English BA / Law JD

Major: English and Law 
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Juris Doctor (JD)
Calendar Type: Quarter and semester
Total Credit Hours: 180.0 quarter credits & 85.0 semester credits
Co-op Options: No Co-op (Six years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 23.9999
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 19-3094

About the Program

This accelerated degree program combines the BA in English in the College of Arts and Sciences and the JD offered by the Kline School of Law. It is a "3+3" program, allowing qualified students to earn both their BA in English and their JD in six years. The study of English provides a strong foundation for success in law school.

Admission Requirements

For the BA: Standard for all Drexel undergraduate programs

To be admitted to Drexel's Kline School of Law, students must:

  • Maintain a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.45
  • Earn a LSAT score that meets or exceeds the Kline School of Law's current LSAT median (as determined by point of entry into the undergraduate program) no later than December of year 3 of undergraduate program
  • Actively participate in pre-law and BAJD activities
  • Meet regularly with academic advisor and the pre-law advisor
  • Maintain satisfactory progress towards completing required undergraduate coursework as set out in the plan of study in three years
  • File complete, binding application to the Kline School of Law by December 31 of year 3 of undergraduate program
  • Comply with all admission and seat deposit requirements of the Kline School of Law
  • Comply with all character and fitness requirements of the Kline School of Law

Students who do not meet these qualifications may still be granted admission if space is available.

Degree Requirements

General Education Requirements
CIVC 101Introduction to Civic Engagement1.0
ENGL 101Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research3.0
or ENGL 111 English Composition I
ENGL 102Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing3.0
or ENGL 112 English Composition II
ENGL 103Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres3.0
or ENGL 113 English Composition III
UNIV H101The Drexel Experience1.0
UNIV H201Looking Forward: Academics and Careers1.0
Two Math courses6.0
Two Science courses6.0
Studies in Diversity electives6.0
Foreign Language Requirement *8.0
Humanities/Fine Arts electives6.0
Social Science electives12.0
International Studies electives6.0
Core English Major Requirements
ENGL 195English Freshman Seminar 3.0
ENGL 207 [WI] African American Literature3.0
ENGL 301English Major Colloquium **3.0
ENGL 315 [WI] Shakespeare3.0
ENGL 325Topics in World Literature3.0
ENGL 355 [WI] Women and Literature3.0
ENGL 495Senior Project in Literature3.0
WRIT 195Threshold Concepts in Writing3.0
WRIT 200Language Puzzles and Word Games: Issues in Modern Grammar3.0
WRIT 225 [WI] Creative Writing3.0
Additional ENGL courses36.0
Select four of the following courses:
Classical to Medieval Literature
Renaissance to the Enlightenment
Romanticism to Modernism
Survey of World Literature
Post-Colonial Literature
American Literature I
American Literature II
British Literature I
British Literature II
Authors and Periods - Select 1 for a minimum of 3 credits
Period Studies
Major Authors
Literary Impacts - Select 1 for a minimum of 3 credits
Literature & Science
Literature and Other Arts
Literature and Society
Literary Traditions - Select 1 for a minimum of 3 credits
The Bible as Literature
Mythology
Literary Theory - 3 credits
Literary Theory
Literature Seminars - Take both for a minimum of 6 credits
Seminar in English and American Literature
Seminar in World Literature
English electives - minimum of 6 credits in ENGL or WRIT
Free undergraduate electives from any discipline19.0
Free electives fulfilled by 22.0 semester credits from first-year law courses (Law School Requirements)33.0
Law School Requirements ***
Torts
Contracts
Civil Procedure
Legislation and Regulation
Property
Criminal Law
Constitutional Law (Law Reqts/Electives)
Legal Methods I
Legal Methods II
Professional Responsibility
Electives and Menu Requirements including:
One Upper Level Writing Course (WUL). See list below.
One Statutory Course
One Professional Practice Course
Total Credits180.0

