Graduation Requirements for the Executive Two-Year J.D. Program
Graduation requires 85 course credits, plus 30 hours of public service work. Please consult the Academic Rules in our Student Handbook for more detailed information on our graduation requirements.
Admission Details & Coursework Information
Students seeking admission to the Executive Two-Year J.D. Program must apply before March 31.
- September 1: Applications to all Gonzaga Law programs opens.
- February: Last administration of the LSAT exam that will return scores in time for admission consideration.
- March 31: Application deadline for the Executive Two-Year J.D. Program.
- Late-May: Orientation and classes for the Executive Two-Year J.D. Program students begin.
Admission to the Executive Two-Year J.D. Program
The Executive Two-Year J.D. Program is designed for students seeking careers in business law, general practice, or private practice. Applicants for this track are self-motivated, diligent, and industrious, and should be able to articulate and demonstrate those traits. The application process shares the same requirements and uses the same online LSAC application as admission to our traditional three-year program. You will have an option to select the Executive Two-Year J.D. track once you begin the form. If you have questions around discerning which track is the best fit for you, please contact the admission office.
First-Year Executive Two-Year J.D. Program
Term 1, Year 1 Late May to Mid-August
Term 2, Year 1 Late August to Mid-December
Term 3, Year 1 Mid-January to Early May
Second-Year Executive Two-Year J.D. Program
Term 4, Year 2 Late May to Mid-August
Term 5, Year 2 Late August to Mid-December
Term 6, Year 2 Mid-January to Early May
Gonzaga University holds Commencement exercises in early May.
As in most states, the Washington State bar examination is administered in July of each year. The examination is also offered in February.
As a student in the Executive Two-Year J.D. Program, you will start classes in the summer. After the summer semester, you will be in classes with traditional three-year JD students.
A Gonzaga Law tradition, in Legal Research & Analysis and Legal Research and Writing, you will learn to communicate with lawyerly precision and clarity while simultaneously honing your analytical and research skills. You will stay in the same section of Legal Research and Legal Research & Writing in the two terms.
During your first year, you will be automatically registered for courses by the Registrar’s Office and notified by email when registration has been completed. Sections are assigned randomly.
Although there is some flexibility in the Executive Two-Year J.D. Program, here is what your schedule may look like:
First Term - Summer - 15 Credits
- Legal Methods & Jurisprudence – 3 Credits
- Statistics & Data Analytics for Lawyers – 3 Credits
- Leadership for Lawyers – 3 Credits
- Foundations of Legal Research & Analysis – 3 Credits
- Local Gov't Legislation & Regulation – 3 Credits
Second Term - Fall - 14 Credits
- Civil Procedure – 4 Credits
- Contracts – 4 Credits
- Torts – 3 Credits
- Professional Foundations – 1 Credits
- Legal Research & Writing I – 2 Credits
Third Term - Spring - 14 Credits
- Criminal Law – 3 Credits
- Property – 3 Credits
- Constitutional Law I – 3 Credits
- Legal Research & Writing II – 2 Credits
- Lawyering Skills – 3 Credits
Fourth Term - Summer - 14 Credits
- Financial Accounting for Lawyers – 3 Credits
- Taxation of Individual Income - 3 Credits
- Professional Responsibility – 3 Credits
- Electives (Experiential Learning Requirements - Clinic) – 5 Credits
Fifth Term - Fall - 14 Credits
- Constitutional Law II or Evidence – 3 Credits
- Business Associations – 3 Credits
- Electives – 8 Credits
Sixth Term - Spring - 14 Credits
- Business Planning – 3 Credits
- Evidence or Constitutional Law II – 3 Credits
- Electives – 8 Credits
Learn By Doing
You will be required to engage in experiential learning, serving real clients while working with practicing lawyers or judges. Due to the accelerated, more prescribed curriculum, there is less flexibility in gaining experiential learning and taking course electives. If you are considering an area of focus outside of business, general practice, or private practice, please contact the admissions office to have a conversation about which track may be a better fit for your goals.
Experiential learning requirements may take place in our legal clinic, in a designated simulation course, or in community placements through the externship program. Executive Two-Year J.D. Program students are already required to take 3 credits of simulation experiential learning in Business Planning (3 credits in your sixth term). Executive Two-Year J.D. Program students begin taking experiential learning credits in our legal clinics during your fourth term. Schedules may also permit taking experiential learning credits in an externship during your fifth and sixth terms.
Students in the Executive Two-Year J.D. Program are required to pass 8 credit hours of experiential learning to complete their degree but may complete up to 15 total credits. Only 4 of the required 8 credits may be from simulation courses. You must apply for each experience in which you would like to participate.