Accelerated JD program explained

In United States legal education, accelerated JD Program may refer to one of the following:

• A "3+3 JD program" or "BA to JD program" is a program in which students combine certain requirements of a bachelor's degree (usually a BA) with the requirements of a Juris Doctor degree. Students thus usually receive their bachelor's degree after completing the first year of law school. Typically, students complete the two degrees in six years rather than the usual seven. The undergraduate college and law school may either be independent institutions, or part of a single large university. Accelerated JD programs differ from most dual degree programs in that the degrees are of different levels, and are obtained sequentially rather than concurrently. Requirements for admission of undergraduates to such programs are typically higher than for general enrollment. Some programs further restrict enrollment to students in a specific prelaw major.
• A "2-year JD program" is a Juris Doctor degree that is offered independently of a bachelor's degree. Typically, students are required to complete the same number of credit hours as traditional three-year JD students, but in a more condensed period.

U.S. News & World Report stated that as a result of student concerns about the time and cost (both in terms of tuition and the opportunity cost associated with foregoing a salary for three years) required to complete a law degree, there has been an emerging trend to develop accelerated JD programs.^[1]

List of 3+3 accelerated JD programs

State	Undergraduate college	Undergraduate degree and major	Law School	Link	Remarks
Arkansas	University of Arkansas at Little Rock	BA in Philosophy	William H. Bowen School of Law	http://ualr.edu/philosophy/programs/law-program/
Arizona	University of Arizona	BA in Law	James E. Rogers College of Law	http://sgpp.arizona.edu/33-bachelor-arts-law-juris-doctor
California	California State University Northridge	BA	Southwestern Law School	https://web.archive.org/web/20160924100624/http://www.swlaw.edu/academics/jd/jointdegree/csun
California	University of the Pacific	BA/BS	University of the Pacific - McGeorge School of Law	https://law.pacific.edu/law
Colorado	Colorado College	BA/BS	Columbia Law School	https://www.coloradocollege.edu/other/advising-hub/professional-school-advising/pre-law-advising/3-3-program-with-columbia.html#:~:text=The%203%2B3%20program%20allows,conclusion%20of%20their%20junior%20year.
Connecticut	Quinnipiac University	BA/BS	Quinnipiac University School of Law	https://web.archive.org/web/20150310164250/http://www.quinnipiac.edu/school-of-law/academics/degree-programs/six-year-ba-bs-jd/
District of Columbia	Catholic University of America	BA	Columbus School of Law	https://www.law.edu/academic/jointprograms.cfm
Florida	Stetson University	College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business Administration	Stetson University College of Law	http://www.stetson.edu/artsci/pre-law/special-programs.php
Florida	University of South Florida	Honors College	Stetson University College of Law	http://www.stetson.edu/law/offices/registrar/accelerated-jd-bachelor-program.php
Florida	University of West Florida		Stetson University College of Law	http://www.stetson.edu/law/offices/registrar/accelerated-id-bachelor-west-florida.php
Florida	Jacksonville University	BA/BS/BBA	Florida Coastal School of Law	http://www.fcsl.edu/33program
Florida	University of Central Florida	BA (any)	Touro Law Center	http://www.tourolaw.edu/News/NewsDetails.aspx?id=174#.VFu5U_nF98F
Georgia	Georgia State University	BA	Georgia State University College of Law	https://web.archive.org/web/20110401222638/http://www.gsu.edu/enrollment/images/Honors/BA-JD_Program.pdf
Georgia	Mercer University	BA	Mercer University School of Law	https://aas.mercer.edu/pre-professional-tracks/special-consideration-programs/three-plus-three-program-for-law
Georgia	Piedmont College	BA	Mercer University School of Law	https://www.piedmont.edu/news/view/431
Georgia	University of Georgia	BA/BS/BBA	University of Georgia School of Law	http://www.law.uga.edu/33-admission-process
Georgia	Wesleyan College	BA	Mercer University School of Law	https://www.wesleyancollege.edu/academics/undergraduate/accelerated-jd-program.cfm	Restricted to certain majors.
Illinois	DePaul University	BA	DePaul University College of Law	https://law.depaul.edu/academics/joint-degrees/bachelor-of-arts-juris-doctor/Pages/default.aspx
Iowa	University of Iowa	BA/BS	University of Iowa College of Law	http://www.law.uiowa.edu/prospective/3_3
Iowa	Drake University	BA/BS	Drake University Law School	http://www.law.drake.edu/admissions/?pageID=threeThreeOption
