Accelerated JD Program
Accelerated JD Certificate
Pepperdine Caruso School of Law offers an accelerated, two-year Juris Doctor (JD) degree that is paired with the opportunity to simultaneously earn a certificate from the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution. This distinctive and innovative approach blends rigorous legal education at a leading institution with significant skills and training geared toward practicing law in the 21st century. The Accelerated Option is a great choice for motivated students willing to work at a faster pace to finish law school sooner.
Jump Start Your Legal Career
The Accelerated Option provides graduates with the opportunity to enter the workforce a year before the traditional three-year degree program, gaining an early advantage on the path to professional success. After an initial summer session beginning in May, the accelerated option students enroll in the regular first-year JD classes and continue to matriculate in the regular JD program. In total, students take classes in four semesters and two summer sessions. Students in the Accelerated Option have a more fixed schedule, but also have the opportunity to select from a broad range of elective courses, clinics, externships, all student-edited journals (including the Pepperdine Law Review), and inter-school moot court and trial competitions.
Benefit from an Economical Approach
The Accelerated Option is a unique offering and is among only a few of its kind in the country. With the rising cost of legal education in mind, the two-year approach enables students to earn income from their careers sooner while reducing living expenses. Tuition costs under the Accelerated Option are not less than the regular JD, as the overall unit requirements are the same.
Earn a Certificate from the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution
The Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution has been ranked #1 in the country for 13 out of the last 15 years. In the first summer, accelerated students attend classes offered by the highly regarded Straus Institute. As accelerated students have such intensive involvement in the Institute, they are able to earn a Certificate in Dispute Resolution by graduation.