The Legal Education Admission Program (LEAP) provides an opportunity for Grand Valley State University's Legal Studies undergraduate students to earn both a bachelor's degree and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree in approximately six years of full-time study (three years of Legal Studies plus three years of law school) instead of the traditional seven year plan. The program was developed by Grand Valley State University's Legal Studies Department and Michigan State University College of Law (MSU Law). LEAP students who have met all requirements apply to MSU Law a year early (during their junior year) and, if admitted to law school, attend MSU Law and work to complete their remaining undergraduate electives with law school courses.

LEAP is open only to students who matriculate as first-year students at Grand Valley. Students interested in LEAP should consult with the Legal Studies LEAP advisor, Professor Adrian Copeland, during their freshman year to discuss and plan for the LEAP program. Students seeking admission to MSU Law must complete a minimum of 91 credits at Grand Valley. This includes all university-level requirements as well as the requirements for the Legal Studies major and baccalaureate degree. During the fall semester of a student’s junior year, they should consult with the Legal Studies LEAP advisor to ensure that all university and major requirements will be met by the end of the student's junior year. If a student is admitted to MSU Law through the LEAP program, GVSU will accept as transfer credits applicable to the baccalaureate degree up to 29 credit hours of course work taken at MSU Law in which the student received a grade of 2.0 or better.

To be eligible for consideration for admission to MSU Law under LEAP, a student must be enrolled and on track to complete three-fourths of the traditional 120 credits (91 credits) required for their degree, take the LSAT, and apply to MSU Law before February 1 of the law school matriculation year. Students applying to law school must meet current MSU Law admission standards and requirements, including LSAT and GPA. Students should meet with the Legal Studies LEAP advisor to discuss MSU Law admission standards. Students applying to MSU Law must also obtain a letter of recommendation from the Legal Studies LEAP advisor and a second letter of recommendation from another GVSU Legal Studies faculty member, and maintain a character and fitness record that suggests the applicant has the requisite maturity and character needed for success in law school.

Please note that MSU Law will consider a student’s application from the LEAP program, but admission is not guaranteed.

To apply, please email Professor Copeland ([email protected]) with your name, major(s), current GPA, list of completed credits, and email address.

 

SUGGESTED ORDER OF COURSEWORK

Year One

          Fall Semester (15 credits)

• LS 101 - Law in our Lives (3 credits)
• Science w/o Lab (3 credits)
• CIS150 (3 credits)
• MTH 108 or Open Elective (3 credits)
• Historical Analysis (3 credits)

Winter Semester (15-16 credits)

• Science w/ Lab (4 credits)
• MTH 109 or MTH 110 (3 or 4 credits)
• WRT 150 (4 credits)
• Art (3 credits)
• Open elective (1 credit)

 

Year Two

          Fall semester (15 credits)

• LS 224 – Legal Research (3 credits)
• LS 322 (3 credits)
• LS Elective (3 credits)
• STA 215 – Statistics (3 credits)
• Philosophy and Literature (3 credits)

Winter semester (15 credits)

• LS 226 – Civil Litigation I (3 credits)
• LS 324 – Legal Writing SWS (3 credits)
• LS 320 (3 credits)
• Social and Behavioral Science (3 credits)
• US Diversity (3 Credits)

 

Year Three

          Fall Semester (15 credits)

• LS 428 – Civil Litigation II (3 credits)
• LS 490 – Legal Internship (3 credits)
• LS Elective (3 credits)
• Global Perspectives (3 credits)
• Issues SWS (3 credits)

Winter Semester (15 credits)

• LS 495 – Legal Thought (capstone) (3 credits)
• CJ 300 – Research Methods (3 credits)
• LS Elective (3 credits)
• Issues (3 credits)

Open Elective (3 credits)