Law

3+3 Programs

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Fast Track Your Legal Career

Declare as a First-Year

Save time. Save money. Earn your Bachelors and JD in just six years.

Whether you’re a college junior whose legal dreams are just taking shape or a high-schooler with your eyes on the JD prize, now is the time to learn more about how you can pursue a non-traditional, time-saving path to a Cincinnati Law degree.

UC Law's 3+3 program provides students the opportunity to start law school their fourth year, finishing both undergrad and law school in just six years, versus the standard seven years. Save a years tuition and jumpstart your legal career! Students must declare their intent to complete the 3+3 program during the beginning of their first year to ensure all required courses are taken to qualify.

Our top 45 public law school is ranked as a top-value law program for a reason. We focus on results: Our students regularly pass the bar and land jobs at rates that exceed state averages.

Apply as a College Junior

To apply to the Cincinnati College of Law for the 3+3 Law Program, you must be in your junior year at the University of Cincinnati or an approved partnering college/university and majoring in one of the approved programs listed in your school's description below.


List of approved majors for Cincinnati Law's 3+3 Program.

List of approved majors for Cincinnati Law's 3+3 Program.
Majors Majors cont.
Political Science Africana Studies
International Affairs Judaic Studies
History Biological Chemistry – BA
Philosophy Chemistry – BS
Classics Environmental Studies
Communication Psychology – BA
English Sociology

3+3 Programs

  • Application to the 3+3 program begins with a meeting with your adviser, preferably during your freshman year as an undergraduate in the College of Arts and Sciences.
  • Your adviser can help you map out a customized path to complete your requirements for your major(s) as well as the Art and Sciences Core before beginning law school.

3 steps to success

If you are in your junior year at the University of Cincinnati, majoring in one of the above programs, meet with your adviser. Together you’ll determine if you’re ready to apply for admission to the 3+3 Law Program by:

NOTE: While the 3+3 Law Program is not a guaranteed admission program, 3+3 Law candidates are considered alongside UC College of Law’s regular pool of applicants and typically have a year’s advantage over some of their peers.

In your fourth year of study as a 3+3 Law student, you will be considered a full-time law student. You will then pay UC College of Law tuition, not undergraduate tuition.

If you were awarded a renewable undergraduate scholarship, such as Cincinnatus, you may be able to apply some of that scholarship toward your College of Law tuition.

The 3+3 agreement between the University of Cincinnati College of Law and Mount St. Joseph University  will allow undergraduate students at MSJ who are admitted to the College of Law's Juris Doctor (JD) Program to begin work on their Juris Doctor prior to the completion of their bachelor's degree. Admitted applicants who successfully complete at least 30 semester credit hours during the first year of the College of Law's JD Program will satisfy the remaining requirements for a bachelor's degree from MSJ. 

1)  The College of Law will waive its application fee for any Qualified Applicant from MSJ.

2) A Qualified Applicant is an undergraduate student who:

  • is matriculated in an eligible bachelor's degree program as identified by MSJ ;
  • is in good standing at MSJ from an academic, financial, and disciplinary perspective;
  • has completed at least 75 semester hours of coursework towards the eligible bachelor's degree;
  • submits a complete application for admission to the College of Law during their junior year of undergraduate study prior to the deadline established by the College of Law for that year's admissions cycle;
  • submits a Certificate of Eligibility from MSJ's Academic Advising Resource Center.

3) The certificate of eligibility from MSJ must certify that the student has satisfied all of the requirements of MSJ and the academic unit for participation in the 3+3 Bachelor's-JD Program. MSJ and its academic units may specify their own requirements for degree conferral and Qualified Applicant status, such as the completion of specified courses, specific number of credit hours, and GPA above a specified threshold. Unless authorized by MSJ and the academic unit, courses taken at the College of Law will be treated as undergraduate electives and will not satisfy the requirements of the major.

4) Qualified Applicants offered admission to the College of Law may not enroll until they have successfully completed at least three-fourths of the credits leading to a bachelor's degree and have completed all the requirements ofMSJ and the academic unit.

