FINDLAY — The University of Findlay has partnered with three other Ohio universities cutting a full year out of studies toward earning a law degree.
The partnership with Cleveland State University, University of Toledo and Ohio Northern University, takes advantage of state legislation signed last year allowing institutions to offer enhanced and accelerated programs.
The new program, called the 3+3 Program, will allow committed law students at UF to earn their bachelor’s degree while attending their first year of law school at the other universities in the program. It will cut the amount of time of getting the juris doctor degree from seven to six years.
“It is a win-win-win situation for all involved,” said Paul Chwialkowski, UF professor of social science, criminal justice and public administration. “The undergraduates have one year less of costs, one year less of expenses and one year less invested out of their life. For the parents, they save the costs of another year of school. For the law schools, they believe they will get a few more students because of less time involved.”
Students will now require 93 credits hours compared to the old standard of 124. Minimum academic requirements will include the finishing of all general education requirements for their major and they must maintain a GPA of 3.2. Those who apply for early law school admission will also be considered for full scholarships to the three law schools.
Chwialkowski said the program would likely have few if any participants this year because of the timing of the legislation. He expects the program to be in full swing when classes start in August 2017.
“Given the current landscape of rising costs in education, we welcome the opportunity to give students the option of eliminating one year of educational expenses as they work toward their ultimate goal of a career in the legal profession,” Cleveland-Marshall Dean Craig Boise said.
University of Toledo Associate Dean Geoffrey Rapp said it was a continuation of an already good relationship existing between the two schools.
“We’ve long had a close relationship with the University of Findlay, and a number of great students start as Oilers and finish as Rockets” Rapp said. “Strengthening this relationship by enabling motivated students to save a year of education and its associated expenses was the next natural step.”
