Founded in 1954, the law school is part of the University of San Diego, a private, non-profit, independent, Roman Catholic university chartered in 1949. USD School of Law is one of the 81 law schools elected to the Order of the Coif, a national honour society for law school graduates. The law school’s faculty is a strong group of outstanding scholars and teachers with national and international reputations and currently ranks 23rd worldwide in all-time faculty downloads on the Social Sciences Research Network (SSRN). The school is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Recognized for the excellence of its faculty, curriculum and clinical programs, the University of San Diego (USD) School of Law enrolls approximately 900 Juris Doctor and graduate law students from throughout the United States and around the world. The law school is best known for its offerings in the areas of business and corporate law, constitutional law, intellectual property, international and comparative law, public interest law and taxation.
Academic Programmes
Juris Doctor
The University of San Diego School of Law’s Juris Doctor (JD) program is designed to prepare students to achieve the highest levels of success in the field of law. Our dynamic curriculum empowers students to explore their academic passions and individual career goals. We offer students who wish to specialize in a particular area of law a wide array of electives and concentrations to choose from that will deepen their knowledge as it relates to their particular focus. Our rigorous approach to teaching provides law students with both strong theoretical grounding and hands-on practical training throughout their studies.
Full-Time Program
Our full-time JD degree program is designed for students who have the capacity to devote themselves fulltime to the study of law. Typically, this program requires three full academic years to complete, with classes occurring every weekday.
Part-Time Program
Our part-time JD program is designed for students whose current commitments allow for studying law part-time. Typically, this program requires four years of study. During the first year of law school, students are enrolled in a schedule with classes that are all taught in the evening. After the first year, part time students may craft their own schedule, or switch divisions to the full-time program
LL.M.
The University of San Diego Law School delivers world-class programs that prepare our students to excel as legal professionals. Our students can gain experiential practice, expert mentorship and become part of a thriving community that will support them along their journey.
As a long-standing leader in graduate legal education, our dedication to offering a diverse curriculum and flexible programming, as well as personal attention to each student, has attracted attorneys, judges and recent law school graduates from the United States and around the globe to join our Master of Laws (LLM) programs. Courses can be tailored to meet each student’s individual academic and professional development goals to ensure they get the most from their Master of Laws program.
M.S. in Legal Studies
The Master of Science (MS) in Legal Studies is designed for graduate students and professionals whose area of research or employment would benefit from further study of the legal system. Ideal candidates include, but are not limited to, graduate students in other disciplines (such as political science, economics, international relations, engineering, philosophy, business or medicine) or professionals from different fields (such as journalism, business, science or technology), who will benefit from studying law, but who do not wish to become attorneys.
Law School Library
The Pardee Legal Research Center (LRC) at the University of San Diego School of Law is a premier academic law library supporting the USD Law community’s research needs with an extensive collection of print materials and digital databases. The building offers areas for quiet study and collaborative work, as well as group study rooms available for reservation. Our highly skilled and experienced team of librarians and staff are here to help students, faculty, and other researchers find the resources they need.
Contact
School of Law
University of San Diego
Warren Hall 2075998
Alcalá ParkSan
Diego, CA 92110
Email: lawdean@sandiego.edu
