Pathway to Law School
Certificate of Achievement History · Chaffey College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Description
The Pathway to Law School Certificate program provides students with a broad academic foundation designed to promote success in law school and the legal profession. The courses in the program were selected based on empirical research examining factors associated with lawyer effectiveness. Students pursuing this certificate should also complete an associate’s degree and pursue an academic major that supports transfer to a four-year college or university. In addition to the required coursework, students are strongly encouraged to participate in approved public interest or civic service activities.
Unlike medical schools or other graduate programs, law schools do not require specific undergraduate coursework. In other words, law schools do not expect applicants to have majored in undergraduate law or law-related subjects. Instead, they seek to admit a diverse group of students from a wide range of academic disciplines. Graduates with any undergraduate major may apply for admission to law school. However, to qualify to take the patent bar exam, students should have a degree in engineering or the sciences or take extensive coursework in science/engineering.
Chaffey College is one of a select group of California community colleges participating in this statewide initiative. The other participants include seventeen American Bar Association accredited law schools, and sixteen universities, all located in California. To fully benefit from the program, students must complete the seven-course certificate, satisfy all major prerequisites required by their transfer institution, and successfully transfer to a four-year college or university. Participation in the Pathway to Law School program does guarantee admission to a college, university, or law school, nor does it limit students’ choices when they transfer or apply to law school. Click here to link to a list of participating law schools and universities and learn more about the benefits of this pathway program.
Students who complete this certificate are also eligible to earn Cal LAW Scholar certification, granting them access to the benefits offered by the statewide pathway initiative upon completion of their undergraduate degree. Interested students should contact a counselor or a member of the Chaffey College legal studies faculty for additional information.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon the successful completion of this program, students should be able to:
- Apply critical thinking skills that will prepare them for success in the study of law.
- Demonstrate oral communication and argumentation skills to prepare them for success in the study of law.
- Develop an understanding of American history and government to prepare them for success in the study of law.
- Understand the American legal system and the role of lawyers, judges and litigants in our society.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements for the Certificate of Achievement (CA): | 19 | |
| BUSL 10 | Introduction to Law and the Legal Process | 3 |
| ENGL C1000 | Academic Reading and Writing | 3 |
| ENGL C1001 | Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 |
| POLS C1000 | American Government and Politics | 3 |
| Choose one: | 3 | |
| COMSTD 72 | Logic and Argumentation | 3 |
| orPHIL 76 | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| Choose one: | 4 | |
| SCSCI 10 | Statistics for Social Science | 4 |
| orSTAT C1000 | Introduction to Statistics | 4 |
| Any one course: | 3 | |
| HIST 12 | Asian American History | 3 |
| HIST 16 | Westward Movement and the Indian Wars of 1840-90 | 3 |
| HIST C1001 | United States History to 1877 | 3 |
| HIST C1002 | United States History since 1865 | 3 |
| HIST 19 | History of Ethnic Relations in the United States | 3 |
| HIST 20 | History of the United States from 1945-Present | 3 |
| HIST 21 | The Sixties in American History | 3 |
| HIST 25 | Women in United States History | 3 |
| HIST 50 | African-American History I | 3 |
| HIST 51 | African-American History II | 3 |
| HIST 70 | Chicanos: The Common History of Mexico and the US | 3 |
| HIST 71 | Chicanos: The Chicano Minority in the United States | 3 |
| Total | 22 | |
Other Information
Public Service, Culture, and Society
Local Program (Major) Code: L405
Program Control Number: 35949
TOP Code: 1401.00
CIP Code: 22.0000