Part-Time JD Program

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• Program Overview

  With some exceptions, classroom instruction will generally take place every other weekend. The semester is comprised of eight weekend sessions and two additional weekends for final examinations. You should plan to be on campus from 8:15 a.m. – 5:15 p.m. on Saturdays and 8:15 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Sundays.

  Outside of the classroom, you will need to schedule time both for in-class preparation and an online component of the curriculum. The online portion of your course work will be asynchronous, so you can complete the out-of-class work when it fits into your schedule.

  Once you have completed the required first-year (30 credits) and upper-level JD courses (10 credits), the program becomes even more flexible. You will have access to the entire course catalog and will be free to take advantage of externships, clinical work, and scheduled classes, dependent on your specific schedule and availability. Some of these opportunities will not be available on the weekends and not all classes in the course catalog will be offered on the weekend or in a hybrid format. However, you will be able to register for non-weekend classes that fit with your schedule, including evening classes.

  For students that can only attend the program in the weekend format in years three and four, we will offer focused curricular tracks in (1) Corporate/Business and Intellectual Property Law and (2) Public Interest and Criminal Law Practice. Classes will be scheduled to allow students within a particular track to take all classes in that specific track. However, students are not required to declare or remain in a specific curricular track.

• On-Campus Calendar

  Professional Part-Time JD Program Spring 2024 Calendar

  Professional Part-Time JD Program Fall 2023 Calendar

  Professional Part-Time JD Program Spring 2023 Calendar

  Professional Part-Time JD Program Fall 2022 Calendar 
   

  Year One

  • Fall Semester: Lawyering Process I and two of the following: Property, Contracts, Torts, Civil Procedure or Criminal Law
  • Spring Semester: Lawyering Process II and two of the following not taken in the fall: Property, Contracts, Torts, Civil Procedure or Criminal Law

  *Summer semester classes between year one and year two are optional depending on student availability.*

  Year Two

  • Fall: Constitutional Law, remaining course of the following: Property, Contracts, Torts, Civil Procedure or Criminal Law, and either Legal Profession or Administrative Law
  • Spring: Evidence, either Legal Profession or Administrative Law, and a choice between Criminal Procedure or Corporations
     

  Years Three & Four

  • Students may choose from electives offered during the day, the evening, on the weekend, or in a variety of intensive short courses. Summer semester classes will also be available.
• 1/3 Online Portion Information

    

  The University of Denver uses Canvas for all online course content delivery. The Professional JD Program courses also deliver the online course content through Canvas. Your Canvas Dashboard will show all your enrolled JD courses along with Part 1 of your Orientation program and other courses available to you. 

  

  DU and Canvas provide ample support for students who need assistance troubleshooting navigation or technological issues in their classrooms.

  

  While all professors structure their online courses differently, your JD courses will have a similar design. For example, your property course landing page may look like the one below.

  

  Not only does Canvas display and capture all the online activities of your law courses, but they also include information about your on-campus face-to-face (F2F) class sessions as well. Below is an example of how your course syllabus is formatted in Canvas.

  

  Many of our faculty offer structured Office Hours online during the week between your on-campus F2F class sessions. These Office Hours sessions are hosted through Zoom – a videoconferencing software licensed by the University of Denver:

  

  

  Online Classroom Activities

  All online activities are meant to prepare you for or reinforce the on-campus F2F classes. The combination of the online activities and the on-campus F2F courses are called “modules.” As demonstrated below, there are pre-F2F activities and post-F2F activities for each module. With eight weekends of courses, you will experience eight modules in each course. Below are a couple of examples of how a module could be structured:

  

   

  

   

  Many incoming Professional JD Students ask what type of activities are included in the online classroom portion of their courses. As often retorted in law school, the answer is “it depends.” All faculty have academic freedom to structure their courses, including their online activities, as they see appropriate for their approach and subject matter.

  Below is a list of the common activities you will find in your law courses in the Professional JD Program. Note that these activities will look different depending on your specific course and professor and there may be other activities not provided as examples below:

  • Short video lectures from your professors:

  

  • Discussion board questions where students provide initial response and engage in discourse with other classmates

  

  • Online quizzes or other exercises designed to reinforce concepts of law

  
• Future Part-Time Student FAQs

  How long does it take to complete the part-time JD?

  Students need to complete 90 semester hours to graduate with a Juris Doctor degree from the Sturm College of Law. Typically, this takes two semesters per year for four years; however, it is possible to graduate earlier if a student is able to take advantage of summer semester classes, externships and online only elective classes.

  What is the cost of tuition?

  Information about cost of attendance and financial aid can be found here.

  What level of academic and student support services will be available to me?

  You will have access to all of the student support services provided by the law school, including academic advising, academic support, and career services, either in person or remotely. In addition, you will find programming tailored to the needs of part-time program students.

  How is the online component structured?

  The online components of your courses will include interactive exercises and activities, discussion boards, and a variety of assessments. Our technology platform is designed to be user-friendly, and the goal of the program is to allow as much engagement with classmates and faculty as possible. The online component will constitute one-third of the instruction time, with the remaining two-thirds taking place in person during the weekend sessions.

  What courses will I be taking in the first year?

  First-year courses include Property, Contracts, Civil Procedure, Torts, Criminal Law, and Lawyering Process.

  When can I start?

  All first year law students start in the fall semester.

  Will I have the same professors as the full-time students?

  Yes. All first-year classes are taught by full-time faculty members.

  Will I be able to participate in co-curricular activities?

  Yes. Part-time students will not only have opportunities to engage in co-curricular activities with full-time students but will have additional programming designed specifically to meet their unique needs. Joining clubs, attending special lectures, and partaking in social and community events with full-time students is encouraged. Journal, moot court, and mock trial participation are available after completing your second year. Some co-curricular activities related to academic support, networking and career planning are tailored to accommodate the distinctive needs of part-time students.

  Is financial aid available?

  Yes. Federal student loans are available to those who qualify. All students are considered for merit-based scholarships during the admission process. For additional information on financial aid, please visit the Office of Student Financial Management.

  Are the admissions standards different to the full time program?

  No. All applicants to the Sturm College of Law receive a full holistic review, regardless of the program to which they are applying.

  What is the application deadline?

  We follow a rolling admission procedure, meaning we have no official deadline. However, we recommend that you submit your application by March 1.

  How do I apply?

  Apply