lawyer

At the Colleges of Law, we offer a flexible, part-time evening J.D. program tailored to meet the needs of busy, working adults who place a high value on academic excellence and reasonable cost.

Upon graduation, a student is awarded a Juris Doctor degree and is academically eligible to sit for the California Bar Examination.

J.D. students complete 84 credits in 3-1/2 to 4 years and attend most classes on campus. Required courses emphasize traditional subjects including all subjects on the California Bar Exam and skills such as legal research. During summer, students take elective courses highlighting specialty areas of law practice. For details, visit our J.D. Curriculum page.

Using the case study method, professors help students learn to think like lawyers. Before class, students read and prepare brief summaries of historical court opinions to build understanding of how courts use legal principles to decide cases. During class, professors lead follow-up discussions about those cases often exploring hypothetical variations of the facts to deepen understanding and help students develop skill in resolving new legal problems.