A new partnership will allow undergraduate students at Southern Miss to pursue an accelerated law degree at Ole Miss.
On Thursday, officials with both universities gathered in Jackson and formalized the partnership agreement following a Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning board meeting.
The accelerated law school pathway provides a plan for undergraduate students in certain Southern Miss degree programs to trim a year off the time needed to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a law degree. “High-ability” undergraduate students, or those who outperform their peers, will have the opportunity to earn both degrees in just six years rather than seven.
“This partnership exemplifies our commitment to making legal education more accessible and efficient for dedicated students,” Ole Miss School of Law Dean Frederick G. Slabach said. “By streamlining the path to a law degree, we are not only reducing barriers but also empowering future attorneys to enter the profession sooner, ready to serve their communities, provide access to justice, and contribute meaningfully to the legal field.”
The Southern Miss academic degree programs participating in the partnership include criminal justice, legal studies, and political science. After completing 75% of the courses in one of these degree programs and meeting other competitive law school admissions requirements, students may then enroll at Ole Miss’ law school.
During their fourth year of school, students will take required first-year law school courses. They will be awarded their bachelor’s degree from USM upon satisfactory completion of the first-year law curriculum. After two more years of successful legal studies, these students will have earned a Juris Doctor.
“This program represents an extraordinary opportunity for our students to achieve their academic and professional goals more efficiently,” Southern Miss President Dr. Joe Paul said. “By creating a clear and accelerated route to earning both a bachelor’s degree and a Juris Doctor in just six years, we are preparing our students to begin their legal careers earlier while maintaining the highest standards of academic excellence.”
Ole Miss’ fourth accelerated law program partnership with a Mississippi institution of higher learning. Earlier agreements launched partnerships with Tougaloo College, Jackson State University, and Mississippi State University.
This makes the ninth overall partnership that also includes Ole Miss degree programs from its School of Engineering, School of Journalism and New Media, College of Liberal Arts, School of Business Administration, and Department of Legal Studies.
Students may enroll beginning this fall.