Kansas	Washburn University	BA	Washburn University School of Law	https://www.washburn.edu/academics/college-schools/arts-sciences/departments/political-science-public-administration/leap.html
Kansas	Baker University	BA/BS (any)	Washburn University School of Law	https://www.bakeru.edu/washburn-law-announce-partnership/
Kansas	Fort Hays State University	BA/BS (any)	Washburn University School of Law	https://www.fhsu.edu/polisci/fort-hays-state-university-washburn-law-law-early-admission-program-leap
Kansas	University of Kansas	BA/BS (any)	University of Kansas Law School	http://law.ku.edu/lead
Louisiana	Newcomb-Tulane College	BA/BS (any)	Tulane Law School	http://www.law.tulane.edu/tlsadmissions/index.aspx?id=208
Louisiana	Louisiana State University	College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Mass Communication, Coast and the Environment	Paul M. Hebert Law Center	https://www.law.lsu.edu/academics/curriculum/3-3-program/
Maryland	University of Maryland	BA/BS (any)	University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law	https://www.law.umaryland.edu/Prospective-Students/How-to-Apply/3-plus-3-Dual-Degree-Program-for-UMCP-Students/	University of Maryland College Park (UMCP) students accepted into the 3+3 Dual Degree Program may count 30 UM Carey Law credits toward completion of the UMCP baccalaureate degree. Degrees are awarded separately: upon completion of 30 law school credits, students must provide a UM Carey Law transcript to UMCP and apply for conferral of the baccalaureate degree.^[2]
Massachusetts	[Western New England University]	Colleges of Arts & Sciences, Business and Engineering	Western New England University School of Law	https://web.archive.org/web/20140222005130/http://www1.wne.edu/artsandsciences/index.cfm?selection=doc.855
Minnesota	Hamline University College of Liberal Arts	BA in American Law and Legal Systems	Hamline University School of Law	https://www.hamline.edu/academics/undergraduate/legal-studies/3-3-law-program
Nebraska	Creighton University College of Business	BA (business)	Creighton University School of Law	https://web.archive.org/web/20101030210925/http://www.creighton.edu/business/undergraduate/33law/index.php
New Jersey	New Jersey Institute of Technology, Albert Dorman Honors College	BS	Seton Hall Law School	http://law.shu.edu/Students/academics/requirements/HealthIP/BS-JD.cfm
New Jersey	Rutgers–Camden	BA (any)	Rutgers School of Law–Camden	https://web.archive.org/web/20101206230403/http://www.camden.rutgers.edu/RUCAM/facinfo/BA-JD_program.html
New York	Adelphi University	BA/BS	Albany Law School	http://catalog.adelphi.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=3&poid=1409&returnto=163
New York	Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences	BS	Albany Law School	https://web.archive.org/web/20160620010753/http://www.acphs.edu/academics/joint-degree-programs/law-bsjd
New York	College of Saint Rose	BA (any)	Albany Law School	http://strose.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2013-2015/Catalog/Academic-Programs-and-Options/3-3-Dual-Degree-Program-in-Law
New York	Columbia University	BA	Columbia Law School	https://web.archive.org/web/20090820063532/http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/specialprograms/aile.php	Students do not receive BA until they have completed law school
New York	Cornell University	BA/BS	Cornell Law School	https://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/admissions/jd-admissions/3_3-program/	LSAT scores not required if applicant has SAT or ACT scores on hand
New York	Fordham University College of Business Administration	BS (business)	Fordham University School of Law	https://web.archive.org/web/20110409235750/http://69.7.74.46/section16/section253/section259/index.html
New York	Hartwick College		Albany Law School	http://www.hartwick.edu/academics/majors-and-minors/cooperative-programs/3-3-pre-law-program/
New York	Hofstra University	BA (many majors)	Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, Hofstra Law School	https://web.archive.org/web/20111023094158/http://www.hofstra.edu/Admission/adm_leap.html
New York	Pace University	BA/BS	Pace Law School	https://web.archive.org/web/20140102193955/http://www.law.pace.edu/jdba-or-jdbs
New York	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	BS in Management or Science, Technology and Society	Albany Law School, Columbia Law School	http://lallyschool.rpi.edu/public/academic-programs/undergraduate/prgstructure/acclertdlwprgrmhttps://web.archive.org/web/20100901155718/http://www.sts.rpi.edu/pl/pre-law-accelerated-law-program
New York	Russell Sage College	BA (any)	Albany Law School	https://www.sage.edu/academics/programs-degrees/law-public-policy/law-accelerated-b-a-j-d-program/
New York	SUNY Cobleskill		Albany Law School	http://www.cobleskill.edu/academics/gradschool/albany_law.asp
