Two ASU colleges are working together to offer students a smoother, faster transition to law school.
Barrett, the Honors College, and the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law developed a program that allows students to enter law school before completing undergraduate requirements. The schools introduced the program this semester.
Participating students combine their final year of undergraduate studies with first-year law school courses. Now, students can earn both degrees in six years, rather than the standard seven.
Mark Jacobs, dean of the honors college, said the schools recognized the fact that 4 to 5 percent of honors students have four-year scholarships but complete most of their schoolwork in less time.
“This program takes advantage of the fact that a lot of the students in Barrett come with a lot of [school] credit,” he said. “Their alternative up to now has been to do a double major … or some other way to use their extra credits to get more credentials.”
Jacobs said participating students can take full advantage of their four-year scholarships by applying that money to their first year of law school. Students can also use that first year to complete the required undergraduate honors thesis, which they would not be able to do by graduating early.
Jillian Tse, the program’s first and only student so far, is completing her undergraduate degree in English this semester while taking her first law school classes.
“It’s working really well so far,” she said. “The transition is really easy. It’s not at all any kind of a shock.”
Tse had the option to graduate early without honors and apply to law school, but she still had one year left on her scholarship.
“I was finished already with most of my undergrad,” she said. “I was trying to figure out what I was going to do.”
Tse said she considered law schools in California but wanted to stay in Arizona.
When she learned the new program allowed her to keep her scholarship and complete her honors thesis, she decided to stay at ASU.
“That really helped me decide to stick around,” she said. “I don’t feel like by staying here I gave up anything that I could’ve got somewhere else.”
Tom Williams, director of student development for the law school, said the program holds students to the same requirements as other law students who have completed their undergraduate degrees.
He said the program is designed for students who want to continue their graduate work at ASU and transition smoothly into law school.
“For us it’s a recruiting opportunity,” he said.
Reach the reporter at adam.sneed@asu.edu.
