Fast-track your legal career

The Accelerated Law program gives outstanding Penn State undergraduates the opportunity to complete their bachelor’s degree and J.D. in a compressed time frame, fast-tracking their chosen legal careers.

Begin your J.D. studies during your undergraduate program

Through this accelerated program, qualified Penn State Schuylkill undergraduates pursuing bachelor's degrees in business, criminal justice, and health policy and administration may apply to begin the J.D. program at Penn State Law prior to the completion of their undergraduate studies. This allows students to complete their bachelor's degree and law degree in a total of six years rather than seven.

Students from any undergraduate program can pursue an accelerated law degree, but several Penn State Schuylkill degree programs complement specific areas of law students may wish to enter, including:

Gain a competitive edge with Penn State Schuylkill Co-Op

By combining the accelerated law program with Penn State Schuylkill Co-Op, students complete their education sooner while gaining workplace skills and experience. Throughout their undergraduate studies, students will learn through integrating rigorous coursework with three full-time work experiences focused in particular areas, and relevant career development training. Students graduate with a diploma and a résumé! Learn more about Penn State Schuylkill Co-Op >

Application and enrollment requirements

An applicant must be an undergraduate student in good standing at Penn State University who has earned at least 60 undergraduate credits. Not all credits must be from Penn State. To enroll, applicants must have completed 2/3 or 75% of the total credits required for their undergraduate degree. Students must have completed all undergraduate General Education Requirements prior to beginning law school.

After completing the first two years of undergraduate studies, or 60 credits, students must take the LSAT in August, October, or December. Penn State recommends Khan Academy for test preparation.

Students can apply to the 3+3 program after completing 60 undergraduate credits and taking the LSAT. 

Early decision date: December 1

Apply no later than January. 

Complete FAQs are available from Penn State Dickinson Law >