New York	Union College	BA in Law and Public Policy	Albany Law School	https://www.union.edu/admissions/apply/law/
New York	University at Albany, SUNY	BA/BS	Albany Law School	http://www.albany.edu/advisement/albany_law_3+3.shtmlhttps://web.archive.org/web/20160706121215/http://www.albanylaw.edu/admissions/3-plus-3-accelerated-program
New York	University at Buffalo, SUNY	BA	University at Buffalo School of Law	https://www.law.buffalo.edu/admissions/3-plus-3.htmlhttps://www.law.buffalo.edu/admissions/3-plus-3/ub-applicants.htmlhttps://www.law.buffalo.edu/admissions/3-plus-3/partner-institutions.html
North Dakota	University of North Dakota	BA in Political Science, Philosophy and Religious Studies or BS in Criminal Justice	University of North Dakota School of Law	https://und.edu/programs/law-ba-bs-jd/index.html
Oklahoma	Oklahoma State University	BA	Oklahoma City University School of Law, University of Oklahoma College of Law, University of Tulsa College of Law	https://universitycollege.okstate.edu/preprofessional/prelaw/3-3_program.html
Ohio	John Carroll University	BA (any)	Case Western Reserve University School of Law	http://sites.jcu.edu/prelaw/home/3-3-law/
Ohio	University of Cincinnati	BA/BS (College of Arts and Sciences)	University of Cincinnati College of Law	https://law.uc.edu/admissions-aid/jd-program/3-3-program.html
Oregon	Oregon State University College of Liberal Arts	BA/BS (various majors)	Lewis & Clark Law School	http://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/welcome-3-3-law-program
Oregon	Willamette University College of Liberal Arts	BA	Willamette University College of Law	https://web.archive.org/web/20101207131743/http://www.willamette.edu/cla/catalog/overview/programs/combined/index.php
Oregon	Oregon State University College of Liberal Arts	BA/BS (various majors)	Willamette University College of Law	http://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/welcome-3-3-law-program
Pennsylvania	Arcadia University	BA	Thomas R. Kline School of Law	http://earlemacklaw.drexel.edu/admissions/apply/transfer_apps/
Pennsylvania/Florida	Chatham University		Stetson University College of Law	http://www.stetson.edu/law/offices/registrar/accelerated-jd-bachelor-chatham.php
Pennsylvania	Drexel University	BA/BS	Thomas R. Kline School of Law	http://drexel.edu/scdc/career-services/law-school/Accelerated%20Degree%20Program/
Pennsylvania	Elizabethtown College	BA/BS	Thomas R. Kline School of Law	http://earlemacklaw.drexel.edu/admissions/apply/transfer_apps/
Pennsylvania	West Chester University of Pennsylvania	BA/BS	Pennsylvania State University School of Law or Widener University Delaware Law School
Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania School of Arts and Sciences	BA		https://web.archive.org/web/20100615073545/http://www.college.upenn.edu/degree/submatric/bajd.php
Rhode Island	Roger Williams University	BA		https://web.archive.org/web/20141103175020/http://rwu.edu/academics/schools-colleges/sjs/degree-offerings/legal-studies-and-law-33
South Carolina	University of South Carolina	BA/BS	University of South Carolina School of Law	https://www.sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/honors_college/study/prepare_for_professions/pre-law/index.php
Tennessee	University of Memphis College of Arts and Sciences	BA (Philosophy)	Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law	https://www.memphis.edu/law/admissions/3plus3philosophy.php
Tennessee	University of Memphis College of Professional and Liberal Studies	BPS (Legal Studies)	Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law	https://www.memphis.edu/law/admissions/3plus3legalstudies.php
Tennessee	University of Tennessee College of Arts and Sciences	BS, BA (various majors)	University of Tennessee College of Law	http://law.utk.edu/academics/3plus3/
Virginia	Christopher Newport University	BA/BS (any)	Antonin Scalia Law School	https://www.law.gmu.edu/admissions/jd/3_3_program/
Virginia	George Mason University	BA/BS (any)	Antonin Scalia Law School	https://www.law.gmu.edu/admissions/jd/3_3_program/
Virginia	Radford University	BA/BS (any)	Antonin Scalia Law School	https://www.law.gmu.edu/admissions/jd/3_3_program/
Virginia	University of Mary Washington	BA/BS (any)	Antonin Scalia Law School	https://www.law.gmu.edu/admissions/jd/3_3_program/
Washington	Eastern Washington University	BA/BS (any)	Gonzaga University School of Law	https://www.gonzaga.edu/school-of-law/admission/3-plus-3-programs
Washington	Gonzaga University	BA (Religious Studies)	Gonzaga University School of Law	https://www.gonzaga.edu/school-of-law/admission/3-plus-3-programs
Washington	Whitworth University	BA/BS (any)	Gonzaga University School of Law	https://www.gonzaga.edu/school-of-law/admission/3-plus-3-programs

