Follow your ambitions. Make the most of your college education and set yourself up for a law career with a dual degree program.
Bachelor's Degree and Juris Doctor
180 to 190
6 years
Salem Campus
Alumni of the dual degree program have gone on to have thriving law careers. From serving as in-house counsel to arguing cases in front of Oregon’s highest court, Willamette graduates are having an impact. Find out more about our students’ achievements and how a Willamette education helped them get their start.
From Willamette to the JAG Corps
Henry Harder turned involvement on campus into an internship with the Judge Advocate General’s Corps where he developed leadership and team skills alongside learning about different aspects of law. His work led to additional offers from JAG, launching his career before graduation.
Triple Bearcat
Karina Shipman pursued her BA, JD, and MBA Willamette University, where she completed all three degrees in seven years. With the support of faculty and a meticulous course schedule, she balanced the challenging program and is now a healthcare attorney in Portland, ME.
While students are not required to select a specific undergraduate major, they are encouraged to consider majors that can help them prepare for the rigorous pace of law school. Once admitted into the law program, students take courses that cover a variety of legal aspects from constitutional and civil procedure to torts and contracts. With the wide array of courses available, students are able to specialize their focus and work toward a specific legal career.
Survey of laws governing marriage and divorce. Includes jurisdiction; consequences; economic relations; alimony, support and separation agreements; status of the child; juvenile court proceedings as they affect child custody and the parent-child relationship.
Race, racism, and American law. Included are construction and application of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the United States Constitution, the original civil rights statutes, and modern civil rights legislation. Emphasis on the law's successes and failures in addressing discrimination in housing, education, voting, public accommodations, and interracial sex and marriage.
As a liberal arts college, we emphasize a multi-faceted education that covers both technical and soft skills. Through both our undergraduate and law programs, we offer meaningful experience that will help students prepare for long-term success. Hands-on learning, small class sizes, and a wide range of course offerings give students the support and knowledge they need to thrive in the modern workplace.
The law school faculty is made up of accomplished scholars and highly respected educators. They have served as legal counsel in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, bringing a wealth of experience and professional connections to the classroom. They serve as mentors for aspiring lawyers, offering career advice and personalized support.
Professor Dobbins brings experience practicing law in both the public and private sectors to the classroom. He is a member of the bar of the State of Oregon, the U.S. Supreme Court, and eight different U.S. Courts of Appeals. His research focuses on civil procedure, administrative law, and appellate process and theory.
Professor Sandrick’s legal work focuses on the intersection of commercial law, business law, and intellectual property law. Her recent writing has dealt with patent remedies, patent licensing, and public-private partnerships. She is the Director of the Business Law Certificate and Co-Founder of the Business Lawyering Institute.
Professor Nafziger has held many prominent positions over the course of his career including Administrative Director of the American Society of International Law. He was the first recipient of the Willamette University President’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and received an award for extraordinary contributions from the American Society of Comparative Law.
To be considered for the BA/JD program, applicants must have a minimum combined SAT score of 1950 or ACT score of 29 (waived for Willamette undergraduates) and a high school GPA of at least 3.5. Additional requirements include a personal essay outlining the applicant's motivation and strengths for success in the accelerated program, as well as an in-person interview with the BA/JD Admission Committee to assess maturity, focus, and discipline.
By the end of their junior year, BA/JD students must complete all major and general education requirements for Willamette College, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher, earn 24 or more undergraduate credits, achieve an LSAT score at or above the median for the previous year’s entering law class, and submit all required law school application materials.
Willamette University