
Gannon University believes in the many ways analytically-minded people can apply their skills to make our society a better place. Whether you are interested in legal areas such as corporate practice, government, politics, private practice, public interest law, civil and criminal law, or patent and copyright law, Gannon’s pre-law program can help you explore possibilities and exercise your mind in preparation to enter law school or the legal field. As a pre-law major, you will be engaged in interesting coursework, challenged to think critically and objectively with the use of reason, and encouraged to partake in internship opportunities that offer valuable connections and experience.
Employment opportunities are abundant in the courts, as well as corporate, banking and insurance industries. Projections for these opportunities are within the top 10 of all occupations. Salaries for lawyers, depending on location and specialization, are in the $60,000 to $120,000 range. Positions in related fields, such as paralegal, are in the $25,000 to $60,000 range, depending on experience and location. Through the next decade, increased demands for lawyers will result from continued growth in areas such as population, health care, intellectual property, international law, elder law, sexual harassment and the environment.
Gannon University and Duquesne University offer a competitive, six-year program for students interested in Law. Students in the Pre-Law 3+3 Early Admissions Program spend three years at Gannon and then transfer to Duquesne University School of Law.
Gannon Pre-Law students wishing to participate in an accelerated undergraduate experience must meet the requirements below. All other students will be considered for our traditional four-year Pre-Law program.
Students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible due to the limited number of spaces available.
Applications are processed on a rolling admissions basis. As students who meet the requirements are offered acceptances, they may immediately send their enrollment deposit to reserve their space in the program.
Students in the Pre-Law 3+3 Early Admissions Program must choose a major at the time of deposit so their courses can be scheduled properly. They may choose to major in Business, Criminal Justice, English, History, Legal Studies, Political Science, Science and Social Science.
• Gannon University has a pre-law chapter of Phi Alpha Delta, the largest law fraternity in the country. This pre-law club gives students the opportunity to take field trips to law schools, participate in service learning in the legal community and form study groups to prepare for the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT).
• There is an option, with met qualifications, for students to be accepted into the 3+3 program with Duquesne Law School. This provides students an opportunity to complete major course requirements in 3 years and begin their first year at Duquesne Law School during their fourth year of schooling. After successful completion of the first year in law school, students will receive their bachelor’s degree from Gannon in the major track they have chosen. This program saves time and money for motivated students who are qualified to participate.
• The legal studies program advisor can arrange internship experience for students, giving them hands-on experience in a legal setting.
• Classrooms used for the pre-law program are housed in the Palumbo Academic Center, which provides liberal access to professors and other attorneys and paralegals who teach legal specialty courses.
• Many pre-law students take advantage of the courses offered within the legal studies/paralegal program. The legal studies program is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA). Taking some of these classes helps to further students’ knowledge of the legal field prior to entering law school.
• The pre-law advisor is also the director of the legal studies/paralegal program. Many students complete a legal studies certificate and a pre-law minor to add to their educational portfolio, which can be completed within four years with proper course sequencing.
109 University Square • Erie, Pennsylvania 16541-0001
1-800 GANNON-U (1-800-426-6668) or 814-871-7000
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