Which classes at Duquesne have prepared me for law school? As I sit down here today, I can’t help but think about which classes have prepared me for law school. Now, I am not in law school yet, but I will be. I have a pretty good idea of the kinds of skills one needs to be a good lawyer. Some of the following traits include great analytic skills, the ability to critically read, and how to prepare a logical argument. Duquesne University offers so many outstanding courses with even better professors. As I reflect upon these experiences, I stop to think about how they will help me in the future.
What first comes to mind is from the very first semester of freshman year, Basic Philosophical Questions with Dr. Swindal. This class was the first philosophy class I had ever taken. I was a little intimidated, but Dr. Swindal made difficult passages from Aristotle to Descartes fun and digestible. This was the first class ever to teach me how to diagram an argument, an invaluable skill for a future lawyer.
The next course that comes to mind is Critical Issues in Literary Studies with Dr. Glass. This course was truly splendid. I loved all of the novels on the itinerary, each one created a thoughtful discussion in which the whole class got involved. Most importantly, the course taught me not only how to read the literature but more importantly it taught me how to criticize literature.
The course that taught me best how to write an essay was Dr. Maatta’s Imaginative Literature & Critical Writing. I remember vividly how closely Dr. Maatta worked with each of her students to perfect their writing capabilities. She made sure every student knew their potential to be great writers. I always think of her writing tips while I’m constructing formal essays. Duquesne has given me all the tools I need to be a successful writer and lawyer!
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