Concordia University Wisconsin
Bachelor of Arts in Pre-Law Pathway
Wisconsin Township, USA
BA
DURATION
6 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Jan 2026
TUITION FEES
USD 750 / per semester
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Launch your legal career with Christ-centered programs through Concordia's partnership with Marquette University Law School.
Fast-track your legal career
Concordia University Wisconsin offers a specialized Pre-Law Pathway in partnership with Marquette University Law School. This program provides you with a streamlined and structured route to law school, emphasizing a strong foundation in critical thinking, ethics, and legal studies.
Concordia University has partnered with Marquette University Law School to offer an innovative 3+3 Pre-Law Program. Qualifying CUW students may earn a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree from CUW and a Juris Doctorate (JD) degree in just six years, saving you a full year of education and providing an accelerated route to becoming an attorney. That means saving you both time and money.
How is this pathway special?
- Streamlined Pathway: Earn both a BS or BA from Concordia and a JD from Marquette Law School in as little as 6 years.
- Faith-based Education: Prepare to pursue justice and serve others with integrity, service, and a Christ-centered perspective.
- Personalized Support: Benefit from one of Concordia's dedicated pre-law advisors to ensure you are set up for success.
- Broad Undergraduate Areas of Interest: Pursue your undergraduate degree at CUW in a variety of subject areas!
What to Expect
You may apply to enter the 3+3 Pre-Law Program any time before starting your sophomore year, and must successfully:
- Complete the requirements for your major and the Liberal Arts Core
- Complete a minimum of 91 total credits by the end of your junior year
- Apply and be accepted to Marquette University Law School (MULS) during your junior year
Upon acceptance to Marquette, you will be able to take your first year of law school at MULS in lieu of your senior year at CUW. Once you complete all 29 credits of your first-year curriculum at Marquette, Concordia will apply those credits toward the completion of your CUW undergraduate degree (i.e., a total of at least 120 credits). CUW will grant your undergraduate degree once the transfer credits are received, and a subsequent graduation audit is conducted by CUW's Registrar’s Office. Upon completing MULS's required curriculum, you will be awarded a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from Marquette University Law School.
- Attorney
- Policy Analyst
- Corporate Governance
First Year
- September: Meet with pre-law and staff advisors to review program requirements and prepare a preliminary course plan.
- Even if you declared a major before your freshman year started, you can investigate other majors that may pique your curiosity as well.
- Begin getting to know your professors and advisors; they are invaluable resources. Not to mention, the more they know you, the better. You will want personalized letters of recommendation for law school applications.
- Start getting involved in extracurricular activities. The application for Marquette University Law School (MULS) requires a list of extracurricular activities (this is true of many law schools).
- Begin planning for the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). It's never too early.
- Start exploring internship opportunities in the legal realm. They are crucial learning experiences, and they can help confirm whether law school is likely to be a good fit as you proceed. (Also, many majors require one.)
- Start seeking opportunities to shadow practicing attorneys.
- Start participating in lectures and symposia.
- Participate in law school admissions sessions and begin to regularly visit MULS.
Sophomore Year
- If you haven’t already, settle on your major.
- Continue meeting with your pre-law and staff advisors.
- Focus on taking the required courses in your major and the Liberal Arts Core. The courses in your first year of law school will represent most of your general elective credits.
- Continue exploring internship opportunities.
- If you haven't already, get involved in extracurricular activities.
- If you haven't already, begin preparing for the LSAT.
Summer Before Junior Year
- Create an account with the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC). It provides several resources for prospective applicants, administers the LSAT, and its Credential Assembly Service helps coordinate many application procedures.
- Take the LSAT. This is strongly recommended because the summer test is at the beginning of June, and MULS usually begins accepting applications as early as September 1.
- Write and review your personal statement, which will be part of your application. Have others you trust review it for feedback.
- Request letters of recommendation.
Junior Year
- Take the LSAT (if not completed in the summer).
- Submit law school applications.
- Follow up on letters of recommendation.
- Apply to MULS.
Year 1 at MULS
- Review the final graduation audit for CUW.
- Apply for graduation at CUW.