The Juris Doctorate (JD) is a legal degree that allows students to take the state bar exam following graduation. If the individual passes the state bar exam, they are now eligible to practice law within that jurisdiction.
As of 2023, 198 accredited law schools were in the United States.
The JD consists of 90 credit hours of education, which a full-time student can complete in three years.
To get into law school, students must have completed their bachelor’s degree in any field of study.
Most first-year students will all have the same curriculum. Coursework includes topics such as:
- Constitutional Law
- Torts
- Criminal Law
- Property Law
- Legal Research and Writing (LARW)
- Contract Law
- Civil Procedure
Once the law student completes the core courses, elective courses are available in the 2nd and 3rd years.