国产传媒

Minor

Pre-Law

Degree type:
Minor
Mode of study:
On-campus
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Your journey to law school starts with a pre-law minor from Mount Saint Mary’s University

Develop essential skills to thrive in law school and beyond by choosing the pre-law minor at Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles. Get an edge in understanding the demands of legal study with courses modeled on the Socratic method and law school-style exams. Thanks to our small class sizes, you'll be supported by faculty who are committed to your success, helping you select the courses that best fit your goals and ensuring you enter law school with the confidence and expertise to excel.

With a track record of graduates accepted into top-tier law schools like Yale, Harvard, Columbia and more, Mount Saint Mary’s University sets you on a path toward becoming a standout in the field.

two pre law students smiling back to back with crossed arms in front of doorway

The pre-law minor at Mount Saint Mary’s is unparalleled!

My time in Mock Trial and Moot Court taught me practical skills that are invaluable for a career in the law and the substantive coursework gave me the background knowledge to hit the ground running. Melanie Sava '17 Yale Law School '20

Dive into pre-law courses that shape future advocates

This minor prepares you to engage deeply with the legal field, building confidence in your ability to advocate, analyze and make an impact. The pre-law minor offers a dynamic range of courses designed to inspire and challenge. Dive into topics that span legal reasoning, the complexities of the criminal justice system, the powerful intersections of race, gender, law and more. Each course is crafted to give you hands-on experience with the types of cases, theories, and critical thinking you'll encounter in law school and beyond.

Discover some of our standout class offerings

POL 102
Gender and the Law

Discover how the law has shaped and been shaped by gender over time in this thought-provoking course. Students will explore critical legal issues such as employment discrimination, sexual harassment, violence against women, reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ rights. Through engaging with case law, legal journals and other compelling texts, this course challenges students to critically analyze the evolving intersection of gender and the legal system.

POL 103
Legal Reasoning

Step into the world of law with legal reasoning, a foundational course that teaches you how to think like a lawyer. You鈥檒l learn the essential principles of case and statute analysis, gain the ability to identify relevant laws and apply them to real-world scenarios. This course will help you see the world through a more analytical lens and equip you with tools for tackling complex issues.

POL 107
Race, Gender, and the Criminal Legal System

Explore the critical intersections of race, gender, and the criminal legal system in this eye-opening course. Through landmark court cases and the works of leading scholars, you鈥檒l dive deep into pressing issues like structural inequities, mass incarceration, police bias and the treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals. By the end of the course, you鈥檒l be empowered to analyze and challenge the systemic forces that influence criminal justice today.

Gain mock trial and moot court experience through pre-law competitions

Our program emphasizes rigorous analytical, writing and advocacy training with competitive Mock Trial and Moot Court teams at its heart. Students put their skills to the test in intercollegiate competitions and gain recognition for their talent and preparation. These experiences build a solid foundation in legal reasoning and courtroom confidence, giving you a glimpse into the realities of the legal profession.

mock trial group photo of students

Step into the courtroom with Mock Trial, where students take on the roles of attorneys and witnesses in a high-stakes simulation of trial proceedings. You’ll gain firsthand experience in crafting direct and cross-examinations and delivering powerful opening and closing statements. Founded in 2004, the award-winning Mount Saint Mary’s Mock Trial Team competes annually at the prestigious American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) regional competition.

国产传媒 Mock Trial Team Honors

Students earned the following awards at the American Mock Trial Association intercollegiate regional competition. Each year, approximately 250 students compete in the regional competition.

  • 2019: All-Region Witness Award – Emely Reardon
  • 2018: All-Region Attorney Award – Emely Reardon, All-Region Witness Award – Emely Reardon
  • 2017: All-Region Attorney Award – Melanie Sava, All-Region Witness Award – Emely Reardon
  • 2016: All-Region Witness Award – Emely Reardon, All-Region Witness Award – Jacqueline B. Swezey
  • 2015: All-Region Attorney Award – Melanie Sava, All-Region Witness Award – Jacqueline B. Swezey
  • 2014: All-Region Witness Award – Jacqueline B. Swezey
  • 2012: All-Region Witness Award – Amalia Flores
  • 2011: All-Region Attorney Award – Yevgenia Kutepova
  • 2010: All-Region Witness Award – Yevegenia Kutepova
  • 2009: All-Region Witness Award – Chloe Long, All-Region Witness Award – Ezra Azzopardi
  • 2008: All-Region Attorney Award – Cassandra Krieger
  • 2007: All-Region Witness Award – Eris Jurado
  • 2005: All-Region Attorney Award: Nicole Riesgo, All-Region Witness Award: Nicole Riesgo

group of students smiling outside against white wall

Moot Court offers a real-world glimpse into appellate advocacy, challenging students to present cases before a panel of judges who rigorously question them on legal arguments and case facts. These panels include practicing attorneys and even federal and state court judges.

Each fall, approximately 65 students from universities nationwide meet for the American Collegiate Moot Court regional competition. In the spring, the California Moot Court Classic Invitational brings together top talent from across the state.

The Mount Saint Mary’s Moot Court Team has received the following Honors:

  • Spring 2021: Oral Advocate Award (7th), California Classic Moot Court Invitational – Jaden Balsman
  • Fall 2020: Oral Advocate Award (8th), Windy City Regionals Loyola Chicago – Jaden Balsman
  • Spring 2016: Oral Advocate Award (1st), California Classic Moot Court Invitational – Melanie Sava, Oral Advocate Award (6th ), California Classic Moot Court Invitational – Karla Ballesteros
  • Fall 2015: Oral Advocate Award (12th), American Collegiate Moot Court Association – Karla Ballesteros, Oral Advocate Award (14th), American Collegiate Moot Court Association – Melanie Sava
  • Spring 2014: Winning Team, California Moot Court Classic Invitational – Claudia Garcia & Viridiana Aceves, Oral Advocate Award (1st), California Classic Moot Court Invitational – Melanie Sava, Oral Advocate Award (4th), California Classic Moot Court Invitational – Claudia Garcia
  • Fall 2013: Oral Advocate Award (12th), American Collegiate Moot Court Association – Melanie Sava, Oral Advocate Award (13th), American Collegiate Moot Court Association – Claudia Garcia, Oral Advocate Award (13th), American Collegiate Moot Court Association – Claudia Garcia
  • Fall 2012: Oral Advocate Award (8th), American Collegiate Moot Court Association – Giovanna Victorino, Oral Advocate Award (18th), American Collegiate Moot Court Association – Claudia Garcia
  • Spring 2010: Nationals, American Collegiate Moot Court Association, Miami, Florida, Ezra Azzopardi and Yevgeniya Kutepova (6th)
  • Spring 2009: Oral Advocate Award, California Moot Court Classic Invitational – Richelle Menendez
  • Fall 2008: Oral Advocate Award, American Collegiate Moot Court Association – Yevgeniya Kutepova