The Online Hybrid J.D.
Student Experience
Engage in Interactive Learning Online and On Campus
The University of Dayton School of Law’s Online Hybrid Juris Doctor (J.D.) program is dedicated to increasing access to quality legal education. With our innovative online hybrid format, you will be able to continue fulfilling your professional and personal commitments while earning your J.D. degree.
As an Online Hybrid J.D. student, you will build your comprehension of legal rules through asynchronous online sessions and attend live online classes where you will learn to synthesize and apply those rules. Online learning is combined with in-person Get Relevant Experience and Applied Learning (Get REAL) weekends, which occur 10 times throughout the program.
Online Learning
Our J.D. program provides students with the convenience and flexibility of online learning without sacrificing the intellectual growth and critical thinking developed through face-to-face interactions with School of Law faculty and classmates. As a student, you will have the option to access all course materials online 24/7 and use these resources to prepare for class discussions.
Our collaborative online experience features:
Readings and Resources
You will begin your learning process by critically reading cases and additional materials to develop the background knowledge needed to understand upcoming lectures and meaningfully participate in class discussions.
Video Classes
You will enrich your understanding of the law by viewing recorded mini-classes that introduce relevant legal doctrines and policies. After each video class, you will reflect on your learnings by responding to a complex, open-ended question or taking a short quiz.
Video Discussions
You will further test your knowledge by virtually participating in a discussion with one of your professors and two other law students. The professor will pose a question to the students, and you will evaluate their responses and make your own attempt to explain and apply the law.
Live Online Sessions
You will attend face-to-face weekly classes online where you will participate in Socratic dialogues, engage in collaborative learning and review the weekly exercises with your professor and classmates.
Earn Your J.D. on an Innovative Online Platform
Learn more about the Online Hybrid J.D. program from the University of Dayton School of Law.
In-Person Experiences
As a student, you will be required to visit campus for Get REAL weekends. During these simulation-driven, experiential weekends, you and your classmates will work to go beyond basic competency and learn to master the knowledge and skills needed to pass the bar and effectively represent clients.
Get REAL weekends provide you with the opportunity to understand the interrelationship between different courses, talk about the policies that underlie the law and form a sense of community with your cohort. During each session, you will build on your ability to apply theoretical knowledge to solve real-world problems.
The expected cost of each Get REAL weekend is approximately $400–$500. You will also be responsible for the cost of your travel and hotel stay during each Get REAL weekend.
What is a Get REAL Week?
Over the course of the four-year program (11 terms), you will visit campus 10 times for Get REAL weeks. This includes a full week during most terms as well as one weekend during your last year. This time will be spent primarily engaging in rigorous coursework, with networking and other social events offered in the evenings.
Take the Next Step Toward Becoming a Lawyer
Learn more about the Online Hybrid J.D. student experience.