Accelerated Graduation Option

Designed for students who want to minimize their time out of the job market, while saving an entire semester of living expenses, RWU Law offers an accelerated graduation option. Students choosing this option will still have access to all that an RWU Law degree offers, but will graduate a semester earlier.

Students enrolled under the Accelerated Graduation Option can complete their J.D degree in two and one-half years - thereby saving an entire semester of living expenses, and taking the bar examination (and entering the job market) nearly six months ahead of their classmates. Accelerated-option students complete the same number of credit hours as traditional three-year JD students, but they complete the work in five semesters over the course of two and one-half calendar years, including summer coursework.  Accelerated-option students can still select from the full-range of electives offered by the School of Law, including participation in our extensive array of clinical courses and all extracurricular and co-curricular activities, including Law Review and Moot Court.  Accelerated Graduation Option students will take courses each summer, but all summer courses are scheduled during the evening to accommodate those engaged in daytime employment and externship experiences (including the possibility of earning academic credit for summer externships).

The Accelerated Graduation Option is available for first-year students.

Close Course Type Descriptions

Course Types

We have classified RWU Law classes under the following headers. One of the following course types will be attached to each course which will allow students to narrow down their search while looking for classes.

Core Course

Students in the first and second year are required to take classes covering the following aspects of the law—contracts, torts, property, criminal law, civil procedure, and constitutional law, evidence, and professional responsibility.  Along with these aspects, the core curriculum will develop legal reasoning skills.

Elective

After finishing the core curriculum the remaining coursework toward the degree is completed through upper level elective courses.  Students can choose courses that peak their interests or courses that go along with the track they are following.

Seminar

Seminars are classes where teachers and small groups of students focus on a specific topic and the students complete a substantial research paper.

Clinics/Externships

Inhouse Clinics and Clinical Externships legal education is law school training in which students participate in client representation under the supervision of a practicing attorney or law professor.  RWU Law's Clinical Programs offer unique and effective learning opportunities and the opportunity for practical experience while still in law school.