2-Year JD Program Puts Dayton Students on Fast Track

The University of Dayton School of Law has enrolled 40 students in the first cohort of its accelerated J.D. program.

The accelerated program allows students to finish their degree requirements in just 24 months. Dayton feels this makes a law degree a more attractive option for adults who are reluctant to commit to a three-year program for financial or career reasons.

Students in the accelerated program take 18 credits per semester for five semesters. They have three semesters of classes their first year, beginning with a summer semester in May and continuing through the fall and spring. This first year of classes is followed by a summer break that can be used for a summer job or internship. Students then return to campus for two more semesters of study and graduate in the spring.

Dayton officials think that applicant interest in the accelerated J.D. option explains why the School's application volume grew by 13 per cent this year, whereas law school applications decreased by 4.8 per cent nationwide.

Source: "Law School in Two Years Flat," by Leigh Jones. The National Law Journal (www.law.com), June 5, 2006