What is Law School? What is a J.D.?

Law school is a three-year program to obtain a Juris Doctor degree, or J.D. Upon graduation from law school and successful completion of the state’s bar examination, you will be licensed to practice in any area of law, except patent law, which has additional requirements, including an additional examination known as the patent bar. Law school is different than undergraduate because you do not have to choose a major or specialize in any area of law, and there are very few, if any, required courses after your first year.

During the first year of law school, students typically take bar courses, which cover subjects that will be tested on the bar examination. These are subjects like contracts, criminal law, torts, and constitutional law. Students also take a skills course, usually consisting of legal research and writing. After the first year, students typically create their class schedule as they see fit. Students can choose from specialized classes like intellectual property or environmental law, take externships, take practical skills classes like moot court and negotiations, and even go study abroad.

Learn more about each step of the process below or in our roadmap to pursuing an advanced degree.