Law

Program Overview

A liberal education, whatever the disciplinary focus, is excellent preparation for law school and a legal career. The conventional time for completion of a juris doctor (J.D.) law degree is four years for the undergraduate degree plus three years of law school. Lawrence has an accelerated 3-plus-3 cooperative partnership with Marquette Law School that allows qualified students to complete both the Lawrence degree and juris doctor degree in just six years.

Students in the accelerated program must complete 164 units of coursework at Lawrence, including general education requirements and a major (with Senior Experience), prior to enrolling at Marquette Law School. Students are awarded the Lawrence degree upon successful completion of the first year at Marquette. They then continue for two more years to complete the juris doctor degree.

It is recommended that interested students apply to Marquette during the fall of their junior year. Students must take the LSAT as part of the application process, and Marquette considers applicants as part of the general pool for admission and financial aid. Admitted students who decline the opportunity may return to or remain at Lawrence for a fourth year to complete the bachelor’s degree.

Students interested in the accelerated pre-law program are strongly encouraged to work with their academic advisor and pre-law advisor early in their academic career.

Types of Degrees

A liberal arts education provides excellent preparation for careers in a variety of professions. For this reason, several professional schools have contracted with Lawrence for cooperative programs that enable students to build a foundation in the liberal arts and then acquire specific professional skills. These programs lead, in most cases, to the awarding of two degrees.

The cooperative programs generally provide for students to study at Lawrence for three years and then transfer to a professional school for two more years. To qualify for a Lawrence degree in these programs, students must earn 162 units (164 for pre-law) and fulfill all other degree requirements that cannot be met in the professional school. Students must undertake careful planning with professional advisors and their own faculty advisors to ensure all requirements are completed satisfactorily.

Students who earn the required number of units at Lawrence and successfully complete the first year of study in professional school may participate in the Lawrence Commencement with their matriculation class.