Prelaw Advising
Students contemplating law school after graduation should make an appointment to meet with Dr. Jonathan Hensley, the university's prelaw adviser, and to read the Towson University Prelaw Guide.
Dr. Hensley will introduce you to the Prelaw Society and offer advice concerning courses of study, preparation for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and other matters pertaining to what you need for your application to law school. In general, he advises students to concentrate on improving their reading, writing, speaking and thinking skills.
Prelaw Guide
The online Towson University Prelaw Guide provides information about preparing for and applying to law school, financial aid and careers.
Prelaw Society
Towson has an active Prelaw Society, an SGA-affiliated student organization that explores issues related to the theory, study and practice of law. Past meetings of the Prelaw Society have included discussion of LSAT preparation strategies and contemporary legal issues, as well as visits to the United States Supreme Court. The group regularly hosts presentations by law school admissions directors, lawyers and judges. For more information about joining the Prelaw Society, email Dr. Hensley at jhensley@towson.edu.
Prelaw Blog
The Towson University Prelaw Blog, https://wp.towson.edu/prelawsociety/ , posts essays of commentary and opinion, written and edited by students. Students from all disciplines are invited and encouraged to write for the blog.
The blog succeeded the Prelaw Journal, which was printed from 1987 until it was succeeded by the blog in 2015. Past essays have focused on abortion rights, capital punishment, gun control, free speech, and evaluations of internships and how to write a good personal statement for law school. The editor considers pieces of any and all legal or constitutional issues. Writers should prepare them in good English in a lively and opinionated style, running around 1000 words in length. Writers will have a byline.
For more information, contact Dr. Jonathan Hensley.
Dual Degree Program
Qualified students may apply to the dual-degree program between the University and the University of Baltimore School of Law, http://law.ubalt.edu/. Admission is not automatic but contingent upon acceptance by the University of Baltimore Law School, including review of Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores. Transfer to the UB law program can only take place at the end of a spring term. To qualify for entrance to the dual-degree program, students must fulfill the first three of the standards listed below. To qualify for graduation from Towson University, students must also fulfill the fourth standard.
- Successful completion of at least 90 undergraduate semester credit hours (at least 30 of these at Towson University), including the completion of all Towson University CORE requirements.
- While no specific areas of study or disciplines are required for the dual-degree law program, students must choose a major and obtain at least 18 semester credit hours with a C or better contributing toward that major, with at least 6 of those semester credit hours at the 300-400 level. Towson University students complete the Towson Core Curriculum requirements and a major with at least a 3.50 GPA in that major.
- Provide written approval from the appropriate Towson University official indicating that the applicants will meet all Towson University graduation requirements for early entry to the School of Law prior to enrolling in law school.
- Be accepted to the University of Baltimore School of Law through its established rolling admissions process or through the School of Law's established Early Automatic Admission process.
Subsequent completion of all requirements at the University of Baltimore Law School is necessary in order to earn the J.D. degree from the University of Baltimore. Students interested in this program should contact the TU prelaw adviser, Dr. Jonathan Hensley in the Department of Political Science.