Communication, Bachelor's to Law, J.D. Accelerated Program

Saint Louis University's accelerated Communication B.A. to Law, J.D. program allows students to apply a maximum of 30 first-year law school credits to their undergraduate degree program and receive their bachelor’s degree after successfully completing the first year at the SLU School of Law.

For additional information, see the catalog entries for the following SLU programs:

Communication, B.A.

Juris Doctor

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 communication/J.D. program any time in their undergraduate career after having completed between 15 and 48 credits at SLU. Students must maintain a 3.50 cumulative GPA to 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, the 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 percent of 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 core curriculum requirements and communication major requirements (39 credits). All core curriculum and major requirements must 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. Students who do not raise their GPA to the minimum level of 3.50 over the course of 30 subsequent credits will be suspended from the program.

If the student has achieved more than 45 credits, the student must raise his or her GPA to at least 3.50 by the time of application to SLU Law; otherwise, the student will be suspended from the accelerated program. Students suspended from the program will be allowed to continue on as communication majors or minors in accordance with the department's undergraduate standards.