Philosophy and law

What is philosophy and law?

Philosophy and law is built for future lawyers and leaders. You’ll learn to do deep philosophical assessments of ethical, legal, social and political issues and build the skills that matter in law and related fields.

What you'll learn

The law and philosophy program prepares students to explore topics connected with law, power and justice in legal and non-legal careers.

You will learn:

• critical thinking through philosophical assessment of issues
• ethical reasoning and decision-making
• methods for identifying, developing and analyzing written and oral arguments
• persuasion and communication skills

Why study philosophy and law at MSU?

This law and philosophy program explores law at the intersection of power and justice. You’ll tackle major issues in civil rights, penal law, constitutional law and international law while building the critical thinking skills you need for a legal career.

In this major, you’ll train your brain to see every side of an argument. If you’re ready for deep debates about issues that matter today, this program can be a strong launchpad for law school or any career where you need to think deeply, build powerful arguments and advocate for what you care about.

This philosophy and law major and the humanities – prelaw major in the College of Arts and Letters are both designed to prepare students for law school.

Choose the philosophy and law major if you want:

• an intense focus on social, legal, ethical and political issues;
• a disciplined, deep-dive approach to reading, reasoning and argument.

Choose the humanities – prelaw major if you want:

• a broader and more flexible learning experience;
• room to build law-related skills alongside other interests.

Alumni pursuits

Graduates with a degree in law and philosophy pursue careers in a range of areas including legal, public policy and government fields. Some graduates also attend law school and other graduate programs.

Next steps