What do a firefighter, paralegal, immigration officer, teacher, neighborhood volunteer, farmer, patrol sergeant, homicide detective, legal assistant, small-business owner, and military spouse have in common?
They are among the 33 students from nine U.S. states who formed the inaugural cohort of South Texas College of Law Houston’s new American Bar Association-accredited Part-time Online J.D. Schedule.
The law school received more than 430 applications for the 33 spots. Students in the program range in age from 22 to 66, and they are attending from across Texas, as well as from Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Mississippi, New Mexico, Utah, and Washington.
“South Texas designed the Online Schedule to provide a rigorous program of legal education to individuals who are unable to pursue a law degree because of geographic limitations, family and job commitments, and life circumstances,” said President and Dean Michael F. Barry. “These outstanding students will have to work just as hard as our in-person students as they pursue their Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree – they just will not have to relocate to Houston to do so.”
The students earning their J.D. through the online schedule came to the downtown Houston campus in August for a one-week residency period. They will return to campus in each of the following years, as well.
“The students selected for this program have started strong, and they bring diverse professional and life experiences to add to discussions,” said Prof. Derek Fincham, associate dean for online education and innovation. “Their demographics, test scores, and academic success mirror the students in the law school’s full-time and part-time/campus programs.”
Fincham noted that the courses for the online schedule were built specifically for this format and incorporate the best practices for online teaching and learning.
While law schools across the country are adding countless online courses to their schedules, South Texas is one of approximately one dozen law schools in the nation approved by the American Bar Association to host a predominantly online program.
One of the goals for launching the mission-focused program was to provide access to students in more rural parts of Texas and surrounding states who did not live near a law school – and whose communities often lack a sufficient number of attorneys, creating access-to-justice issues. That goal has been achieved, with the overwhelming majority of students coming from such communities.
Many of the 33 students have wanted to attend law school for years but were unable to do so until South Texas began this program – and they have expressed great appreciation to South Texas for the opportunity to pursue a legal career. The students in the program also have already connected with one another, and they are excited to be part of the first group at South Texas Law studying in the online schedule.
“I am most excited about learning alongside such a diverse and intelligent group of individuals,” shared one student. “The residency week revealed what a truly extraordinary cohort we have.”
To learn more about enrolling in the Part-time Online J.D. Schedule that begins in Fall 2024, contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@stcl.edu or read more at stcl.edu/admissions.
