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Chicago-Kent and UIC Establish Accelerated Dual-Degree Program

Six-year program will save students seeking undergraduate and law degrees time and money.

CHICAGO–December 11, 2003--Illinois Institute of Technology's Chicago-Kent College of Law and the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) have announced the establishment of an accelerated degree program that will allow UIC students to complete a bachelor's degree and law degree in six years -- one year ahead of the average time to earn both degrees.

The program is designed so that students will spend their first three years at UIC and the last three at Chicago-Kent. The fourth year curriculum for the bachelor's degree overlaps with the first year of law school studies. Students in the program who satisfy all requirements -- including completion of a minimum of 90 semester hours at UIC -- will be assured of a place in Chicago-Kent's first-year class. The first group of UIC students will be eligible to begin legal studies at Chicago-Kent in the fall of 2004.

Students will pay UIC tuition for the first three years and Chicago-Kent tuition for the remaining three years, and will apply for the new program during their sophomore year. Officials at both schools are optimistic about the new program and expect it will also lead to cross-institutional faculty appointments, joint seminar programs and collaborative legal research projects between the two institutions.

"We're excited about deepening our relationship with UIC, which offers academic excellence in so many fields," said Chicago-Kent dean Harold J. Krent. "Our faculty and students benefit from greater interaction between the two schools. Moreover, this closer collaboration with UIC will result in attracting additional excellent students to Chicago-Kent College of Law."

"A collaborative educational program of this nature between a major public research university and a leading private law school is unique," said Stanley Fish, dean of the UIC College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. "It is my hope that this wonderful new program will be just the beginning of a very close relationship between these two excellent institutions."

According to UIC officials, interest in legal careers has risen among undergraduates in recent years. As a result, the university has added several courses that incorporate law into its curriculum. In addition to this program, UIC students have participated in Chicago-Kent's four-week Pre-law Undergraduate Scholars (PLUS) program since 2001.

Chicago-Kent College of Law is the law school of Illinois Institute of Technology. Last year, Chicago-Kent educated more than 1,200 students from 45 states and more than 100 colleges and universities. The law school offers J.D. certificate programs in Environmental and Energy Law, Intellectual Property Law, International and Comparative Law, Labor and Employment Law, and Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution. Chicago-Kent also offers graduate programs in International and Comparative Law, International Intellectual Property Law, Financial Services Law, and Taxation.