The final deadline for the Fall 2023 cohort is March 6, 2023.
The ABA-Approved
Online Hybrid J.D. Program From the University of DaytonThe ABA-Approved
Online Hybrid J.D. Program From the University of DaytonThe ABA-Approved
Online Hybrid J.D. Program From the University of Dayton
Providing Greater Access to High-Quality Legal Education
The University of Dayton School of Law (UDSL) is proud to offer the Online Hybrid Juris Doctor (J.D.) program. Our practical, relevant curriculum will prepare you to sit for the bar exam and pursue a career upholding the rule of law in our tradition of learning, leading and serving.
The program includes live online classes, interactive online coursework and a total of 10 campus visits spread across your four years in the program. As an online J.D. student, you will benefit from real-time interaction with School of Law faculty members, who are experienced educators, legal scholars and practitioners in the field.
ABA Accreditation
In May 2018, the American Bar Association (ABA) approved the University of Dayton School of Law’s variance request to offer a hybrid Juris Doctor (J.D.) program. Our program is only the third ABA-approved online hybrid J.D. degree program in the nation.
Most states require aspiring attorneys to graduate from an ABA-accredited school, such as the University of Dayton School of Law, before they can take the bar exam and become licensed. Eligibility standards vary by jurisdiction and are subject to change. Contact the state bar agency for the jurisdiction in which you would like to practice to determine the bar eligibility requirements.
Join the Next Class
Apply now to earn your J.D. degree online from the University of Dayton School of Law.
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Admissions
Curriculum
Hybrid Learning Experience
Admissions
The University of Dayton School of Law is shaping the future of legal education and admits well-rounded, diverse students who can contribute to an exciting and dynamic law school experience. We review Online Hybrid J.D. applications holistically, evaluating academic and demonstrated leadership skills equally.
Application Requirements
To apply to the Online Hybrid J.D. program, candidates must submit the following:
- Online application through the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC)
- LSAT or GRE score
- Personal statement
- Letters of recommendation
- Character and fitness disclosures
- Official transcripts
Please note that all applicants must register with the Credential Assembly Service (CAS).
Standardized Test Scores
You can apply to our ABA-approved online program with either your LSAT or GRE score, but we will consider both scores if you take both tests.
We recommend registering for the test that will best demonstrate your skills.
Opportunities to sit for the LSAT and GRE are offered throughout the year. However, the GRE is offered more frequently, with test dates nearly every day across the nation.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition for the 2021-2022 academic year is $1,500 per credit hour. Tuition is subject to change annually. There is an additional $130 University charge per term. You are also responsible for Get REAL Intensives travel expenses and fees, which are not included in the cost of tuition.
Learn more about tuition, financial aid and additional fees here.
For more information about the admissions process, application requirements and standardized test scores requirements for the Online Hybrid J.D. program, visit our admissions page.
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Admissions
Curriculum
Hybrid Learning Experience
Curriculum
Our practice-ready J.D. curriculum prepares you to pursue a career as a lawyer, including sitting for the bar exam.
90
credit hours
192
externship hours
4
years to complete
Core Courses
The foundational curriculum introduces you to subjects such as civil procedure, constitutional law, evidence, torts, contracts, and criminal law that every attorney must master. Our foundational courses are spread across the program to provide you with the time needed to thoughtfully consider and fully understand key concepts tested heavily on the bar exam.
As you participate in your online classes each week, you’ll receive feedback from your professors so that you can make sure you are fully understanding the material.
Legal Research and Writing Courses
During your first year, you will complete a 6-credit-hour sequence that teaches you to research, read, and synthesize the law and to communicate your legal analysis effectively.
Each course meets in a small group using the interactive online platform, which puts you face-to-face with faculty who are driving trends in legal writing and analysis.
Externship
During your final semester, you will complete a semester-long, 192-hour externship in a legal setting, such as a government agency, law firm, corporation, court or legal aid organization. You will have opportunities to learn a variety of skills, such as how to interact with clients, investigate facts, negotiate and manage your time effectively.
We will help you secure your externship with an experienced attorney or judge, who will supervise and mentor you throughout the experience.
Capstone Course
Taken during your final year, the capstone course rounds out your J.D. education by challenging you to use your legal knowledge and skills to represent simulated clients and help them solve their legal problems as if you were in a real work setting.
For more information about what you will learn in the Online Hybrid J.D. program, visit our curriculum page.
A Practical Curriculum
Relevant to the
Bar Exam
Throughout your enrollment, you will have access to resources that will improve your readiness for the bar exam in most states and help you excel in your legal career. Support offered for bar exam preparation includes courses, practice tests and tutoring.
The three-credit Bar Exam Preparation course, taken during your final term, helps you master exam-taking techniques and strategies for answering questions in multiple choice and essay formats.
After graduation, the Road to Bar Passage program allows you to practice with and receive feedback on your responses to real, released bar exam essay questions and the Multistate Performance Test prompts.
One-on-one meetings with professors or tutors provide a chance for you to discuss specific strategies for improving your academic performance if needed.
89%
of first-time test-takers who graduated from the University of Dayton passed the Ohio bar exam in July 2021.1
Prepare to Serve With Integrity
Earn your J.D. from a school that emphasizes the highest standards of professionalism.
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Admissions
Curriculum
Hybrid Learning Experience
Hybrid Learning Experience
The Online Hybrid J.D. program combines live online classes and interactive coursework with weekend-long learning experiences on campus.
Online Classes and Coursework
Our faculty have worked with professional producers to translate the J.D. coursework into engaging interactive video classes and conversations modeling the Socratic method. Your professors will engage you in active discussion, asking you questions in real time and challenging you to think critically and quickly, just as you would in the office, the boardroom, or the courtroom.
Each week, you’ll complete readings and exercises and discuss them in an interactive online classroom.
On-Campus Classes and Experiences
As part of the program, you are required to visit campus two to three times per year for Get Relevant Experience and Applied Learning (Get REAL) Intensives, where you will attend classes with your cohort.
You’ll participate in labs and other experiential learning opportunities that will give you the confidence to practice law. You’ll also have the opportunity to get to know your classmates in person while talking about the policies and societal values underlying our laws and discussing how you plan to use your knowledge to serve your clients and our society.
To learn more about how you will earn your J.D. online, visit our student experience page.
Student Services and Co-Curricular Opportunities
As an online J.D. student, you’ll be a valued member of our community, afforded the same resources as aspiring lawyers studying on campus.
Law librarians are only a click away through the online platform, and you will have access to all the resources our career services team has to offer.
You’ll be eligible to contribute articles to our Law Review if you are in the top 12 percent of students. You may also have the opportunity to participate in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities that can help make you a more confident lawyer.
Mock Trial Team
Build your confidence in the courtroom as you prepare for and argue cases with our aspiring trial lawyers.
Moot Court Team
Write more effective appellate briefs and advocate more persuasively for clients as you argue appeals before three judges.
Student Bar Association
Help shape decisions affecting the School of Law student body while serving as a representative to law school faculty and administration.
1 All July 2021 Ohio bar exam test-takers from the University of Dayton were graduates of the on-campus program, Law School Tabulations Ohio July 2021 Bar Exam arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
Prepare to Serve Communities in the Midwest
Join our extensive alumni network of dedicated lawyers in Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit and Milwaukee.