5) The College of Law retains the sole right to determine whether a Qualified Applicant has successfully completed the first year of the College of Law's JD Program. That determination will be based on satisfactory completion of all academic requirements and the absence of any conduct that would prevent the student from continuing in the JD program at the College of Law.

The 3+3 agreement between the University of Cincinnati College of Law and Thomas More University  will allow undergraduate students at TMU who are admitted to the College of Law's Juris Doctor (JD) Program to begin work on their Juris Doctor prior to the completion of their bachelor's degree. Admitted applicants who successfully complete at least 30 semester credit hours during the first year of the College of Law's JD Program will satisfy the remaining requirements for a bachelor's degree from TMU.

The College of Law and Thomas More University agree as follows:

1)    As part of its regular admissions process, the College of Law will include in its applicant pool for its JD Program applications from any Qualified Applicant.

2)    A Qualified Applicant  means an undergraduate student who:

  • is matriculated in an eligible bachelor’s degree program as identified by Thomas More University;
  • has completed at least 75 semester hours of coursework towards the eligible bachelor’s degree;
  • submits a complete application for admission to the College of  Law during the third year of undergraduate study prior to the deadline established by the College of Law for that year’s admissions cycle;
  • submits a Certificate of Eligibility from the designated representative of Thomas More University.

3)    The certificate of eligibility from Thomas More University must certify that the student has satisfied all of the requirements of Thomas More University and the academic unit for participation in the 3+3 Bachelor’s-JD Program.  Thomas More University and its academic units may specify their own requirements for degree conferral and Qualified Applicant status, such as the completion of specified courses, specific number of credit hours, and GPA above a specified threshold.  Unless authorized by Thomas More University and the academic unit, courses taken at the College of Law will be treated as undergraduate electives and will not satisfy the requirements of the major.

4)    Qualified Applicants offered admission in the College of Law may not enroll until they have successfully completed at least three-fourths of the credits leading to a bachelor’s degree and all the requirements of Thomas More University and the academic unit.

5)    The College of Law retains the sole right to determine whether a Qualified Applicant has successfully completed the first year of the College of Law’s JD Program.  That determination will be based on satisfactory completion of all academic requirements and the absence of any conduct that would prevent the student from continuing in the JD program at the College of Law.

6)    Thomas More University agrees that the successful completion of the first year of the College of Law’s JD Program by a Qualified Applicant will satisfy the remaining requirements for a bachelor’s degree from the designated program at Thomas More University. The Qualified Applicant may apply for graduation through the traditional university process by the posted deadline for undergraduates. 

7)    Students participating in 3+3 program will pay undergraduate tuition to Thomas More University while enrolled as an undergraduate and, upon enrolling in the College of Law, will pay College of Law tuition to the College of Law.     


Applying to 3+3

Students applying to one of Cincinnati Law's 3+3 programs can apply using our standard JD application.


Scholarships

UC 3+3 applicants are qualified for the same scholarship review as any applicant to the College of Law. If admitted, your file will automatically be reviewed for scholarship awards.

Current UC undergrads who received the Cincinnatus award may qualify to use the remainder of that award to assist with tuition costs in their 1L year of Law School at Cincinnati Law.


Prepare as a high school student

Are you a high-school student entering the University of Cincinnati with a passion for justice? Or are you are entering college with advanced credits, looking for valuable ways to expand your career options and make the most of your time in higher education? Find out if the 3+3 Law Program is right for you.

The 3+3 program made it possible for me to study at a pace that suited my academic abilities and progress quickly as a student. Being able to complete undergrad in such a short amount of time, I was able to avoid unnecessary student debt and maximize my time spent in college at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. My experience as a 1L was great, and I truly felt as prepared as my classmates for the rigor that law school brings. The support I received from the admissions staff at the College of Law is second to none, and I could not be prouder to be a double bearcat.

Mackenzie Bacigalupo, Class of 2021