Program Overview

J.D. Admissions and Courses

The University of Arkansas School of Law offers a Juris Doctor (J.D.) program with various admission criteria and course requirements.

Prerequisites

• Applicants must have completed all requirements for a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution prior to the date of enrolling in the School of Law.
• Except for students in the 3/3 programs, applicants must meet the above requirement.

CAS

• Applicants must participate in the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) and be registered with CAS during the application year.
• Through CAS, applicants are required to send official transcripts from all higher education institutions attended.

LSAT

• Applicants must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) before the end of June.
• Applications to the School of Law may be submitted prior to taking the LSAT.
• Applicants must have taken the LSAT during the five years preceding the date of application.
• The school will use an applicant's highest LSAT score in calculating the applicant's prediction index.

Prediction Index

• The School of Law will grant index admission to non-residents who have a prediction index of 202 or above and to Arkansas residents who have a prediction index of 197 or above.
• If space permits, the school may offer index admissions to other applicants.
• The prediction index is calculated as follows: (LSAT score) + (13.4 x UGPA) = Prediction Index.

Transfer Students

• A law student who has completed one year of legal studies with satisfactory scholarship in a law school accredited by the American Bar Association is eligible to be considered for transfer to the University of Arkansas School of Law.
• The amount of transfer credit to be granted will depend on the quality of performance and the relation of completed courses to this school's program.
• A maximum of 30 credits may be accepted for transfer credit.
• Credit or units only (not grades) are transferable.
• Credits will not be accepted for any course or other work in which a grade below 2.00 or equivalent is given at another law school.

Accelerated J.D. for Foreign-Trained Lawyers

• Each year, a small number of foreign-trained lawyers are admitted to the J.D. program with the opportunity to complete the J.D. degree at an accelerated pace, via the acceptance of transfer credits from prior legal education.

3/3 Program – Arts and Sciences

• The School of Law and the J. William Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences offer a program that enables outstanding students to enter the School of Law after their third year of college.
• Students in the Fulbright College are eligible to begin at the School of Law after the completion of at least 94 hours of college work if they have:
  • Completed all university, college, and major course requirements for their undergraduate degree;
  • Earned a cumulative GPA of at least 3.50;
  • Received an LSAT score of at least 159.
• Such students will receive a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree after the completion of sufficient hours of School of Law work to meet the regular requirements of the Fulbright College.
• These students will then receive a J.D. degree after completing the required number of hours of School of Law coursework.

3/3 Program – Agriculture

• Exceptional students in the pre-law concentration in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences may enroll in the School of Law in their fourth year provided that all requirements have been met.
• Students must have:
  • Completed all university, college, and major course requirements for the pre-law concentration;
  • Completed 12 hours in the specialization list for pre-law;
  • Earned a cumulative GPA of at least 3.50 without grade renewal;
  • Received an LSAT score of at least 159.
• A student admitted to this program may substitute School of Law course work for the remaining total hours required for the bachelor's degree in agricultural business.

J.D./M.A. Program

• The School of Law and the department of political science provide the opportunity for a dual J.D. and M.A. in international law and politics.
• Students in this program must be admitted both to the School of Law and the Graduate School department of political science.
• A maximum of 12 hours of approved, upper-level elective law courses may be used as credit toward the M.A.
• A maximum of nine hours of approved graduate courses in political science may be used as credit toward the J.D. degree.

J.D./M.B.A. Program

• The School of Law and the College of Business Administration cooperate in offering an opportunity for students to pursue the J.D. and the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degrees concurrently.
• Students pursuing their degrees concurrently must gain admission to both the School of Law and the Graduate School and be accepted in the program of study leading to the M.B.A. degree.

J.D./M.P.A. Program

• The University of Arkansas department of political science, the Graduate School, and the School of Law cooperate in offering a dual-degree program that allows students to pursue the Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) and J.D. degrees concurrently.
• Students must be admitted to the M.P.A. program, the School of Law, and the dual-degree program.

J.D./M.S.W. Program

• The Juris Doctor/Master of Social Work dual degree is awarded after completion of a four-year integrated course of study.
• This eliminates approximately one year of study, while meeting all accreditation requirements of the American Bar Association and Council on Social Work Education.

J.D. Courses

• The first year at the School of Law consists of a rigorous course of study that all students will follow.
• The first-year courses are as follows:
  • LAWW 4104: Civil Procedure
  • LAWW 4024: Contracts
  • LAWW 4074: Criminal Law
  • LAWW 4013: Legal Research & Writing I
  • LAWW 4113: Legal Research & Writing II
  • LAWW 4054: Property
  • LAWW 4144: Torts
  • LAWW 5114: Constitutional Law

Required Upper-Level Courses

• LAWW 5013: Professional Responsibility

Electives

• Most of the curriculum in the second and third year is composed of electives.
• This elective system allows students to choose courses that interest them and that will be useful in the types of careers they choose.
• Students are required to consult an adviser before registering for upper-level courses.
• Brief descriptions of the courses generally offered at the School of Law are set out below.
• Credit hours occasionally vary when a course is offered during the summer session.
• The curriculum at any good law school is always in the process of being studied and revised.
• Experimentation in the educational program is necessary to meet the needs of the future.
• The following pages describe recently offered elective courses at the University of Arkansas School of Law.
• For the most accurate list of course offerings, please refer to the official university resources.