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There is no pre-law major
Law schools do not require a specific undergraduate major, and they do not prefer one. Applicants are admitted from the sciences, the humanities, the social sciences, business, engineering and the arts.
How undergraduate study fits in
What law schools look for can be built in any field: careful reading, clear writing, reasoning from evidence, and the habit of finishing difficult work. A major you are interested in is the one you are most likely to do well in, and your record in it is what an admissions committee reads.
Some colleges offer a program called pre-law or legal studies. It is one option among many and carries no special weight in admissions. Pre-law advising is a different thing: a service most colleges offer to students in every major.
PreLaw Advisor does not rank majors and does not use your major to assess or predict anything. On your profile it is simply a record of what you studied.
One special case
Patent practice before the USPTO
Representing inventors before the United States Patent and Trademark Office in patent matters requires separate registration with that office. To register, a person must show scientific and technical qualifications and pass a registration examination. The Office accepts certain bachelor’s degrees in technical subjects and also sets out other ways to qualify.
This is a rule about one kind of practice, not about admission to law school. It does not apply to trademark or copyright work, and lawyers without the registration work on patent disputes in court. If patent prosecution interests you, read the Office’s current requirements directly, because they change.
USPTO: becoming a patent practitioner (opens in a new tab) · About patent law
Fields of study
Find your field
The list below is the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, the standard vocabulary colleges use to report their programs. It has 2,143 programs. If yours is not there, your profile accepts your own wording.
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
- Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary (CTP) Program
Biological and Physical Sciences
- Biological and Physical Sciences
Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
- Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
Systems Science and Theory
- Systems Science and Theory
Mathematics and Computer Science
- Mathematics and Computer Science
Biopsychology
- Biopsychology
Gerontology
- Gerontology
Historic Preservation and Conservation
- Historic Preservation and Conservation, General
- Cultural Resource Management and Policy Analysis
- Historic Preservation and Conservation, Other
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
- Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Museology/Museum Studies
- Museology/Museum Studies
Science, Technology and Society
- Science, Technology and Society
Accounting and Computer Science
- Accounting and Computer Science
Behavioral Sciences
- Behavioral Sciences
Natural Sciences
- Natural Sciences
Nutrition Sciences
- Nutrition Sciences
International/Globalization Studies
- International/Globalization Studies
Holocaust and Related Studies
- Holocaust and Related Studies
Classical and Ancient Studies
- Ancient Studies/Civilization
- Classical, Ancient Mediterranean, and Near Eastern Studies and Archaeology
- Classical and Ancient Studies, Other
Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies
- Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies
Cognitive Science
- Cognitive Science, General
- Contemplative Studies/Inquiry
- Cognitive Science, Other
Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis
- Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis
Human Biology
- Human Biology
Dispute Resolution
- Dispute Resolution
Maritime Studies
- Maritime Studies
Computational Science
- Computational Science
Human Computer Interaction
- Human Computer Interaction
Marine Sciences
- Marine Sciences
Sustainability Studies
- Sustainability Studies
Anthrozoology
- Anthrozoology
Climate Science
- Climate Science
Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature
- Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature
Design for Human Health
- Design for Human Health
Earth Systems Science
- Earth Systems Science
Economics and Computer Science
- Economics and Computer Science
Economics and Foreign Language/Literature
- Economics and Foreign Language/Literature
Environmental Geosciences
- Environmental Geosciences
Geoarcheaology
- Geoarcheaology
Geobiology
- Geobiology
Geography and Environmental Studies
- Geography and Environmental Studies
History and Language/Literature
- History and Language/Literature
History and Political Science
- History and Political Science
Linguistics and Anthropology
- Linguistics and Anthropology
Linguistics and Computer Science
- Linguistics and Computer Science
Mathematical Economics
- Mathematical Economics
Mathematics and Atmospheric/Oceanic Science
- Mathematics and Atmospheric/Oceanic Science
Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
- Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
Digital Humanities and Textual Studies
- Digital Humanities and Textual Studies, General
- Digital Humanities
- Textual Studies
- Digital Humanities and Textual Studies, Other
Thanatology
- Thanatology
Data Science
- Data Science, General
- Data Science, Other
Data Analytics
- Data Analytics, General
- Business Analytics
- Data Visualization
- Financial Analytics
- Data Analytics, Other
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Browse by group
- Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields
- Architecture and Related Services
- Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
- Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
- Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services
- Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
- Construction Trades
- Culinary, Entertainment, and Personal Services
- Education
- Engineering
- Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
- English Language and Literature/Letters
- Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
- Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- Health Professions and Related Programs
- History
- Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services
- Legal Professions and Studies
- Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
- Library Science
- Mathematics and Statistics
- Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians
- Military Science, Leadership and Operational Art
- Military Technologies and Applied Sciences
- Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
- Natural Resources and Conservation
- Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology
- Philosophy and Religious Studies
- Physical Sciences
- Precision Production
- Psychology
- Public Administration and Social Service Professions
- Science Technologies/Technicians
- Social Sciences
- Theology and Religious Vocations
- Transportation and Materials Moving
- Visual and Performing Arts
Sources
- 1.National Center for Education Statistics. Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020) (opens in a new tab) Codes and titles. Program definitions are published by NCES.
- 2.United States Patent and Trademark Office. Becoming a patent practitioner (opens in a new tab)