List of 2-year accelerated JD programs

Unless otherwise indicated, all students enter the accelerated JD program at the start of the school's summer term. At Southwestern Law, the summer term starts in June; at the other listed schools, the summer term starts in May.

The May/June start of most accelerated programs is compatible with the bar examination schedule of all U.S. jurisdictions. Bar exams throughout the U.S. take place during the week containing the last Wednesday in July; almost all jurisdictions also offer an exam during the week containing the last Wednesday in February. Washburn's January starting date is compatible with February examinations.

State	Law school	Link	Remarks
Arizona	James E. Rogers College of Law	http://www.law.arizona.edu/Depts/JD_Advanced_Standing/	"The Advanced JD Program for non-US lawyers is for those who have studied law outside the US, but now wish to expand their professional opportunities by earning a US law degree."
California	Southwestern Law School	http://www.swlaw.edu/academics/jd/scale	The first accelerated 2-year program in the U.S., operating since 1974.
California	Pepperdine University School of Law	https://web.archive.org/web/20131207144724/http://law.pepperdine.edu/academics/juris-doctor/accelerated-option/	"After an initial summer session beginning in May, the Accelerated Option students will enroll in the regular first year JD classes and continue to matriculate in the regular JD program."
Florida	Shepard Broad College of Law	https://www.law.nova.edu/admission/foreign-educated-applicants.html
Florida	Stetson University College of Law	http://www.stetson.edu/law/international/home/accelerated-jd-program.php	"Stetson Law will allow qualified foreign-educated attorneys the opportunity to apply as transfer applicants for fall entry and complete the J.D. in an accelerated manner, typically two years if attending on a full-time basis. Candidates may also apply for part-time consideration. Following graduation, candidates may sit for the Bar Examination in any state."
Florida	Western Michigan University Cooley Law School	[64]|Campus in Tampa Bay, FL. Additional campuses in Auburn Hills, Grand Rapids, and Lansing, MI.|-|Hawai'i|University of Hawai'i William S. Richardson School of Law|https://www.law.hawaii.edu/advanced-jd-program-foreign-law-graduates|Hawai'i's only law school offers a 2-year Advanced JD Program for graduates of non-US law schools. Students admitted to the accelerated JD program receive the same degree as other JD students and are eligible to take the bar examination in all U.S. jurisdictions, if they meet the other requirements for admission.|-|Illinois|Northwestern University School of Law|https://web.archive.org/web/20110225204305/http://www.law.northwestern.edu/academics/ajd/|Northwestern Law was the first and only top tier law school to offer a 2-year accelerated JD program. This program has since been replaced with a 2-year JD for foreign-educated attorneys.^[3] |-|Indiana|Indiana University Bloomington|https://law.indiana.edu/admission/jd-apply/advanced-standing.html|Advanced standing |-|Kansas|University of Kansas School of Law|http://law.ku.edu/summerstart#accelerated| Students begin the program in May. Can also still participate in a wide range of Study Abroad options in 2nd year.|-|Massachusetts|Suffolk University Law School|https://www.suffolk.edu/law/academics-clinics/juris-doctor/accelerated-jd|-|Michigan|Western Michigan University Cooley Law School|[64]|Campuses in Auburn Hills, Grand Rapids, and Lansing, MI. Additional campus in Tampa Bay, FL.|-|Nebraska|Creighton University School of Law|http://www.creighton.edu/law/academics/acceleratedjdprogram/index.php|"Students in the program can participate in summer study-abroad program "From Nuremberg to The Hague," in which students travel to Germany and The Netherlands to study international law, the impact of the Holocaust on the law, and the prosecution of war criminals and perpetrators of genocide and crimes against humanity."