COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Philosophy with a Pre-Law concentration at Wichita State University requires a minimum of 120 credit hours and is specifically designed to prepare students for law school and careers involving legal analysis, public policy, compliance, advocacy, government service, and social justice. In addition to completing the university’s General Education requirements and the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences competency requirements, students must complete at least 33 credit hours in philosophy, including a minimum of 15 upper-division credit hours. The curriculum develops the core skills most valued in legal education and legal professions, including logical reasoning, critical thinking, ethical analysis, argument construction, research, and persuasive communication. Students complete foundational courses in logic, ethics, philosophy of law, and a senior capstone experience that integrates their philosophical and analytical training. The program also requires coursework in the history of philosophy, exposing students to major philosophical traditions from Ancient Greek, Chinese, modern, and contemporary thought. A world philosophy requirement broadens students’ understanding of diverse legal, ethical, and cultural perspectives through courses in Asian, Indigenous, Japanese, Chinese, and Latin American philosophy. Specialized pre-law preparation comes from advanced ethics courses and political and social philosophy courses that explore topics such as justice, rights, government, legal institutions, feminist philosophy, contemporary legal theory, and social systems. Additional philosophy electives allow students to further customize their studies according to personal interests and career goals. Students work closely with departmental advisors each semester to create academic plans aligned with law school preparation and professional aspirations. Wichita State’s applied learning approach provides opportunities to connect classroom theory with real-world legal, social, and policy issues through research, projects, and experiential learning. Graduates are exceptionally well prepared for law school because the curriculum strengthens the analytical, reading, writing, and reasoning skills emphasized on the LSAT and throughout legal education. The degree also opens pathways to careers in government, public administration, policy analysis, nonprofit organizations, human rights advocacy, corporate compliance, mediation, consulting, education, and business leadership. By combining philosophical inquiry with focused legal studies, the program equips graduates with intellectual discipline, ethical awareness, and strong advocacy skills that are valuable in law and many other professional fields.