Juris Doctor (J.D.) Full-time program (3 years) The traditional program is three academic years of full-time study that allows students to pursue a broad-based legal education with opportunities to focus on a particular area of the law, such as: entertainment, criminal, international, business, family, or tax law, among others.
Full-time online program (3–4 years) The first of its kind, Southwestern's American Bar Association-approved Online J.D. program features a full-time curriculum featuring primarily asynchronous classes, giving students the flexibility to study according to their own schedule from a convenient location.
Part-time programs The evening program is four academic years of part-time study designed for working professionals and other students who are unable to devote full-time to the study of law.
Part-time day The "PLEAS" (Part-time Legal Education Alternative at Southwestern) program is a 4-year part-time day curriculum designed for students with child or elder care responsibilities.
SCALE Program (2 years) Established in 1974, Southwestern founded the first two-year J.D. course of study offered at an American Bar Association-approved law school. SCALE (Southwestern's Conceptual Approach to Legal Education) is a unique, accelerated J.D. program. Its intensive schedule is intended to prepare students for the rigors of practicing law. Low student-faculty ratio in the classroom promotes cooperative teaching and intellectual discussion among classmates. The program has a limited enrollment.
Study abroad programs Southwestern offers Semester Abroad options that include: Studying in Canada or Mexico via the North American Consortium on Legal Education; Attending The Hague Law School at The Hague University of Applied Sciences A Summer Abroad can be spent in London learning international media and entertainment law and international public interest law.
Joint degree programs Southwestern has joined forces with the
Drucker Graduate School of Management to create dual-degree programs. Students at Southwestern and the Drucker School, part of
Claremont Graduate University (CGU), will be able to earn a J.D. and Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), a J.D. and Master of Arts in management (M.A.M.), or a J.D. and Executive Master of Business Administration (E.M.B.A.). TB.A./J.D. Joint Degree Program Under a partnership agreement with
California State University, Northridge, students will be able to simultaneously earn their Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor in six years instead of seven years. Starting in fall 2014, the program enrolls up to 35 incoming CSUN freshmen. Students spend three years completing their undergraduate course requirements; their first year of law school will also count as their fourth year of undergraduate education. Students in the program also receive a $10,000 Wildman/Schumacher entering student scholarship. The scholarship can be renewed provided that a minimum 2.7 GPA is maintained. In order to qualify for the program incoming freshmen must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and have received either a minimum score of 25 on the ACT or 1140 on the SAT. In addition, students in the program must maintain a 3.40 GPA and receive a 156 or higher on the LSAT. According to Dean Austen Parrish, the program will help young, promising undergraduate students pursue a legal education.
Master of Laws (LL.M.) General studies Southwestern offers an individualized LL.M. program for students who have already earned a law degree and are interested in furthering their legal education. The program allows students to choose their own focus of study, from American Legal Systems to International Law to Technology Innovation and Commercialization.
Advocacy training In 2006, Southwestern was awarded a federal grant to train Mexican lawyers and law faculty in advocacy skills as part of a
USAID effort to assist Mexican legal reform. == Publications ==