Government and Law - PHI

The dome of a government building silhouetted against a bright sky.
Government and Law

Philosophy Career Pathways

What is Government and Law?

Government and law encompasses careers dedicated to creating, interpreting, implementing, and upholding laws and public policy at the local, state, and federal levels. This broad area includes legal professions (such as attorneys, paralegals, and legal analysts), government and public service roles (policy analysts, legislative staff, public administrators), and enforcement and protection careers (such as corrections officers, law enforcement, and park rangers). Professionals in this field work to promote justice, public safety, civic engagement, and the effective functioning of communities and institutions.

Philosophy in Practice

Philosophy plays a foundational role in government and law by helping professionals examine questions of justice, rights, ethics, authority, and the legitimacy of laws and institutions. Philosophical training strengthens critical reasoning, ethical decision-making, argument analysis, and the ability to evaluate competing values in complex policy and legal contexts. In legal settings, philosophy contributes to understanding moral responsibility, constitutional interpretation, and theories of justice that shape how laws are applied and challenged. In government and public service, it supports ethical policymaking, clarity in reasoning about public goods, and careful analysis of competing interests.

Government and Law for Philosophy Majors

Explore sub-fields of government and law that are fit for philosophy majors. Click on the hyperlinked sample job posts to see real job postings that detail the position's responsibilities and qualifications. 

  • Legal
  • About Field
    The legal field focuses on interpreting, applying, and upholding the law within courts, firms, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Professionals in this area may represent clients, conduct legal research, draft legal documents, analyze policy, or support court operations. Roles range from attorneys and judges to paralegals, legal assistants, compliance officers, and court administrators. This field requires strong critical thinking, ethical reasoning, research skills, and the ability to analyze complex information within structured legal systems.

    Sample Job Posts
    • Civil Attorney
    • Court Advocate
    • Legal Secretary 
    • Legal Process Clerk

    Sample Job Titles
    Judge, Mediator, Lawyer, Paralegal, Counsel, Public Defender
  • Policy and Public Service
  • About Field
    Policy and public service careers center on shaping, implementing, and evaluating public policy and programs that impact communities. Professionals may work in city, county, state, or federal agencies in areas such as public administration, policy analysis, legislative affairs, community development, or public health initiatives. These roles often involve collaboration, strategic planning, data analysis, and community engagement, with a focus on promoting equity, efficiency, and public well-being.

    Sample Job Posts
    • Legislative Aide
    • Policy Analyst
    • State Relations Assistant
    • Staff Services Analyst

    Sample Job Titles
    Political Scientist, Lobbyist, Press Secretary, Legislative Director, District Representative, Consultant, Legislative Assistant, Scheduler, Field Representative

How to Prepare for a Career in Government and Law

Do your Research

The steps you take to prepare for a career in business depend on what kind of position you want to pursue. For an overview on how to conduct research on your professions of interest, look at our Work Research section on the right. Here are some other starting points:

  • If you're interested in becoming a lawyer, check out our on-campus Pre-Law Advising Center
  • If you want to learn more about policy and public service, look at these California legislative positions for the assembly and senate, how to get a state job on CalCareers, or how to get into federal work on USAJobs

 

Supplement Your Bachelor's Degree

Consider the following course, double major, minor, and experiential recommendations during your academic journey.

  • Philosophy Major Course Recommendations
  • PHI 01 — Introduction to Philosophy
    PHI 05 — Critical Reasoning (required for PHI AB Pre-Law)
    PHI 14 — Ethical & Social Problems in Contemporary Society
    PHI 16 —  Philosophy Foundations of American Democracy
    PHI 17 — Language, Thought, & World
    PHI 24 — Introduction to Ethics (required for PHI AB Pre-Law)
    PHI 31 — Appraising Scientific Reasoning

    PHI 102 — Theory of Knowledge
    PHI 103 — Philosophy on Mind
    PHI 104 — The Evolution of Mind
    PHI 109 — Philosophy of the Social Sciences
    PHI 112 — Intermediate Symbolic Logic (required for PHI AB Pre-Law)
    PHI 114 — History of Ethics
    PHI 115 — Problems in Normative Ethics
    PHI 116 — Ethical Theories
    PHI 117 — Foundations of Ethics
    PHI 118 — Political Philosophy
    PHI 119 — Philosophy of Law (required for PHI AB Pre-Law)
    PHI 117 — Foundations of Ethics
    PHI 125 — Theory of Action
    PHI 126 — Moral Psychology
    PHI 128 — Rationality
    PHI 129 — Knowledge & the A Priori
    PHI 134 — Modal Logic
    PHI 135 — Alternative Logics
    PHI 136 — Formal Epistemology
    PHI 137A — Philosophy of Language: Theory of Reference
    PHI 137B — Philosophy of Language: Truth & Meaning
    PHI 137C — Philosophy of Language: Semantics & Pragmatics
    PHI 141 — Socrates & the Socratic Dialogue
  • Double Major Recommendations
  • Government and Law encompass broad career fields with many possible specialties. Depending on the area you want to focus on, the majors below can provide strong preparation for these paths.

    African American & African Studies
    American Studies
    Anthropology
    Asian American Studies
    Chicana/Chicano Studies
    Communication
    Community & Regional Development
    Economics
    English
    Environmental Policy Analysis & Planning
    Environmental Science & Management
    Gender, Sexuality, & Women's Studies
    History
    International Relations
    Native American Studies
    Political Science
    Political Science—Public Service
    Psychology
    Religious Studies
    Science & Technology Studies
    Sociology
    Sociology—Organizational Studies
  • Minor Recommendations
  • African American & African Studies
    American Studies
    Anthropology
    Asian American Studies
    Chicana/Chicano Studies
    Communication
    Community Development
    Economics
    Energy Policy
    Energy Science & Technology
    English
    Environmental Policy Analysis & Planning
    Gender, Sexuality, & Women's Studies
    Geographic Information Systems
    Global Studies
    History & Philosophy of Science
    Human Right Studies
    International Science Studies
    Political Science
    Professional Writing
    Psychology
    Science & Society
    Social, Ethnic & Gender Relations
    Sociology
  • Work Experience and Internship Recommendations
  • It is highly recommended that all undergraduate students engage in part-time work, internships, volunteering, and other extracurricular opportunities. ANY experience is RELEVANT experience.

