Professional Studies
LAW
Lawyers think about the law from the standpoint of juridical practice. This involves working with arcane materials and following procedures and applying rules that have a logic of their own and function in a context defined by legal precedent. This approach to the law is quite distinct from the approaches taken by political scientists, philosophers, historians, sociologists, and other scholars who deal with principles of justice or legal institutions from the perspective of their own disciplines. For this reason, undergraduate coursework in subjects such as international law, constitutional law, or the philosophy of law do not necessarily help students decide if they would enjoy or excel in law school. These courses do not prepare students for the type of study associated with programs leading to the JD or LLD. Contrary to popular myth, having such courses on your transcript does not boost your chances of being accepted into law school.
The content of undergraduate studies is not particularly relevant to the law school curriculum. While candidates for a master's degree or a Ph.D. generally build on a body of knowledge acquired during their undergraduate years, beginning law students start from scratch. In assessing candidates for admission, law schools tend to focus on three things: writing ability, capacity for critical thought, and personal character. The elements of law school applications (the personal statement, the college questionnaire, letters of recommendation, transcript, and score on the LSAT) are designed to shed light on these aspects of a candidate's potential. The major assets that carry over from the undergraduate years are skills rather than knowledge of any subject in particular. The ability to communicate effectively in written and oral argument, a critical understanding of human institutions and values, and a well-developed capacity for logical thinking are all central to the intelligent practice of law. Such skills can be developed by taking courses in literature, philosophy, history, and mathematics as well as the social sciences.
Please note that the MBNA Career Education Center offers pre-law advising to students interested in applying to law school.
BUSINESS
The same general line of reasoning applies to the study of business at the graduate level: skills acquired at the undergraduate level count more than specific areas of knowledge. Although the grounding in economics you receive through the core curriculum is useful, many other types of courses (including statistics, mathematics, philosophy, literature, and political science) can also help develop the quantitative and writing skills that are crucial to success in business.
MEDICINE
It is possible to combine the basic premedical requirements with any SFS major provided that you are willing to use some of your electives and to take some classes in summer school. Much of the required work in basic science dovetails with the curriculum of the Science, Technology, and International Affairs major. The basic premedical requirements are one full year (two semesters) of each of the following: Mathematics (usually Calculus), General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biology, and Elementary Physics.