Juris Doctor (JD) Program

It typically takes students three years of full-time study or four years of part-time study to complete the JD program requirements and earn their JD degree. We also offer two law summer study abroad programs and ten semester abroad programs which provide a strong curricular focus.

Pursuing a JD law degree from one of the best law schools in California provides a sustained return on your investment throughout your legal career. Prospective students can familiarize themselves with the cost of attendance, covering tuition, fees and living expenses.

The University of San Diego School of Law is pleased to offer a part-time JD law program designed for individuals who are unable to attend daytime classes. Typically, this program requires four years of study. In the first year, part-time students are enrolled in an all-evening set schedule. As upper division students, part-time students can choose their own schedule, picking from daytime, evening and weekend courses.

The University of San Diego School of Law strongly discourages full-time JD law students from engaging in any employment during their first year of law school.

The University of San Diego School of Law is pleased to support students as they follow their interest in general law and begin to deepen their knowledge in a specialized area of practice. For students ready to intensely focus their study after the first year, the University of San Diego offers JD concentrations in ten key practice areas. These concentrations, which typically include practical training, allow students to hone their strengths in their targeted focus through comprehensive courses taught by leading scholars and expert practitioners.

One reason why the University of San Diego School of Law is widely recognized as a top law school is that we offer students the opportunity to maximize their learning and prepare themselves for high impact careers as lawyers with cross-disciplinary expertise with a dual degree. Students can pursue their JD degree concurrently with a Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Arts in International Relations (MAIR), Master of Arts in Peace and Justice (MAPJ) or Master of Science in Real Estate (MSRE).

Applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree from a college or university of approved standing prior to law school matriculation (no required discipline of study), a valid Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or GRE General Test score less than five years old and a completed application of admission with a CAS Report provided by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).

All applicants, even those re-applying, must register with LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS), which requires that official transcripts from all schools attended be sent directly to LSAC. Applications should also be submitted directly to the University of San Diego School of Law as this expedites file consideration and ensures that the University of San Diego School of Law receives all application materials. Prospective students can learn more about admission requirements on our JD application checklist and deadline page.

The University of San Diego School strives to maintain its status as the best law school in California educating tomorrow's legal advocates and changemakers. We seek applicants who possess strong writing abilities, have diverse interests, are innovative and thoughtful problem-solvers, prioritize community service and exhibit leadership on and off campus throughout their academic careers.

The University of San Diego School of Law requires students to successfully complete the 88 credits needed to earn a JD degree within a maximum of six years. There are residency requirements, required courses, an upper-division writing requirement and experiential learning requirements. For additional information, prospective students may visit our JD graduation requirement page.

As a top law school,we offer students support and resources that help them successfully navigate their coursework through our Office for Law Student Affairs. While the first-year curriculum is prescribed, upper-division students have the opportunity to construct their own schedules from an array of courses that meet individual interests and professional aspirations as they progress toward graduation.

The University of San Diego School of Law recognizes that transfer students enhance the quality of our program; therefore, we encourage this by opening up a select number of spaces each year for transfer applicants.

To be considered for transfer, students must have earned a bachelor’s degree from an approved institution and successfully completed their first year of study toward a Juris Doctor (JD) degree at an ABA-accredited law school (the law school must be accredited during the time the first year is completed). Students from law schools that are only state-bar approved or who have been disqualified from their current law school are not eligible for transfer admissions.

To learn more about transfer criteria, requirements and the application process, please visit our JD transfer applicant page.

The University of San Diego School of Law is proud of our longstanding tradition of welcoming attorneys, judges and government officials from around the world to our graduate law programs. Prior to enrolling in our programs, prospective students who were educated abroad must get their transcripts and degree evaluated by credential evaluation services such as LSAC, as well as successfully complete an LSAT or GRE. To learn more about the admissions process for international students, please visit our international student page.

The University of San Diego School of Law is pleased to offer our dedicated students the unique option to enroll in an accelerated program for General LLM with IP Concentration, as well as JD/LLM in Taxation, in just one additional semester after completing their JD degree requirements.

To submit an application, please visit our JD admission requirements page and apply for free online.