Political Science students vary a good deal in their career goals, but many hope to attend law school and pursue a career related to the law. In addition to teaching the critical thinking skills that are essential to success in a legal career, a degree in Political Science provides an invaluable perspective on the larger social and political context in which the law functions.
Law School
We offer a number of upper-division courses that explore legal, judicial and constitutional issues, and can help prepare you for law school including:
- Political Science 4130, Law and Politics
- Political Science 4132H, Supreme Court Decision Making
- Political Science 4135, American Constitutional Law
- Political Science 4136, Civil Liberties
- Political Science 4137, The Politics of Legal Decision Making
- Political Science 4138, Women and the Law
For more information about law school and legal careers, connect with your Pre-Law advisor and explore the ASC Pre-Law site.
Additional Pre-Law Resources
- Law School Admissions Council
- Visit this site for information about the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). This site is the primary source for information about the law school application process.
- Internet Legal Resource Guide
- A curated and categorized collection of internet sites selected by current law students to assist others with applying to law school.
- Boston College Online Law School Locator
- This site allows applicants to quickly assess the LSAT and GPA expectations of different law schools across the country and determine which schools they may wish to research further.
Graduate School
If you have the ability, interest, and energy to pursue advanced study in political science, a political science major at Ohio State offers an opportunity to prepare yourself under the guidance of some of the discipline's finest scholars. Your training here can be the beginning of a superb career.
A political science degree can also open the door to graduate study in other fields. For example, in addition to political science, our graduates have earned advanced degrees in education, public policy and management, business administration, journalism, international relations and the health professions.
Because admission to the top graduate programs is highly competitive, you should work closely with your adviser as soon as you begin to consider graduate school. Your best chance for admission will come through a strong and carefully planned course curriculum, good scores on exams such as the GRE or GMAT, strong reference letters, and appropriate extra-curricular activities. Students who plan to pursue a graduate degree in political science should consult with their advisor(s) and faculty about the course of study that is best suited to the field that they wish to pursue.