In the 3 + 3 BA/JD Program, high-achieving first-year incoming undergraduate students are admitted simultaneously to the College of Communication and the College of Law. Students complete their first three years in the College of Communication and their final three years in the College of Law. Students receive the Bachelor of Arts degree after successful completion of their first year of law school. Throughout the program, BA/JD students meet regularly with advisors in both colleges and have access to a variety of resources to ensure their success.
Key Program Features
- Students earn a law degree (Juris Doctor) in a total of six years (three years undergraduate and three years in law school).
- Students save one year’s worth of undergraduate tuition and living expenses while gaining a head start in entering the legal profession.
- Students benefit from new curricular offerings and collaborative activities created to prepare them for law school.
- Students receive early (conditional) admission to the College of Law.
- Credits earned in the first year of law school apply toward the BA degree.
- Students may opt out of the College of Law segment of the program and continue in the College of Communication during their fourth year.
- If students withdraw after the first semester in the College of Law, they return to the College of Communication for the winter quarter.
Program Requirements
In order to maintain status in the program, students must demonstrate satisfactory progress toward completing their undergraduate coursework in three years, including meeting the Modern Language Requirement and necessary Liberal Studies Program or Honors Program requirements. Students who enroll in the BA+JD program in 2022 or later must achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.7 by the end of their second year of undergraduate study and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.7 in their third and final year of undergraduate study. Students who enrolled in the BA+JD program prior to 2022 must achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.35 by the end of their second year of undergraduate study and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.35 in their third and final year of undergraduate study.
In addition, students must complete a series of two-credit courses, taught by College of Law faculty, prior to matriculation in the College of Law. They are designed to help students understand many aspects of the legal system as well as to complement their undergraduate course of study. The courses are as follows:
- PRELAW 150 THE PRACTICE OF LAW
- PRELAW 151 RECENT CONTROVERSIES IN THE LAW
- PRELAW 152 THINKING ABOUT THE LAW
In order to matriculate in the College of Law, students will be required to register with the Law School Admissions Council, submit the College of Law’s online application, comply with all character and fitness requirements for admission, and submit an LSAT score. The activities should be completed no later than February 1 of the participant’s third undergraduate year. The LSAT score will only be used for consideration of merit scholarships; it will not be a factor in the admission of the participant to the program.
In addition to the three PRELAW classes, students will complete 11 courses ( 29 semester credit hours) during their final year of undergraduate study. These classes can be found in the Core Required Courses on the Law JD program page.
Financial Aid
BA/JD students are not eligible for undergraduate scholarships once they start law school. All students will receive a merit scholarship from the College of Law, with merit scholarships beginning at $1,500 per academic year. Students who earn an LSAT score and GPA at or above the College of Law’s median LSAT and GPA are the most likely candidates for larger merit scholarships. College of Law students are not eligible for the Double Demon discount.
Participating Majors
The BA/JD Program is available for students pursuing the following majors:
For admission requirements and information, contact the Office of Admission.
Content displayed from this DePaul University catalog page.