The six-year accelerated program leads to either the B.A. or B.S. in philosophy together with the J.D. degree. Students who wish to complete this program must identify themselves to the Department of Philosophy as majors who wish to complete the accelerated program. All undergraduates who major in philosophy and have completed at least 90 credit hours of undergraduate course work (including all general education and major requirements as well as the requirements for a B.A. or B.S. degree, with the exception of the senior capstone requirement in philosophy) with a minimum GPA of 3.25 are eligible to apply for admission to NIU’s College of Law under the special provisions of this program. If the senior capstone requirement in philosophy has not been completed at the time of enrollment in the College of Law, it must be completed no later than the end of the fourth year. As part of the application to the College of Law, applicants must take the LSAT and earn a score above the 50th percentile of the previous year’s matriculating law class. Applicants are advised to take the LSAT and submit their application to the College of Law no later than February of their junior year. Admission will be on a competitive basis, and the likelihood of admission will depend on the number and quality of applicants to the program, the number and quality of applicants to the College of Law in general, as well as other factors normally considered in admissions decisions by the College of Law.
Curriculum
Students accepted into the College of Law pursuant to this program will start taking law classes at the beginning of their fourth year. Apart from the completion of the senior capstone in philosophy as part of the course load during the fourth year, if needed, the remainder of the program will follow the standard College of Law curriculum. Up to the first 30 credit hours of law courses will be counted toward the bachelor’s degree.
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