History BA / Law JD

Major: History and Law 
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Juris Doctor (JD)
Calendar Type: Quarter and semester
Minimum Required Credits: 180.0 quarter credits & 85.0 semester credits
Co-op Options: No Co-op (Six years)
BA Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 54.0101
BA Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 19-3093
JD Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 22.0101
JD Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 23-1011

About the Program

This accelerated degree program combines the BA in History 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 History and their JD in six years. The study of history at Drexel emphasizes the development of skills in independent research, analysis, and communication that provide a strong foundation for success in law school.

Additional Information

For more information about the History major, visit the Department of History webpage. 

Admission Requirements

For the BA: Standard admission requirements 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 the 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

University Requirements
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
CIVC 101Introduction to Civic Engagement1.0
College of Arts & Sciences Requirements*
Developing Quantitative Reasoning *6.0-8.0
Engaging the Natural World *6.0-8.0
Analyzing Cultures & Histories *6.0-8.0
Understanding Society & Human Behavior *6.0-8.0
Cultivating Global Competence *6.0-8.0
Perspectives in Diversity *3.0-4.0
Department of History Requirements
Core History Sequence **24.0
Introductory Seminar in History **
Research Methods in History **
The Study of History **
Advanced History Seminar **
Senior Seminar I **
Senior Seminar II **
History Distribution Courses ***16.0
Any 1 Global History course ***
Any 1 Africana History Course ***
Any 1 History of Science, Technology, and Environment course ***
Any 1 History course covering pre-1700 history (May not be HIST 201) ***
History Elective Courses ****20.0
Any 5 History courses ****
Department Language Requirement 0.0-12.0
Foreign Language
Free electives (Undergraduate) ††18.0-41.0
Choose 18-41 credits. ††
Free electives (Law School Requirements)33.0
Take 22 semester credits of required first-year law courses (which count as 33 undergraduate quarter credits)
Law School Requirements
Torts
Contracts
Civil Procedure
Legislation and Regulation
Property
Criminal Law
Constitutional Law
Legal Methods I
Legal Methods II
Professional Responsibility
Electives and Menu Requirements including:49.0-50.0
One Upper-Level Writing Course (WUL)
One Statutory Course
One Professional Practice Course
*

See the CoAS Core Curriculum List for a complete list of course options.

**

These courses ought to be taken in sequence as much as possible in the compressed schedule. See the plan of study.

***

The History Distribution courses must be at least 200-level, and a course may not fulfill more than one Distribution category. Between the History Distribution courses and History elective/Concentration electives, students must complete at least two 300-level courses.

Students must complete a department language requirement. They may either successfully complete 103 in one language (including the option to test out of it, if the university offers the language of the student's competence), or they may take 12 credits of language distributed across more than one language.

  • Students may count one Study Abroad or international co-op experience (minimum one quarter) in a non-English speaking country toward their language requirement. Students should consult with their advisor to ensure this credit is properly recorded.
  • Students may count one language course toward the CoAS "cultivating global competence" distribution requirement.
††

The number of Free electives will vary depending on the number of credits in other course selections. Students need 180 credits for the History BA; the Law School credits contribute 33 (undergraduate quarter) credits. Consequently, students will need enough Free elective credits to reach 147 undergraduate credits.

Upper-Level Writing (WUL) Courses (may also be used as electives one requirement is fulfilled):
LAW 610SReproductive Rights & Justice2.0-3.0
LAW 611SSex, Gender, & the Law3.0
LAW 614SSupreme Court Seminar3.0
LAW 647SThe Rights of Children2.0
LAW 673SCrime and Community2.0
LAW 790SToxic Torts2.0
LAW 791SRegulating Patient Safety2.0
LAW 793SMental Health Law (if paper option)3.0
LAW 805SPublic Interest Law and Policy2.0
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
LAW 842SLaw and Mind Sciences2.0
LAW 844SLaw and Social Movements3.0
LAW 848SCourts and Public Policy2.0-3.0
LAW 882SLitigation Drafting2.0
LAW 884SContract Drafting2.0
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 Law4.0
LAW 622SEmployment Discrimination3.0
LAW 623SElection Law3.0
LAW 624SEnvironmental Law3.0
LAW 642SSpecial Education Law2.0-3.0
LAW 674SHealth Care Fraud and Abuse2.0
LAW 675SFederal Criminal Law2.0-3.0
LAW 676SWhite Collar Crime2.0-3.0
LAW 700SBusiness Organizations3.0-4.0
LAW 701SFederal Income Tax4.0
LAW 702SEnterprise Tax4.0
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
LAW 760SCopyright3.0
LAW 761SPatents3.0
LAW 764STrademarks & Unfair Competition3.0
LAW 792SFood and Drug Law3.0
LAW 796SInsurance Law2.0
LAW 820SImmigration Law3.0-4.0
LAW 821SEuropean Union Law2.0-3.0
LAW 826SRefugee and Asylum Law2.0
Professional Practice Courses (may also be used as electives once requirement is fulfilled):
LAW 924S
LAW 653S
Entrepreneurial Law Clinic
and Entrepreneurial Law Clinic Seminar
7.0
LAW 931S
LAW 654S
Law Co-op
and Lawyering Practice Seminar
8.0-9.0
LAW 941S
LAW 942S
LAW 656S
Criminal Litigation Clinic I
and Criminal Litigation Clinic II
and Justice Lawyering Sem
14.0-15.0
LAW 943S
LAW 944S
LAW 656S
Civil Litigation Clinic I
and Civil Litigation Clinic II
and Justice Lawyering Sem
14.0-15.0
LAW 947S
LAW 948S
LAW 656S
Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic
and Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic II
and Justice Lawyering Sem
14.0-15.0
LAW 950S
LAW 951S
LAW 656S
Community Lawyering Clinic I
and Community Lawyering Clinic II
and Justice Lawyering Sem
14.0-15.0
Free Electives (may require permission to enroll)
Any other unspecified LAW course numbered 550S and above may count as 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 101 or 1113.0CIVC 1011.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0VACATION
HIST 1014.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0Developing Quantitative Reasoning3.0-4.0 
UNIV H1011.0Developing Quantitative Reasoning3.0-4.0Foreign Language course/Free elective††3.0-4.0 
Foreign Language course/Cultivating Global Competence††4.0Foreign Language course/Free elective††3.0-4.0Global History course*4.0 
History elective*4.0Free elective3.0-4.0  
 16 13-16 13-15 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
HIST 2964.0Analyzing Cultures & Histories3.0-4.0Analyzing Culture & Societies3.0-4.0VACATION
HIST 3014.0Engaging the Natural World3.0-4.0History elective*4.0 
Engaging the Natural World3.0-4.0History of Science, Technology, and Environment course*4.0Understanding Society & Human Behavior3.0-4.0 
History course covering pre-1700 history**4.0Understanding Society & Human Behavior3.0-4.0Free electives6.0-8.0 
 15-16 13-16 16-20 0
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
HIST 4904.0HIST 3804.0History electives*8.0VACATION
Cultivating Global Competence3.0-4.0HIST 4914.0Free elective6.0-8.0Student transitions to First Year of Law School
History elective*4.0UNIV H2011.0  
Perspectives in Diversity3.0-4.0Africana History course*4.0  
 Free elective3.0-4.0  
 14-16 16-17 14-16 0
Total Credits 130-148

Law School course credits are semester credits

First Year Law course credits (22 semester credits) are counted toward the History 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 Reqts/Electives10.0LAW Reqts/Electives12.0
 14 14
Sixth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
LAW Reqts/Electives14.0LAW Reqts/Electives14.0
 
 14 14
Total Credits 85