In 2004, the American Bar Association revised its requirement that a law degree program consist of six semesters, paving the way for universities to offer two-year Juris Doctor (J.D.) degrees. Only a few universities offer a two-year law degree, but if you're looking to graduate a year early to start earning money to pay back your tuition, an accelerated program might be the right choice.
University of Dayton School of Law
In 2005, the University of Dayton in Ohio created a program for students to earn a law degree with an accelerated two-year option. This two-year J.D. has the same intensive coursework as the three-year program, and offers the same opportunities in internships and special programs. The two-year program consists of five normal semesters and a summer semester, for a total of six semesters and 89 credit hours.
Southwestern Law School
Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles was the first institution to introduce a two-year law degree, unveiling its program in 2004. Dubbed the SCALE J.D., the program is a two-year immersion education that focuses on practical skills training in conjunction with core legal knowledge. Between the first and second year, students are required to take a 10-week summer session, then return in early August for their second year of study. The SCALE J.D. is split into eight periods divided equally into SCALE I and SCALE II sessions, and the summer session. The SCALE I curriculum grounds students in the fundamentals of legal concepts, legal writing and lawyer skills, and often includes small groups of study. In the SCALE II curriculum, students put their knowledge to practical use by working on cases similar to those in the real world, and are also given internship opportunities.
Northwestern University School of Law
Northwestern University in Chicago, ranked 11th in the 2010 "U.S. News & World Report" listings of best law schools, introduced a two-year J.D. degree in 2008, becoming the first top 20 law school to do so. The accelerated J.D. program has the same credit hour requirements as the normal three-year program, and includes coursework over five semesters. Students begin classes in May, then join traditional three-year students in the fall and spring semesters, and have the opportunity to work during the summer. Students return in the fall for two more semesters and graduate in May, two calendar years after starting. Applicants must demonstrate two years of work experience to be considered for admission.
California Western School of Law
California Western School of Law in San Diego offers a two-year J.D. degree under a flexible trimester system that allows students to begin studying in either fall (August start) or spring (January start). After completing the first year, which consists of two full-time trimesters, students have the option of taking a trimester off, studying abroad or working as interns, before finishing their final year.
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