High-ability students at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) now have another opportunity to pursue a legal career thanks to a new partnership with The University of Mississippi School of Law (UM Law) that provides an accelerated pathway to law school.
A Memorandum of Understanding between Southern Miss and UM Law, signed March 20 following the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning board meeting in Jackson, creates a cooperative accelerated law school pathway where students can earn both their bachelor’s degree and juris doctor (JD) in six years of study–reducing the combined duration of undergraduate and law school studies by an entire year.
This is the second accelerated law degree program for Southern Miss. An agreement was signed earlier this year with Mississippi College School of Law.
“This program represents an extraordinary opportunity for our students to achieve their academic and professional goals more efficiently,” said Southern Miss President Dr. Joe Paul. “By creating a clear and accelerated route to earning both a bachelor’s degree and a juris doctor in just six years, we are preparing our students to begin their legal careers earlier while maintaining the highest standards of academic excellence.”
Students will complete an undergraduate course of study approved by USM that is equivalent in length and rigor to three-fourths of the coursework required for a bachelor’s degree prior to matriculation into law school–maintaining a 3.25 GPA to remain active in the pathway.
Participants must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and earn a competitive score no later than December of their third year of full-time enrollment at Southern Miss. Students must also apply to law school no later than April of the third year of undergraduate study using the standard process and criteria for law school admission.
Following successful completion of the first year of law school, the undergraduate degree will be awarded by USM. Then, after the student completes all law school requirements, UM Law will award the JD degree.
“This partnership exemplifies our commitment to making legal education more accessible and efficient for dedicated students,” said Frederick G. Slabach, dean of the UM School of Law. “By streamlining the path to a law degree, we are not only reducing barriers but also empowering future attorneys to enter the profession sooner, ready to serve their communities, provide access to justice and contribute meaningfully to the legal field.”
The accelerated law school pathway meets the requirements of the American Bar Association.