Juris Doctor, JD
Attorney, FLEXIBLE, Judge, Lawyer, Litigation, Mediation, Policy, law, law school, politics
ASU Law's three-year, full-time program is designed for those interested in becoming an attorney and practicing law. Within 10 months of graduating, nearly 90% of JD graduates are offered employment. Students participate in unique experiential learning opportunities and can customize their program with a comprehensive curriculum that includes more than 250 courses.
The JD degree program from the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law prepares the next generation of legal scholars to become successful lawyers. The Juris Doctor program offers a large selection of courses with options for transdisciplinary study with other departments on campus. Students find the opportunity to take classes with a more traditional, theoretical focus and to take advantage of many options that focus on the development of practice skills. The variety of focus areas offered by ASU Law include:
- business law
- criminal law
- health law
- Indian law
- intellectual property
- international law
- international rule of law and security
- law, science and technology
- law and sustainability
- patent practice
- sports law and business
- trial advocacy
First-year Juris Doctor students take courses in civil procedure, contracts, torts, legal method and writing, property, constitutional law, criminal law, legal advocacy and professional responsibility. After the first year, all courses are electives; students must satisfy two writing requirements and an experiential requirement in order to graduate. A full list of graduation requirements can be found on the ASU Law website.
Focus areas, certificates, study abroad options, the Washington, D.C., campus and many other opportunities are available to enhance students' experiences.
Students also can pursue a Juris Doctor concurrently with other degrees from ASU, such as an MBA, MSW or MSLB, or a PhD in justice studies. Mayo Clinic School of Medicine students also have an opportunity to pursue a dual JD/MD degree. More information is available on the Mayo Clinic and ASU Alliance for Health Care website: https://mayoclinicasualliance.org/education/dual-degree/.
A flexible schedule option is offered for students who wish to attend law school but cannot manage full-time enrollment because of other obligations in their lives; however, it is not an evening program.
- College/school:
Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law
- Location: Downtown Phoenix
Students can choose to create their own concurrent degree combination to match their interests by working with their academic advisor during or after their first semester of study. Some concurrent combinations are not possible due to high levels of overlap in curriculum; students should speak with their academic advisor for more details.
This degree is also offered as a concurrent program with the following:
ASU Law JD students must complete a total of 88 credit hours to graduate. Required Core (30 credit hours) Electives (58 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information
LAW 515 Contracts (4)
LAW 516 Criminal Law (3)
LAW 517 Torts (4)
LAW 518 Civil Procedure (4)
LAW 519 Legal Method and Writing (3)
LAW 522 Constitutional Law (3)
LAW 523 Property (4)
LAW 524 Legal Advocacy (2)
LAW 638 Professional Responsibility (3)
Students should see ASU Law's Statement of Student Policies for additional JD degree requirements.
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law.
To be considered for admission to the JD program, applicants must have taken the LSAT (excludes applicants applying to the ASU Achievement Program) and have earned, or will earn by the time of enrollment in law school, a bachelor's degree from an institution accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.
ASU Law requires applicants to apply electronically through the Law School Admission Council website at https://www.lsac.org/.
An application for admission must include:
- electronic application
- personal statement (no more than two pages, double-spaced and font size no smaller than 11 point)
- resume (no more than two pages and font size no smaller than 11 point)
- character and fitness statement, if applicable, explaining affirmative answers to questions 1-8 in the Character and Fitness section
- binding admission contract, if applicable
- a valid LSAT score (excludes applicants applying to the ASU Achievement Program)
- transcripts from each undergraduate and graduate institution attended (must be sent to LSAC)
- proof of English proficiency for applicants whose native language is not English, regardless of their current residency
Applications may also include:
- an Arizona residency form
- an elevator pitch video
- an inclusive excellence statement
- letters of recommendation*
- an optional addenda
* Applicants may submit no more than two letters. Because letters are not required, the admission office will not wait for them to complete a file for review.
Additional Application Information
The JD program enrolls one first-year class per year, entering in the fall semester. The degree is a three-year full-time program. However, ASU Law offers a flexible scheduling option for students with circumstances that make full-time enrollment impossible, but it is not an evening program. Admission to ASU Law is competitive, and each year, ASU Law receives more applications from eligible candidates than can be accommodated.
ASU Law seeks to enroll a dynamic group of individuals who will provide an engaging learning environment. The admissions committee makes decisions after considering all the information provided by the applicant. Among the factors influencing the admission decision are LSAT performance, undergraduate grade point average, quality and grading patterns of undergraduate institutions, previous graduate education, demonstrated commitment to public service, work and leadership experience, extracurricular or community activities, history of overcoming economic or other disadvantages, uniqueness of experience and background, maturity, ability to communicate, foreign language proficiency, honors and awards, service in the armed forces and publications.
For detailed information about the Juris Doctor application process, interested applicants are asked to visit the ASU Law website.
Study abroad opportunities, including exchange programs through ASU's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, help satisfy students' interest in traveling and learning about other countries while they are studying law. Students can gain a unique perspective through studying abroad, while also enhancing their marketability to prospective employers.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of lawyers is projected to grow 9% between 2020 and 2030. The Juris Doctor degree can lead to a lucrative career in any of several fields.
Career examples include:
- arbitration, mediation and dispute resolution attorney
- chief legal officer
- compliance attorney
- corporate lawyer
- criminal prosecutor or criminal defense attorney
- family lawyer or divorce attorney
- judicial clerk or judge
- law school professor
- politician or member of Congress
- trial and appellate lawyer
ASU programs that may lead to professional licensure or certification are intended to prepare students for potential licensure or certification in Arizona. Completion of an ASU program may not meet educational requirements for licensure or certification in another state. For more information, students should visit the ASU professional licensure webpage.
Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law
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BCLS 120
asulaw.admissions@asu.edu
480-965-1474
Admission deadlines
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
