US JD Program

Choose the program duration aligned with your career goals and commitments.

Graduation requires 90 credit hours of required and elective courses.

Students have the flexibility to move between US JD program durations throughout law school.  We encourage students who are uncertain about program duration to start off with fewer credits per term to best set themselves up for success in the classroom while adjusting to law school.  Students may choose to increase their course load in future terms.

During the first-year, students are assigned to a section and automatically registered for their courses based on their program duration.  Students have flexibility to choose their course schedule in their upper-level years, and academic advising is available to help students plan for upper-level program requirements.

US JD Program Options

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    3 years: Full-Time Day

    Students in this program graduate in three years.  Students typically complete 30 credits per year, with 15 in the fall and 15 in the winter.  Students may choose to complete summer courses to reduce their upper-level fall and winter course loads.  Students in this program should plan for a first-year course schedule of five days per week Monday through Friday.

    First-Year Courses

    • Fall: Introduction to Legal Research and Communications, Civil Procedure, Contracts, Property, Torts
    • Winter: Applied Legal Theory & Analysis, Civil Procedure, Contracts, Property, Criminal Law
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    4 years: Part-Time Day

    Students in this program graduate in four years.  Students typically complete 24 credits per year, with 12 in the fall and 12 in the winter.  Students may choose to complete summer courses to reduce their upper-level fall and winter course loads or to graduate early.  Students in this program should plan for a first-year course schedule of five days per week of Monday through Friday.

    First-Year Courses

    • Fall: Introduction to Legal Research and Communications, Civil Procedure, Contracts, Torts
    • Winter: Applied Legal Theory & Analysis, Civil Procedure, Contracts, Criminal Law
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    5 years: Extended Part-Time Day

    Students in this program graduate in five years.  Students typically complete 18 credits per year, with 9 in the fall and 9 in the winter.  Students may choose to complete summer courses to reduce their upper-level fall and winter course loads or to graduate early.  Students in this program should plan for a first-year course schedule of three days per week, Monday through Friday.

    First Year Courses

    • Fall: Introduction to Legal Research and Communications, Civil Procedure, Contracts
    • Winter: Applied Legal Theory & Analysis, Civil Procedure, Contracts