^[4] |-|New Jersey|Rutgers Law School|[70]|"The Foreign Lawyer Program creates an opportunity for those who have earned a law degree abroad and practiced law outside the United States to receive up to 28 advance standing credits and earn an accelerated J.D. degree upon the completion of 56 credits at Rutgers Law School."|-|New York|Albany Law School|http://www.albanylaw.edu/admissions/apply/jd/accelerated|Eliminates tuition costs for the third year. Students will have the option of starting in January or May, and after 24 months of intensive study will be ready to sit for the February or July bar exam, respectively.^[5] |-|New York|Pace University School of Law|https://law.pace.edu/admissions-aid/accelerated-january-degree-program|"The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University’s Accelerated Program allows students to begin law school in January (spring term) and graduate within two and a half years, instead of the traditional three year full-time curriculum."^[6] |-|New York|Touro Law Center|http://www.tourolaw.edu/Academics/?pageid=816#.VFlGoPnF98E|"Touro Law Center’s new accelerated degree program is an extraordinary opportunity for a select group of qualified applicants to complete all requirements for the Juris Doctor degree during a concentrated and rigorous 24-month period and to sit for a Bar Examination only 26 months after they begin their law school studies."^[7] |-|Ohio|University of Dayton School of Law|https://web.archive.org/web/20130304130619/http://www.udayton.edu/learn/law/juris_doctor_two_year_option.php||-|Pennsylvania|Thomas R. Kline School of Law(Previously Earle Mack School of Law at Drexel University)|http://drexel.edu/law/academics/jd-programs/2-year-accelerated-jd/| Students in the Fast Forward accelerated JD program take up to 17 credits per semester for six consecutive semesters over two years.|-|Rhode Island|Roger Williams University|https://law.rwu.edu/admission/apply-jd/accelerated-graduation-option|Program takes 2 and 1/2 years to complete|-|Tennessee|University of Tennessee College of Law|https://law.utk.edu/admissions/degree-programs/accelerated-jd/|Allows students to finish in 2 and 1/2 years instead of 3 |- |Virginia|Regent University School of Law |https://web.archive.org/web/20121008234813/http://www.regent.edu/acad/schlaw/academics/accjd.cfm| Program began in 2013. It allows students to attend over the summer, instead of getting internships, to finish in only 2 years. |-|Virginia|University of Richmond School of Law |https://law.richmond.edu/admissions/apply_twoyearjd/index.html|"Lawyers with a first degree in law from outside the United States who are admitted to our program receive one year’s credit toward their Juris Doctor degree. This enables them to graduate in two years but still to receive the same J.D. degree that our three-year students receive."|-|Vermont|Vermont Law School |https://web.archive.org/web/20120725201130/http://www.vermontlaw.edu/Academics/Degrees/Juris_Doctor_%28JD%29/Accelerated_JD.htm||-|Washington|Gonzaga University School of Law || Program will start again in 2017 after previously starting in 2014 and being discontinued after one year.|- |Washington|University of Washington Law School |https://www.law.washington.edu/students/academics/acceleratedjd.aspx|} See also Prelaw Academic acceleration Legal education References

Notes and References

1. https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/law-admissions-lowdown/2012/01/02/look-for-these-3-law-school-trends-in-2012 Look for These 3 Law School Trends in 2012
2. Web site: 3+3 Dual Degree Program for UMCP Students. University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.
3. Web site: Two-Year JD for International Lawyers, Academics: Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. www.law.northwestern.edu. 2019-05-02.
4. Web site: Creighton Law School Announces Accelerated Degree Program. Creighton University School of Law.
5. Web site: Albany Law School Announces 2-Year J.D. Program | Albany Law School: A New York Law School. www.albanylaw.edu. 2017-01-06.
6. Web site: Accelerated January Degree Program. Pace University Elisabeth Haub School of Law.
7. Web site: Two-Year Accelerated Law Program. Touro Law Center.