Political Science, B.A. to Law, J.D. Accelerated Program
Saint Louis University's accelerated Political Science, B.A. to Law, J.D. program allows students to apply a maximum of 30 first-year law school credits to their undergraduate degree programs and receive their bachelor’s degree after the successful completion of the first year at the SLU School of Law.
For additional information, see the catalog entries for the following SLU programs:
Accreditation
Saint Louis University School of Law has been continuously accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) since December 1924. The accrediting body is the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association, 321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654, 312-988-6738.
Students are eligible to apply to the political science/J.D. program when they have completed between 15 and 48 hours at SLU and have 6 hours in Political Science. Students must be a declared Political Science major to apply. Students must maintain a 3.50 cumulative GPA to enter and continue in the accelerated program.
After having completed 75 credits, students will submit an application to SLU's School of Law. If admitted to SLU Law, these students will begin their J.D. program in their fourth year. The first year of law school coursework will count as elective credit toward the undergraduate bachelor's degree. Thus, SLU's College of Arts and Sciences will award students their degrees after the successful completion of their first year of law school.
Students will be required to complete at least 75% of the credits necessary to earn their undergraduate degree (i.e., minimum 90 credits) before matriculating into the first year of law school. These hours must include the University Undergraduate Core requirements (32-35 credits) and Political Science major requirements (34 credits). All core and major requirements will be met before students matriculate as first-year law students.
Continuation Standards
Students must maintain a 3.50 cumulative GPA to continue in the accelerated program. Any student whose cumulative GPA falls below the accelerated continuation standard of 3.50 will go on probation. If the student does not raise their GPA to the minimum level of 3.50 over the course of 30 subsequent credits, they will be suspended from the program.
If the student has achieved more than 45 credits, they must raise their GPA to at least 3.50 by the time of their application to SLU Law; otherwise, the student will be suspended from the accelerated program. Students suspended from the program will be allowed to continue as political science majors or minors according to the department's undergraduate standards.