Arizona State University—Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
The information on this page was provided by the law school.
Official Guide to ABA-Approved JD Programs
Introduction
Founded in 1965, the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University combines the best traditions of American legal education with contemporary programs, supported by strong community partnerships.
ASU Law's vision includes providing a highly personalized and affordable educational experience. With more than 250 unique courses each year, taught by world-class faculty and seasoned legal experts — plus hands-on learning opportunities in Phoenix, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and beyond, students can design an academic path that fits their goals and prepares them for the careers they want.
Public service, innovation and community impact are core priorities at ASU Law. Located in the heart of Phoenix, the fifth-largest city in the nation, students benefit from direct access to a vibrant legal community. Each year, ASU Law students contribute over 10,000 hours of public service, gaining real-world experience while giving back. A dynamic calendar of conferences, seminars and guest speakers further enriches the student experience, building a strong sense of community and professional connection.
The JD Program
The Juris Doctor (JD) degree at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University emphasizes practical learning and real-world experience to prepare the next generation of lawyers and leaders. ASU Law offers multiple JD pathways, including:
JD full-time on campus
The JD on campus in Phoenix is a three-year, full-time program that incorporates academic and practical learning to prepare one to practice law or work in a related field.
JD part-time online
ASU Law's part-time, online JD is designed to train lawyers to work in public service or private and public law practices within rural communities. The flexible delivery allows students to maintain their personal and professional commitments while copleting the JD degree in four to five years.
JD with Advanced Standing
Students with a degree from a law school outside the United States may be able to complete their Juris Doctor (JD) at ASU Law within two years. To qualify for the JD with Advanced Standing (JDAS) program, applicants must hold a law degree that meets the educational requirements to practice law or seek licensure in a jurisdiction outside the U.S., and is at least the foreign equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree. JDAS applicants are not required to take the LSAT.
JD transfer
ASU Law accepts transfer students who have completed one year in a full-time JD program or its equivalent. Students must have completed their first year at a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be in good standing at their current law school.
JD visiting
A student in good standing at a law school accredited by the American Bar Association may be permitted to complete courses at ASU Law without being a candidate for the Juris Doctor degree awarded by ASU. Students who have completed at least one year of a JD program at an ABA accredited law school are eligible to apply to visit for up to two semesters (maximum 30 credits) at ASU Law.
Curriculum
Curriculum
JD students complete foundational courses in civil procedure, contracts, torts, legal method and writing, property, constitutional law, criminal law and legal advocacy. In later years, most coursework is elective, providing greater academic flexibility. Graduation requires 88 credit hours and a substantial written paper.
Studies in the part-time, online JD are tailored for students who will go on to work in public service or practices within rural communities.
Full-time, on-campus JD students may enhance their education through focused programs, study abroad and concurrent degrees, including a Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Social Work (MSW), Master of Sports Law and Business (MSLB), or a Ph.D. in justice studies. Mayo Clinic School of Medicine students may also pursue a dual JD/MD degree.
ASU Law offers more than 250 courses and maintains one of the best student-to-faculty ratios in the nation. The college is committed to inclusion, expanding access to justice and advancing legal knowledge that reflects diverse perspectives. The professional and lived experiences of ASU Law’s faculty and scholars enrich learning, giving students meaningful insight into issues shaping local, national and global communities.
ASU Law is home to one of the nation’s top-ranked legal writing programs, providing exceptional training in legal analysis, research and writing. As part of a Tier I research institution and one of the nation’s largest public universities, ASU Law offers extensive opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.
Areas of expertise and JD certificates
Areas of expertise
- Advancing Democracy
- Business and Corporate
- Environmental Sustainability
- Health and Wellbeing
- International
- Tribal Sovereignty and Indigenous Justice
- Science and Technology Innovations
JD certificates
Students completing their JD full-time and on campus have a unique opportunity to pursue the following certificates and areas of interest to customize their degree.
- Law, Science and Technology Certificate
- Indian Law Certificate
- Health Law and Policy Certificate
- Law and Sustainability Certificate
- Trial Advocacy Certificate
Clinical program
Since 1969, ASU Law’s Clinical Program has helped students develop the legal expertise and professional judgment they need to bridge the gap between a law degree and practicing law. In the clinics, students engage in challenging and rewarding legal cases for real clients, and many students find their clinical experience to be the high point of their law school education.
The program offers a wide variety of experiences through 10 ASU Law clinics and three outside clinics:
- Civil Litigation Clinic
- Entrepreneurship and Small Business Clinic
- First Amendment Clinic
- Immigration Clinic
- Indian Legal Clinic
- Lisa Foundation Patent Law Clinic
- Post-Conviction Clinic
- Outside clinics: Lodestar Mediation Clinic, Public Defender Clinic and Prosecution Clinic
Under the direct supervision of faculty and practicing attorneys, most clinics provide opportunities to take direct responsibility for clients in a law practice setting. In addition to providing legal services, each clinic has a classroom component where students explore issues of proficiency and ethics, lawyer-client relationship; alternative dispute resolution, and the attorney’s role as an advocate in the justice system.
Clinical courses are an integral part of a balanced legal education. In today’s competitive legal environment, students with clinical experience have a decided edge in finding rewarding positions in their chosen fields.
Centers and programs
ASU Law Centers
ASU Law Centers are at the forefront of research, scholarship and advocacy on pressing legal issues and policy. These centers encourage the exchange of ideas through a combination of conferences, symposia, fellowships, community engagement, academic programs and courses.
