Accelerated JD Program with Penn State Law Started
A Memorandum of Understanding between The University of Scranton and Penn State Law in University Park will allow Scranton students who meet program requirements to be eligible to earn a bachelor’s degree from Scranton and a juris doctor (JD) degree from Penn State Law in six, rather than seven years.The University of Scranton and Penn State Law in University Park have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will allow Scranton students who meet program requirements to be eligible for admission to the law school after just three years at Scranton.
The “3-3 Accelerated Bachelor/JD Program” will allow Scranton students to earn a bachelor’s degree from Scranton and a juris doctor (JD) degree from Penn State Law in six rather than seven years. After completion of their junior year at Scranton, the program offers eligible students who are accepted to Penn State Law the ability to apply course credits earned in their first year of law school to their bachelor’s degree requirements at Scranton.
To be eligible for the 3-3 program with Penn State Law, students must have earned a minimum of 66 credits at Scranton prior to applying and have completed 75 percent of their 120-credit bachelor’s degree coursework by the time they begin law school. Students must also remain in good academic and discipline standing through matriculation at Scranton and meet other program requirements. Students must meet the eligibility criteria of Penn State Law in order to apply for the program and admission to the law school. Penn State Law will review applications and make the final determination regarding admittance into its JD degree program.
The memorandum took effect at its signing.
Scranton has a Pre-Law Advisory Program that helps students navigate the law school application process throughout their undergraduate years. The program also offers assistance to Scranton alumni who wish to apply to law school. The University offers a concentration in legal studies. Scranton also has 3-3 program agreements with Boston College, Villanova School of Law and Duquesne University School of Law.
In the past four years, more than 130 Scranton graduates have received acceptance into more than 50 law schools throughout the United States, including to some of the country’s most prestigious law schools.
For more information, visit Scranton’s pre-law webpage, or contact Matthew Meyer, Ph.D., pre-law advisor and associate professor of philosophy at The University of Scranton, at 570-941-5814 or matthew.meyer@scranton.edu.
