Time to Study Languages in Law School?

sallyawp
Mon, 22 May 2006 09:19:41 +0000

While several law schools that I am aware of would allow you to study a language while you are in law school, your main focus in law school needs to be on law school. You will certainly have little or no time during the first year of law school for courses outside of law school (unless perhaps you are getting a dual degree and spending longer than three years at school). The courses for first year of law school are particularly intense, especially because you are first learning how to approach the law, including legal reasoning, research and writing. Many law schools offer an “elective” for law students during their first year, but more often than not, that elective is a choice between several selected law school courses. If you want to take a language second or third year, you may be able to do so, but I believe that that language class would have to be in addition to your normal law school courseload. In addition, if your plan is to gain fluency in a new language by studying abroad (or something of that ilk), those opportunities are generally not available at law school. Again, consider a dual degree program if this is important to you, but be prepared for some serious challenges along the way.