Frank D. Upchurch, Sr., Endowed Pre-Law Program
The Frank D. Upchurch, Sr., Endowed Pre-Law Program at Flagler College gives students the rigorous undergraduate preparation needed to master law school’s academic requirements. The Pre-Law Program provides a competitive opportunity for students to gain acceptance into a prestigious law school. The skills needed for law school are those that all undergraduate students should pursue. These skills include the ability to reason logically and think critically, the capacity to solve problems given specific factual situations, and the ability to write and speak with clarity, precision, and style. The Pre-Law Department fosters free expression in a setting with diverse viewpoints, empowering students to engage with challenging ideas – in college, in law, and throughout their lives.
There is no single major that will prepare you for legal education. The Pre-Law Department encourages students to select an area of study that interests and challenges them while taking advantage of opportunities to develop their research and writing skills. Students are free to choose to major in subjects that are considered to be traditional preparation for law school, such as history, philosophy, political science, economics, or business, or a student can do just as well to focus their undergraduate studies in areas such as art, theater, or science. Whatever major you choose to pursue, you are strongly encouraged to take a broad range of difficult courses from demanding instructors. In law school, you will build upon and further refine the skills, values, and knowledge that you acquire at Flagler College.
Central features of the Pre-law Program include Law Forums; visits to area law schools; visits by law school Deans of Admission, judges, and attorneys; attendance at courtroom trial proceedings; mock LSAT exams; student meetings on topics related to preparation for law school and the legal profession; and the computer-assisted legal research service known as Westlaw. We recommend that pre-law students enroll in an LSAT preparatory course during their junior year and/or follow the LSAT preparatory guidelines established by the Pre-Law Director. Our program offers a pass/fail course to assist your LSAT preparation.
Any student interested in adding the Pre-Law minor is strongly encouraged to add the Pre-law minor as soon as possible in your college career. A Pre-Law Advisor helps you find ways to gain exposure to the law and the legal profession, assists you with the law school application process, and can be a resource in selecting courses that can help you achieve your goal. Change of Major/Minor and Change of Advisor requests are handled by the Center for Advising and Core Experience (CACE@flagler.edu). Chris Moser (cmoser@flagler.edu) is the Director of the Pre-Law Program.
General Requirements: Students who wish to complete the Pre-Law Program must satisfy the following conditions:
- Pursue and complete a major within the field of their choice;
- Pursue and complete a required curriculum of seven law courses;
- Earn a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 by the end of the senior year;
- Attend courtroom trial proceedings under the direction of the Pre-Law faculty;
- Attend Law Program events;
- Complete an LSAT preparatory program and/or take our Legal Strategies course offered each academic year; and
- Complete at least four semesters as a full-time student at Flagler College
Course Requirements: A total of 21 credit hours is needed to complete the course requirements. LAW 470, PHI 223, and LAW 419 are required courses for the minor. For one of the seven required LAW courses, a student may substitute any law course from another discipline. The Pre-Law Program Director must approve this course substitution. A total of 21 credit hours are needed to earn the minor.
The Pre-Law Program is named in honor of Frank D. Upchurch, Sr., by his family and friends as an enduring memorial to commemorate his contributions to the legal profession, St. Augustine, and the State of Florida. He served as City Commissioner and Mayor of St. Augustine, as a Representative to the Florida House of Representatives, and as a member of the Florida Senate. He was alos an ardent preservationist and helped establish the St. Augustine Restoration Commission to help preserve, restore, and interpret colonial St. Augustine for future generations.