Full- and Part-time J.D. Programs
Accreditation
MSU College of Law was fully accredited by the American Bar Association
in 1941 and has been a member of the Association of American Law Schools since
1946.
The Academic Program
The MSU College of Law legal education program is designed to prepare you
for the practice of law in real-world settings. The rigorous and intellectually
challenging curriculum provides a thorough education in all principle areas
of law and practice and is revised periodically. Of the 88 credit hours needed
to graduate with a Juris Doctor (JD) degree, 44 credit hours are required
courses .
In addition to the required courses, students must take a course that satisfies an upper-level writing requirement, which can be completed anytime after the student has successfully completed 29 credit hours and Research, Writing & Advocacy I and II.
Students have 44 credit hours of elective courses. Students may use a portion of their elective credits to fulfill the requirements for a concentration or certificate program or to gain a more generalized legal education.
Full- and Part-time Programs
The American Bar Association (ABA) sets requirements for the study of law
at all of the law schools it has accredited. The residency requirement states
that students must attend classes a prescribed number of days and weeks. The
general requirement for students attending law school full time is that they
spend a minimum of three years, or six semesters, earning a degree. A student
may accelerate by completing some course work in the summer. The recommended
maximum time for completion of requirements for full- and part-time students
is five and six years respectively.
Full-time Program
Our full-time program is designed for students who can devote most of their
time to the study of law. By definition, a full-time student does not hold
employment that requires the student to work more than 20 hours a week. Classes
are held at varying times between 8 a.m. and 9:45 p.m., Monday through Friday,
and a normal course load is 14 to 16 hours per semester. Based on our current
curriculum, students can complete their law degree in three years, or six full
semesters, exclusive of summer school.
Part-time Program
Our part-time program is a flexible alternative to our full-time program.
Some people who pursue this option either work more than 20 hours per week
or have other commitments that are not conducive for full-time study. Most
part-time students take classes between the hours of 5:45 and 9:45 p.m. Monday
through Thursday. The part-time program offers two basic formats. The first
is a four-year option, or eight semesters, exclusive of summer school, with
a normal course load of 10 to 12 credit hours per semester. The second is a
more flexible schedule, with classes taken two or three days each week. Part-time
students who choose the second option take six to nine credit hours each semester
and five to six additional credits every summer for four summers. The same
full-time faculty members teach both full-time and part-time required courses.
Summer Session
Both full- and part-time students may enroll in a seven-week summer session.
Since most summer program courses require prior legal education, students with
less than 20 completed credit hours may not enroll in most summer school courses
unless they are enrolled in the part-time program.