court of the United States and the federal and state courts of appeals. For more information, contact Cary Berkeley Kaye, Lecturer in Philosophy.
Mock Trial Team
The department has established a mock trial team to compete in events held by the American Mock Trial Association. Mock trial is a simulated trial experience involving opening statements, direct and cross examination of students acting as witnesses, and closing arguments. For more information, contact Cary Berkeley Kaye, Lecturer in Philosophy.
