Mission:
The primary mission of the major is to focus on skills to prepare men and women for the challenges of law school or related fields. In fulfillment, the Legal Studies Major has two options: completion of the major with a minor to complete a degree to prepare for related fields or associated graduate work outside of law school, or a “3+3” program designed for possible early matriculation into Belmont’s College of Law.
Students pursuing early admission to the Belmont College of Law through the 3+3 program participate in the Belmont University College of Law’s mission to prepare qualified students with an excellent understanding of the law that will equip them to become professional counselors, advocates, and judges; researchers, teachers, and philosophers of the law; entrepreneurs; and thoughtful citizens. Belmont University College of Law is committed to the Christian tradition. We believe that instilling the highest standards of personal and professional conduct is our ethical and communal responsibility. Meeting Belmont mission, vision and values, we seek to ensure that the knowledge and values that we transmit to our students serve the ends of justice.
Goals:
To provide a way for qualified Belmont students seeking a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree at Belmont to save tuition costs by completing a bachelor’s degree and a law degree in as little as six years. Through a unique arrangement with the Belmont College of Law, the 3+3 Law Program allows students to begin their first year of law school during their fourth year of undergraduate study (by completing the major, respective Bell Core, plus any free electives to reach minimum of 99 total earned hours). For students not electing to pursue the 3+3 program the major offers skills that may be applied to the legal field or related disciplines.
The Belmont 3+3 Option
Belmont’s 3+3 (B.A. / B.S. to J.D. program) is designed to allow qualified students who complete the major in Legal Studies their respective BELL Core (General Education), plus any free electives to meet a minimum of 99 credits in undergraduate studies, and if accepted through application, the ability to matriculate to Belmont’s College of Law. Upon successful completion of the first year of law school (with at least 29 earned LAW hours), the student will earn the undergraduate degree (B.A. or B.S.), and upon completion of the College of Law’s degree requirements in the College of Law earn the Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree.1 Students electing to take this major but not seek early entry into Belmont’s College of Law will follow the course of study provided to the completion of the bachelor degree, as either a BA or BS in Legal Studies.
