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Reviewed by:
Former Head of Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University, & Admissions Officer, Brown University
Reviewed: 03/03/23
Many pre-law students wonder if psychology is a good major for law school. To find out the answer, read on.
If you pursue a psychology major, you will learn valuable theories about human behavior, which can be beneficial if you’re planning on going to law school.
This guide will cover why a psychology major might be perfect for your career aspirations.
Yes, psychology is among the most common majors for law students and is considered a great major. It develops critical thinking and analytical skills, deepens understanding of human behavior and motivation, and improves research and writing abilities.
Here’s why you should major in psychology as a law student:
As a lawyer, you’re expected to read people well. Psychology majors study topics such as perception, cognition, emotion, and social influence, which can be valuable in understanding how people behave in legal settings.
Certain specialties, such as social psychology and cognitive psychology, may be particularly relevant to law. For instance, knowledge of social influence and persuasion can help understand how juries make decisions. Similarly, knowledge of cognitive biases can help analyze witness testimonies.
Students interested in criminal law, in particular, can take courses in criminal behavior to better understand profiles, patterns, and motives.
The field of psychology is grounded in research. Accordingly, as a psychology major, you’re expected to conduct research for papers and projects. You can also join your professors’ research projects.
By forming connections with these professors through your courses, you can join their efforts or even ask them for advice on how to develop your own research ideas. This experience will also bolster your law school resume!
Psychology requires a solid understanding of theory. As a result, psych students are required to read a variety of texts, including research papers, textbooks, and journal articles, to gain a deep understanding of the field.
They are often assigned lengthy texts on which they must analyze, evaluate, and make notes. Developing these skills during your undergraduate will better prepare you for law school, where you’ll be required to read lengthy, often dry, legal texts.
Considering psychology majors have to analyze and apply complex concepts and theories, pursuing this concentration will help develop your critical thinking skills. These skills translate well to legal analysis and reasoning and can act as an excellent foundation for you to build on during law school.
All psychology majors learn about ethics through experiments and studies. Lawyers are required to follow ethical codes and principles that govern their professional conduct—in fact, they’re even tested on them through the MPRE!
As a lawyer, you’ll be grappling with issues of right and wrong, so you must begin developing your ethical reasoning and analysis as soon as possible.
Psychology is a vast field, so students can explore subspecialties within psychology to further develop their skills and knowledge base. Additionally, this major typically offers more room for students to pursue electives than other programs.
By pursuing electives in different disciplines, your transcript will be more diverse and thus more attractive to admissions committees. You will also have little to no opportunity to pursue other disciplines in law school so that you can explore your interests during your undergrad!
The best way to prepare for the LSAT is to use prep materials, complete numerous practice tests, and stay consistent. Since psychology requires students to use their critical thinking and analytical skills, it may help students feel more confident on the Logical Reasoning portion of the LSAT.
You may also score higher on the Reading Comprehension part of the LSAT, considering you’ll consistently decipher complex psychology readings.
This guide has answered the question of whether psychology is a good major for law school. However, you may have related questions that we’ll address below!
While law schools have no preference over the majors students choose, the most common majors are political science, English, psychology, philosophy, history, and economics.
Schools typically do not offer majors in law but in criminal justice or studies. It’s highly recommended that students who major in these subjects choose a minor that will allow them to develop skills and knowledge outside of criminal law, like psychology!
A psychology major can be challenging, depending on the courses you take. Unless you have a genuine interest in this subject and are willing to work hard, it may not be the right major for you, as you must maintain a high GPA to get into your top law school choices!
Another potential drawback to pursuing a psychology major is your job options. If you decide not to go to law school, you may have a hard time finding employment in your field with just a psychology degree. You will likely have to pursue higher education to qualify for careers in this field.
No, you do not have to attend a pre-law program to get accepted to law school. Law schools accept students with a wide range of undergraduate majors as long as they demonstrate strong academic performance.
No, the American Bar Association (ABA) underscores that any degree can be good preparation, and law schools value students who excel in their chosen field of study.
So yes, a psychology major is good for law school, but is a psychology major good for you? After reading our article, you might have a better idea.
Do not choose a major simply because you think it will look good on your law school application. Pursue a major you’re interested in so you can not only excel but also fulfill your academic interests.
Reviewed by:
Former Head of Northeastern University's Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University