    General Experiential Education Recommendations for Philosophy Students

    Government and Law Specific Recommendations
    • Work as a Legislative Intern for the California Assembly or Senate
    • Get involved in public policy at the state capitol through the UC Center Sacramento Program (UCCS)
    • Connect with a variety of organizations related to the philosophy major through the UC Davis Washington Program (UCDC)
    • Search city and county webpages for volunteer or internship opportunities in government work
    • Choose from the large number of special interest, policy, non-profit, or lobby groups to volunteer through in Sacramento
  • Campus Organization Recommendations
  • Black Pre-Law Student Association
    The Black Pre-Law Students Association of UC Davis is committed to uplifting, educating, and empowering students of the African diaspora by providing information, resources, mentorship, and service opportunities to advance their pursuits of a legal career. We strive to support each other and connect members with preparatory law school resources. Ultimately, we want to support our members and help students be able to explore law school as their next step.

    California Public Interest Research Group Davis
    We are the UC Davis’s premier student public interest activism group. We work to protect the environment, provide hunger relief, and promote civic engagement. Our CALPIRG chapter works with professional staff on campus to educate the public, run grassroots campaigns, and lobby our elected officials in Sacramento and in Washington DC so we can get real results.

    Davis Journal of Legal Studies
    The Davis Journal of Legal Studies is an interdisciplinary, undergraduate legal journal founded in 2020 at University of California, Davis. The DJLS was founded due to the recognized need of publication opportunities in researching topics in law and legal studies at an undergraduate level. It is an academic journal that gives students an opportunity to pursue legal studies beyond a lecture hall, while simultaneously providing experience in the publication, research, and editorial processes.

    Davis Policy Collective
    Equipping UC Davis students with the knowledge and skills to engage in progressive policy ideas and the public policymaking process.

    Davis Pre Law Society
    The Davis Pre-Law Society is an all-inclusive pre-law club at UC Davis. DPLS is a place where students who are interested in the legal field can feel included on campus, develop themselves as students and as people, and find their community with other students.

    Imani Clinic
    Imani Legal Clinic is a non-profit, undergraduate student-run organization committed to offering accessible legal resources to the Black and African American community and other marginalized families in Oak Park and Sacramento. We aim to provide a welcoming space for individuals to discuss their legal concerns without fear or judgement or prejudice through outreach events, non-legal workshops, free legal clinics, and more. 

    Mock Trial at UC Davis
    Mock Trial at UC Davis is a collegiate mock trial program that competes against teams from across the nation. We are a completely student-run organization, assisted by volunteer attorney and law student-coaches. Our program ranks in the top five teams in California, and top 30 teams in the nation, out of more than 700 competing programs.

    Las Raíces Pre-Law Student Association
    The mission of the Las Raíces Pre-Law Student Association at the University of California, Davis is to provide a means for educating & creating accessibility into the field of law for Latinx students as well as students of other historically underrepresented marginalized communities. Las Raíces Pre-Law Student Association will promote academic achievement and scholarship within each student's respective field of study and provide a pathway between students and law school. 

    Phi Alpha Delta
    Phi Alpha Delta offers the premier pre-law experience at UC Davis! We are a large chapter offering LSAT prep, speaker events, philanthropy, law school events, PAD mock trial, mentorship, intramural sports, and so much more. PAD not only looks great on a resume but will help you develop the skills and make the connections you need to get into your dream law school!

    Pilipinx in Business and Law
    The mission statement of Pilipinx in Business and Law is to provide a community with whom students interested in pursuing careers in business, law, and other related fields can feel supported academically, socially, culturally, and professionally. We strive to empower others by exploring the Pilipinx identity as well as encouraging growth through awareness and advocacy within these fields.

    UC Davis Middle Eastern Pre-Law Student Association
    Providing resources and support for pre-law students of Middle Eastern, North African, and all related backgrounds. 

    UC Davis Model United Nations
    Model United Nations at UC Davis is a student-led organization promoting public speaking, debate, and diplomacy. MUN operates at a national level, and is recognized by many well-known colleges and universities. MUN conferences are held at these universities and many high schools aiming to simulate the format of the United Nations while also encouraging student awareness of international politics and issues.

Graduate School for Government and Law

Graduation cap decorated with white and yellow flowers and blue stickers, seen from behind

What is Graduate School? What is a Graduate Degree?

Understand what graduate school is with this page from the Pre-Grad Advising Office. Pre-Grad Advisors are available to meet with students to discuss if graduate school is right for you .

Do I Need Graduate School for Government and Law?

Whether you need graduate school depends on the specific area of government and law you want to pursue. Many entry-level roles in public service, policy support, administration, advocacy, community outreach, legislative affairs, and enforcement can be entered with a bachelor’s degree. However, graduate school is required to become an attorney. Some policy and public service roles may benefit from advanced education. 

Before pursuing graduate school, students are encouraged to explore job postings, internships, and public service experiences to better understand the qualifications and pathways connected to their interests.

Common Graduate Programs Related to Government and Law

  • Juris Doctor (Law School)
  • Public Policy
  • Public Administration
  • Criminal Justice