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Choosing elective courses in law school can be an overwhelming experience. With a plethora of courses available, it is important to carefully consider which courses best suit your interests and career needs. Many law schools allow students to select electives after their first year, and the right courses can greatly enhance future job prospects.
When selecting elective courses, it is important to consider what types of jobs and practice areas you plan to pursue after graduation. By selecting electives that align with your desired career path, you position yourself better to obtain a job in your desired practice area. Also, be sure to consider the concentrations of courses offered. Often, a school will only offer a few courses in each specialty area of law, so it's important to get to know the professors who teach them and decide which classes best fit your interests. Lastly, it is important to take courses that fulfill your school's requirements for graduation.
It is also important to consider courses offered at other schools. Law schools often collaborate with each other to offer classes and other opportunities, so be sure to research offerings at different institutions. Additionally, many law schools offer joint degrees, which allow you to pursue two degrees simultaneously. These can be helpful in expanding your knowledge and skillset, and in preparing you for a more specialized practice area.
Finally, consider the workload associated with each course. Some courses have heavy reading and writing requirements, while others are designed to provide more of a broad overview. Additionally, some courses require more time spent in class while others are more independent study. Be sure to select courses that fit your learning style and are within your time constraints.
In summary, when selecting elective courses in law school, it is important to consider what types of jobs you plan to pursue after graduation, the courses offered at your school, courses offered at other schools, and the workload associated with each course. By doing so, you will be better prepared to select courses that will help you succeed in your desired practice area and secure a job upon graduation.
The Start of a Law School Education
Law school education is an important part of a lawyer's career and obtaining a law degree is a stepping stone to becoming a successful lawyer. Many law schools offer a variety of elective courses that give law students the opportunity to hone their legal skills. When deciding which electives to take, law students should consider the value of the course in relation to their career goals, their knowledge level and the amount of time they can realistically dedicate to the course.Evaluating Course Descriptions
Law students should begin by evaluating the course descriptions. Some courses will be more beneficial than others to law students based on their future goals. It is wise to choose courses that are more relevant to a law student's future plans and practice areas as opposed to those electives that are more attractive due to their general circumstances, i.e. lower graded classes and those offered in a more relaxed setting.Take Advice From Others
It's important for law students to be aware of their peers' experiences as well. Taking advice from experienced sources is beneficial for law students. Conversations with upper-classmen and professors enables law students to get invaluable insights into courses that can be helpful in their legal career. In addition, mentors and friends in the legal field can advise law students on which courses in the current curriculum can be of most use.Choose the Right Courses
Choosing the right courses is important for law students for the entire duration of their law school education. Additionally, law school alumni have often shared their experiences that have helped them reach their career goals and which electives were more relevant to their practice areas.Consider Your Career Goals
Law students should consider the career path they want to take when choosing elective courses. Certain courses may be more helpful in specific career paths than others. For example, if a law student wants to become a corporate attorney, then courses such as securities regulation and corporate taxation may be more beneficial than other electives.Several students recently offered their thoughts about the elective courses they've taken in law school that were either unusually interesting or likely to improve their daily practice skills in the future.
Sara McCuistion, a second-year student at the University of Texas Law School, said she found her elective course Comparative Constitutional Law to be particularly interesting and rewarding. Taught by a visiting German professor, the course examined the ''comparative method'' and introduced students to the debate as to whether it's possible to meaningfully compare and contrast the constitutions of countries with highly varied histories and cultural climates. Ms. McCuistion said the class spent most of its time examining the differences between the constitutions of France, Germany, South Africa, and England. In addition to broadening her ''world view,'' Ms. McCuistion said the class provided a ''great exercise in applying international law using constitutional law instead of case law.'' She said she also gained new insights into other countries' unique challenges by taking this course.
Carrey Wong, a third-year student at the University of California's Hastings College of Law and one of the editors of the school's Hastings Women's Law Journal, said her elective courses in Trial Advocacy, Negotiation and Settlement, and Pre-Trial Practice have been her favorite elective classes. She said she appreciated the chance to learn more about making opening and closing statements and handling jury selection in her Trial Advocacy class. Ms. Wong's Negotiation and Settlement class helped her ''learn more about how people think'' and now has a better understanding of how ''opposing counsel and their clients, as well as judges,'' view various issues in cases. Finally, Ms. Wong's Pre-Trial Practice class provided her with helpful knowledge about how to draft demand letters, motions for summary judgment, and conduct depositions. Regarding the time when a court reporter was called in to make the deposition exercise more realistic, Ms. Wong said, ''I found that part of the course particularly helpful since I would never have otherwise gained that kind of experience until one day preparing a case for trial after graduation.''
Chris Baird, a third-year student and editor-in-chief of The Duke Law Journal, agreed with Ms. McCuistion when he named his Comparative Constitutional Design class as one of his more interesting and possibly useful courses. Due to his professor's specialized experience in this field, Mr. Baird and his classmates primarily studied the constitutions of such countries as Fiji, Malaysia, Indonesia, Northern Ireland, and Nigeria. Mr. Baird said his class spent most of its time studying ''conflict-reducing strategies for ethnically divided societies.'' He said the class also provided a good review of how different countries elect their leaders and how other countries approach and handle controversial topics.
Tyler Green, a third-year student and editor of The Utah Law Review, said he found the elective courses Evidence and Criminal Procedure to be especially interesting and useful. He believes every student should take the latter class because ''it clearly teaches you a basic understanding of Fourth Amendment rights.'' As for his Evidence course, Mr. Green said that class should prove ''applicable to just about every area of law a student might later practice.''
So, whatever a student's goal-be it gaining practical legal skills or pushing the boundaries of legal theory-he or she should dig into the course catalog and find the electives in their areas of interest. And, even if a student does not have a distinct goal in mind, electives are great ways to stimulate a student's legal reasoning and deepen his or her legal skills.