Law School Courses

Upper-Level Writing (WUL) Courses (may also be used as electives once requirement is fulfilled):
LAW 610SReproductive Rights Law2.0-3.0
LAW 611SSex, Gender, & the Law2.0-3.0
LAW 614SSupreme Court Seminar3.0
LAW 647SThe Rights of Children2.0
LAW 656SJustice Lawyering Sem1.0-3.0
LAW 673SCrime and Community2.0
LAW 790SToxic Torts2.0-3.0
LAW 791SRegulating Patient Safety2.0-3.0
LAW 793SMental Health Law2.0-3.0
LAW 827SImmigration Litigation2.0
LAW 828SInternational Business Transactions2.0-3.0
LAW 832SContract Theory Seminar2.0-3.0
LAW 836SLegal History2.0-3.0
LAW 838SFoundations of Legal Analysis2.0
LAW 840SLiterature and The Law Seminar2.0-3.0
LAW 842SLaw and Mind Sciences2.0-3.0
LAW 844SLaw and Social Movements2.0-3.0
LAW 910SAppellate Advocacy2.0
LAW 920SDrexel Law Review ((if WUL option))1.0-6.0
LAW T880SSpecial Topics in LAW1.0-5.0
Statutory Courses (may also be used as electives once requirement is fulfilled):
LAW 620SAdministrative Law3.0-4.0
LAW 622SEmployment Discrimination3.0
LAW 623SElection Law3.0-4.0
LAW 624SEnvironmental Law3.0
LAW 674SHealth Care Fraud and Abuse2.0-3.0
LAW 675SFederal Criminal Law2.0-3.0
LAW 676SWhite Collar Crime2.0-3.0
LAW 700SBusiness Organizations3.0-4.0
LAW 701SFederal Income Tax3.0-4.0
LAW 702SEnterprise Tax3.0-4.0
LAW 706SSecured Transactions3.0
LAW 708SPayment Systems3.0
LAW 710SBankruptcy3.0-4.0
LAW 711SSales3.0
LAW 714SSecurities Regulation3.0
LAW 740STrusts and Estates3.0-4.0
LAW 760SCopyright3.0
LAW 764STrademarks & Unfair Competition3.0
LAW 792SFood and Drug Law2.0-3.0
LAW 796SInsurance Law2.0-3.0
LAW 820SImmigration Law3.0-4.0
LAW 821SEuropean Union Law2.0-3.0
LAW 826SRefugee and Asylum Law2.0-3.0
Professional Practice Courses (may also be used as electives once requirement is fulfilled):
LAW 931S
& LAW 654S		Law Co-op
and Lawyering Practice Seminar		5.0-11.0
LAW 933S
& LAW 654S		Co-op Intensive
and Lawyering Practice Seminar		11.0-12.0
LAW 941S
& LAW 944S
& LAW 656S		Criminal Litigation Clinic I
and Civil Litigation Clinic II
and Justice Lawyering Sem		11.0-15.0
LAW 943S
& LAW 944S
& LAW 656S		Civil Litigation Clinic I
and Civil Litigation Clinic II
and Justice Lawyering Sem		11.0-15.0
LAW 947S
& LAW 948S
& LAW 656S		Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic
and Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic II
and Justice Lawyering Sem		11.0-15.0
LAW 950S
& LAW 951S
& LAW 656S		Community Lawyering Clinic I
and Community Lawyering Clinic II
and Justice Lawyering Sem		11.0-15.0
LAW 924S
& LAW 653S		Entrepreneurial Law Clinic
and Entrepreneurial Law Clinic Seminar		6.0-7.0
Free Electives (may require permission to enroll)
Any other unspecified LAW course numbered 550S and above may count as a JD elective

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

Sample Plan of Study

Undergraduate course credits are quarter credits

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ENGL 1013.0CIVC 1011.0ENGL 1033.0VACATION
ENGL 1953.0ENGL 1023.0ENGL 2043.0 
UNIV H1011.0ENGL 2033.0ENGL 3011.0 
WRIT 1953.0WRIT 2003.0WRIT 2253.0 
Language course4.0Language course4.0Math course3.0 
Undergraduate elective3.0Undergraduate elective3.0Undergraduate elective3.0 
 17 17 16 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ENGL 2113.0ENGL 2123.0ENGL 3011.0VACATION
ENGL 2073.0ENGL 3011.0ENGL 3553.0 
Social Science elective3.0ENGL 3253.0WRIT 3103.0 
Math course3.0Diversity elective3.0Social Science elective3.0 
Undergraduate elective4.0Social Science elective3.0Science elective3.0 
 Undergraduate elective3.0Undergraduate elective3.0 
 16 16 16 0
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ENGL 3353.0ENGL 3603.0ENGL 3153.0Student transitions to First Year of Law School
ENGL 4903.0ENGL 3803.0Science elective3.0 
UNIV H2011.0ENGL 4923.0Social Science elective3.0 
ENGL or WRIT Elective - 1 of 23.0ENGL 4953.0Humanities elective3.0 
Diversity Elective3.0ENGL or WRIT Elective - 2 of 23.0International Studies elective3.0 
International Studies Elective3.0Humanities elective3.0  
 16 18 15 0
Total Credits 147

Law School course credits are semester credits

First Year Law course credits (22 semester credits) are counted toward the English BA.

Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
LAW 550S (Counts toward UG free elective)4.0LAW 555S (Counts toward UG free elective)3.0
LAW 552S (Counts toward UG free elective)4.0LAW 556S (Counts toward UG free elective)4.0
LAW 554S (Counts toward UG free elective)4.0LAW 558S4.0
LAW 565S (Counts toward UG free elective)3.0LAW 566S3.0
 15 14
Fifth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
LAW 560S4.0LAW 830S2.0
LAW Requirements/Electives10.0Law Requirements/Electives12.0
 14 14
Sixth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Law Requirements/Electives14.0Law Requirements/Electives14.0
 14 14
Total Credits 85
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