Pathway to Law

Pursue a Career in Law!

The Pathway to Law at Delta College provides a streamlined path to completing the educational requirements to pursue a career in the legal field. As a participant you will get additional academic and financial counseling, become eligible for special consideration and fee waivers when applying to partner institutions, receive special recognition as a California LAW Scholar, and gain access to law-related activities!

Eligibility

Pathway to Law is open to ALL areas of study — there are no major requirements to be able to participate in the program. As long as you are a current San Joaquin Delta College student in good academic standing (you are not on academic probation or suspension), then you eligible for Pathway to Law!

How to Get Started

Complete the online application

Attend Pathway to Law Orientation

Work with Pathway to Law counselor

Establish Student Educational Plan based on selected major and the Pathway to Law Program's required courses

More about the Pathway to Law Program

Statewide Participating Colleges and Law Schools

To assist students in their pursuit of a legal career, six undergraduate institutions and their respective law schools are participating in the Pathway to Law Program:

University of San Francisco

University of Santa Clara

University of California Davis

University of California Los Angeles

University of Southern California

Loyola University, Los Angeles

University of California Irvine

University of California Berkeley

Law School

Regional Participating Colleges and Law Schools

Humphreys University

University of the Pacific

Courses in the Pathway to Law

Required Courses

Introduction to Law and Society/Introduction to American Legal System (Business 08)
Reading and Composition (English 1A)
Written Communications II: A Critical Introduction to Literature (English 1B) or Advanced Composition & Critical Thinking (English 1D)
Fundamentals of Speech (Communications Studies 1A), which is the only class that fulfills the CSU IGETC requirement, or another communications course (one of the following: Business 07 or Communication Studies 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, or 12)
Introduction to Probability and Statistics (Math 12) or Statistical Methods for Psychology & Social Science (Psychology 02)
United States History (one of the following: History 17A, 17B, 27, 30A, 30B, 31, or 34)
American Government and Institutions (Political Science 01)

Additional Courses

Pathway to Law Program Seminar: Orientation/Service and Civic Learning (LAW 35A)
Pathway to Law Program Seminar: College Success and Counseling (GUID 35B)
Internship: Pathway to Law Program (BUS 68V)
Internship: Paralegal/Legal Assistant Program (LAW 68V)
Mock Trial Team (LAW 20)
Special Studies: Law (LAW 50H)
Speech Activities and Advocacy (Communication Studies 052)
Political Science Study and Travel Abroad (Political Science 10)
Introduction to Social Justice: Law and Social Change (LAW 16)
Introduction to Paralegal Studies, Legal Assisting, and Law Office Administration (LAW 02)

For course information, please visit the Course Catalog.

Program Completion

Extracurricular Activities

Attend Pathway to Law School Program activities/field trips
As a Pathway to Law student, you are encouraged to join and participate in an on-campus club, such as the Politics and Law Club, Business and Entrepreneur Club, or the many other club offerings

Transfer

Complete all prerequisites of your major as required by the participating undergraduate institution.
Successfully transfer to the undergraduate institution

GPA

Students must maintain the required minimum GPA at the community college and undergraduate institution.
Regardless of whether you aim to become an attorney or to work in some other law or law-related occupation (e.g., paralegal, legal secretary or other support professional, court administrator, bailiff, law enforcement official), the Pathway to Law program will help prepare you. While the Pathway to Law program encourages a diversity of students to explore and prepare for a variety of individually appropriate law and law-related occupations, it should be noted that students interested in becoming an attorney will need to develop a relatively high GPA (often above a 3.0) with strong, reading, writing, and critical thinking skills and should be willing and able to prepare for the rigors of law school, the bar exam, and the legal profession.

Why Law?

The complexities of our legal system have created hundreds of legal career options, many of which do not require a law degree. From lawyers, judges, mediators, paralegals, office managers, secretaries, consultants, court administrators, court reporters, court interpreters, government administrators and countless more, the legal professional's role is expanding and evolving to keep pace with the ever-changing legal system. The legal profession offers growth, opportunities, financial rewards, client service, intellectual challenge, prosperity, prestige in diverse areas of the law: business/corporate, intellectual property - especially with backgrounds in STEM majors, real estate, tax, employment, education, sports and entertainment, fashion, food, family, criminal, civil rights, military and dozens of other areas. Given the legal field's diversity, no particular major is recommended.

Learn More About Law

Visit these law-related sites to learn more about a career in law or a law-related field.

About the Pathway to Law

In partnership with The State Bar of California, the Pathway to Law initiative strives to enhance the opportunities and advancement of Delta College students by establishing a pipeline of diverse/underrepresented and talented students to law or law-related careers in order to transform the legal profession so that it reflects the diverse population of the state of California.