Academics / English Undergraduate Program / UK Blue: English BA & JD Program

UK Blue: English BA & JD Program

English helps you develop advanced reading comprehension and persuasive writing skills, both of which are essential for excelling in law school and performing well on the LSAT. As an English major, you read complex literature, process information efficiently, draw connections, and build arguments — all of which are key skills for law students. At the University of Kentucky, students can apply to an accelerated program and earn both their BA and JD degrees in six years. See UK BLUE for more information. The English Department offers courses that are tailored to students pursuing a legal career, including: ENG 191-Literature and the Arts of Citizenship; ENG 335-Law and Literature; ENG 336-Democracy's Diverse Stories; and ENG 389-Law and Film.

The American Bar Association lists seven “Core Skill and Values” that students should acquire in preparation for the law. All of these skills and attributes are taught in the English Major:

  • Analytic/Problem Solving Skills
  • Critical Reading
  • Writing Skills
  • Oral Communication/Listening Abilities
  • General Research Skills
  • Task Organization/ Management Skills
  • Public Service and Promotion of Justice

 

Alumni in the Legal Field 

Ella Dunbar, UK English Major (JD 2015): "The close reading skills I developed as an English major helped both with questions on the LSAT and in identifying fact patterns in law school."
 
Miata Eggerly, UK English Major (JD 2018): "You’re building writing and analytical skills when you work with a piece of literature. Those skills are transferred when you’re dealing with the logic and reasoning part of the law school admission test and you’re asked to find the strength in the argument. Remembering and sharing pertinent information, analytics, figuring out what’s being asked in a logic game – I honed those skills as an English major."
 
Michele Mirman, founder and senior partner at Mirman, Markovits and Landau, PC: "In truth, any undergraduate degree can help to prepare a student who aspires to be an attorney. I found that my English degree has been exceptionally helpful throughout my legal career. Why? The law is an art. In order to master that art, it helps to have a firm grasp on the English language and an expansive vocabulary. It’s important to know how to bend and manipulate language to my benefit. As an English major, I dedicated a lot of time to reading, analyzing, and writing. I learned to step back, assess a story I was told, and think outside the box. In reality, I was honing skills that are critical for any practicing attorney."

 

 

Pre-Law Advising on Campus

College of Arts and Science’s Pre-Law Contact Email
ASPreLaw@uky.edu

 

Pre-Law Pre-Professional Advising at the Stuckert Career Center
Assistant Director, Pre-Professional Advising Jocelyn Gaydos
Email: jocelyn.gaydos@uky.edu
Phone:859-257-4036
Office: Stuckert Career Center
Link to reserve an appoint for pre-law pre-professional advising
https://uky.joinhandshake.com/appointments/new