The six-year accelerated program leads to both the B.A. or B.S. in History and J.D. degrees. Students who wish to complete this program must identify themselves to the History Department as majors who wish to complete the accelerated program. All undergraduates who major in history 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 HIST 495) 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. HIST 495 is required and must be completed no later than the first semester 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. Up to 30 credits of law courses will be counted toward the bachelor’s degree. It is expected that students will have satisfied the HIST 495 requirement before the beginning the fifth year. After completing all laws degree requirements in the College of Law, students will receive their Juris Doctor degree.
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