Accelerated Dual-Degree Bachelor’s/JD (3+3) Program

Accelerated Dual-Degree Bachelor’s/JD (3+3) Program

Quinnipiac University offers an innovative Bachelor's/Juris Doctor accelerated program, which will shorten the usual seven-year sequence to just six years to earn a BA or BS in a major in the College of Arts and Sciences or the Schools of Business, Communications, Computing and Engineering, or Health Sciences, and the JD from the Quinnipiac School of Law. This program is designed for students who know they want to attend law school at Quinnipiac. 

Benefits

The Accelerated Dual-Degree Bachelor’s/JD (3+3) program provides a number of benefits. In addition to the opportunity to complete both degrees in only six years, students may:

• Live in Quinnipiac housing for four years. 
• Participate in specific programming including interacting with the law school dean and faculty throughout the undergraduate years. 
• Enroll in a 1-credit LSAT prep class offered to help students prepare for the exam.

Qualifications

Select students are invited to participate in the program. These include students admitted to a major in the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Communications, School of Computing and Engineering or School of Health Sciences at Quinnipiac and who score 1200 or higher on the SAT (critical reading plus math) or an ACT composite of 25 or higher, and indicate an interest in “pre-law” or “combined BA or BS/JD.” Students interested in the program who are close to but do not meet the admission criteria may apply to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for special consideration.

Students accepted into the program by Undergraduate Admissions in their first year and who receive a Quinnipiac merit scholarship will have the scholarship renewed each year of the six-year program provided they meet ALL of the following requirements:

• Maintain a minimum 3.00 GPA at the end of each undergraduate academic year
• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 when they enter the law school
• Achieve an LSAT score equal to, or greater than, the law school’s first-year class median at the time the law school application is submitted
• Upon starting law school, continue to meet the renewal requirements of the law school scholarship

Program Requirements

Students admitted to the Accelerated Dual-Degree Bachelor’s/JD (3+3) program are required to: 

• Complete all major and University Curriculum requirements before entering the School of Law. 
• Complete at least 75 undergraduate (non-law) credits at Quinnipiac immediately prior to matriculation in the School of Law.
• Regularly meet with Quinnipiac’s pre-law adviser as well as the academic adviser in their major to be certain they have completed all major and University Curriculum requirements before entering the School of Law.
• Complete course overloads as necessary to satisfy the undergraduate degree requirements in the accelerated time period. 

Program Structure

There are two options for completion of the program:

• Option 1 requires completion of a minimum of 90 undergraduate credits (75 of which must be taken at Quinnipiac University), including all major and University Curriculum requirements, by the end of the third year. Students following Option 1 will:
  • Use the first year of law school for their fourth year of undergraduate credits and count up to 30 law school credits toward their undergraduate degree. 
  • Be full-time law students in the first semester of their fourth year. 
  • Earn a bachelor’s degree at the end of their first year of law school/fourth year of college.
• Option 2 requires completion of a minimum of 105 undergraduate credits by the end of the third year (75 of which must be taken at Quinnipiac University). Students following Option 2 will:
  • Participate in a “bridge” semester – the fall semester of the fourth year – consisting of 6 credits of undergraduate courses and 10 credits of law school courses. 
  • Be considered full-time law students in the second semester of the fourth year. 
  • Enroll in 6 credits of law school courses in the summer between the fourth and fifth years. 
  • Receive their bachelor’s degree at the end of the bridge semester.

Law School Transition

In their third year, students in the Accelerated Dual-Degree Bachelor’s/JD (3+3) program must:

• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 by the end of the third year.
• Take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and achieve a score equal to, or greater than, the law school’s first-year class median at the time the law school application is submitted.
• File a law school application with the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC), receiving assistance from the Quinnipiac School of Law admissions office if necessary. 
• Pass review by the Quinnipiac School of Law Admissions Committee ensuring that the prerequisites are met, there are no character and fitness issues, and the applicant has a demonstrated record of maturity and leadership that would reflect the ability to succeed in law school. Students who do not meet the minimum GPA or LSAT score requirements may still be considered by the Law School Admissions Committee. If they are admitted, they would not be guaranteed the scholarship awarded at the undergraduate level.

Accelerated Dual-Degree Bachelor’s/JD (3+3) 

Program of Study

Option 1

Accelerated Dual-Degree Bachelor’s/JD (3+3) 
Program of Study

Option 2

By the end of the third year, students must:

• Complete all major and University Curriculum requirements for a total of at least 90 credits (which can include any AP or advanced standing credits as determined when they enter as first-year students) with a minimum cumulative 3.50 GPA.
• Complete at least 75 undergraduate (non-law) credits at Quinnipiac immediately prior to matriculation at the School of Law.
• Take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and achieve an LSAT score equal to, or greater than, the law school’s first-year class median. 
  • Students who do not meet the GPA and/or LSAT score requirements may still be considered by the Admissions Committee to determine whether they are eligible for early admission to the law school, and if so, whether they will receive merit scholarship funds.
• Submit an application to the law school by March 15 of their third undergraduate year.

If those prerequisites are met, there are no character and fitness issues, and the applicant has a demonstrated record of maturity and leadership that would reflect the ability to succeed in law school, the student would be admitted to the law school and guaranteed a scholarship in the amount awarded to them as undergraduates, subject to the law school renewal policy.