- Academy for Justice: Making criminal justice reform research accessible to all.
American Indian Policy Institute: Supporting Tribal sovereignty through examination, exploration and elevation. - Center for Constitutional Design: Promoting nationwide conversations about constitutional design.
- Center for Law and Global Affairs: Advancing global legal education, practice, research and professional development.
- Center for Law, Science and Innovation: Advancing science and technology law and policy for over 30 years.
- Center for Public Health Law and Policy: Changing the world of public health law.
Indian Legal Program: Providing legal education and generating scholarship in the area of Indian law for 35 years. - Law and Sustainability: Equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary to become influential leaders in the global sustainability movement.
- Lodestar Dispute Resolution Center: Expanding ASU Law’s efforts to understand the nature of conflict and its impact on the effectiveness of dispute resolution.
- The McCarthy Institute: Collaborating to solve Intellectual Property and branding challenges.
- Wolin Family Center for Intellectual Property: Equipping students to navigate the complexities of IP law in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world.
Legal Writing Program
The Legal Method and Writing Program is an integral part of the JD curriculum at ASU Law. Our program is designed to ensure practice-ready students who are well-equipped to succeed when they begin externships, summer jobs, clerkships and legal careers.
The Legal Method and Writing program includes two required first-year courses that lay the foundation for success in future writing experiences, including journals and moot court competitions. Indeed, ASU students have won numerous national writing awards. In addition to the first-year curriculum, the program offers a diverse selection of elective courses that enrich the writing experiences for students in their second and third years.
U.S. News and World Report (2026) currently ranks the ASU Legal Method and Writing program No. 3 in the nation. Our full-time faculty have more than 200 years of combined teaching experiences and our small class sizes facilitate in-depth instruction and individualized feedback.
Master of Laws Program (LLM)
The Master of Laws (LLM) program allows one year of post-JD study tailored to the scholarly and practice interests of participating students. Lawyers may pursue an LLM in Biotechnology and Genomics, Intellectual Property, or Tribal Policy, Law, and Government. Most choose to customize their LLM studies, focusing on intellectual property, health law and policy, sustainability, international law, sports law and business, or any of the other areas that advance their professional goals.
Sports Law and Business Program
The Allan “Bud” Selig Sports Law and Business Program at ASU Law is a unique program, blending sports, law and business and taught by experienced faculty, including MLB Commissioner Emeritus Allan “Bud” Selig. In addition to offering a Master of Sports Law and Business (MSLB) degree, students may choose to earn both a JD and MSLB in seven semesters through the program. This concurrent degree option gives students the full range of JD curriculum, preparing them for the legal industry while also allowing students to take advantage of the full scope of business courses offered through the SLB program. This degree option is offered to incoming law students that have been admitted to ASU Law and current ASU Law students up until the first semester of their 2L year.
Student Life
Student activities
To prepare proactive, socially conscious attorneys and leaders, ASU Law enhances the traditional classroom experience with many extracurricular activities and evolves based on students’ interests.
The college has more than 50 student organizations, with several pro bono-led and more than 90% of ASU law students participate in a form of public service – externships, clinical or pro bono work. ASU Law students are competitive in moot court competitions, regionally and internationally and students can engage in professional development by becoming part of the team that produces, edits and publishes high-quality works of legal scholarship in one of our five law journals: Arizona State Law Journal, ASU Corporate and Business Journal, Jurimetrics, Law Journal for Social Justice and the Sports and Entertainment Law Journal.
Library and physical facilities
The Ross-Blakley Law Library is open to the public and occupies multiple floors in the Beus Center for Law and Society (BCLS) at ASU Law. It houses a superlative collection of legal and interdisciplinary research resources, to include a collection emphasis in Indian Law and English Legal History.
This state-of-the-art, six-story building is located in downtown Phoenix, putting students at the heart of the legal, economic and political market of the nation's fifth-largest city in the nation. The building space uses form and function to connect students, visitors and the general public to the role of justice in society. It’s accessible to everyone who is interested in learning about the law, its effect on our daily lives, and the many services and resources available through ASU and other BCLS partners.
Career Placement and Bar Passage
Tuition and Aid
Tuition and fees – JD Program (Full-time on campus, resident)
- Tuition: $29,832
- Fees: $829
- Expected Cost of Attendance: $50,069
Tuition and fees – JD Program (Full-time on campus, non-resident)
- Tuition: $53,542
- Fees: $829
- Expected Cost of Attendance: $73,779
Tuition and fees – JD Program (Part-time online)
- Estimated program cost: $115,000
Total tuition and fees for the JD part-time online (taken as designed) is approximately $115,000 for all residencies. Tuition and fees are different from full-time, on-campus enrollment. Based on ASU’s tuition rate in January 2026. Future tuition increases may apply.
Scholarships
All incoming first-year students are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships. Admitted students will be notified if additional information is required to be considered for any award. There are additional scholarships that students may apply to once they are enrolled. In order to maintain any scholarships awarded, students must be in good academic standing and enrolled full-time at ASU Law. In the last three years, no student has lost a recruiting scholarship in their second or third year of study as a result of academic probation.
Financial aid
To be considered for financial assistance, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The type of aid awarded could be any combination of federal student loans. To receive federal financial aid, you must meet the eligibility criteria and enroll at least half-time each semester.
There are also a number of private loan programs available. Private alternative loan fees and interest rates vary by lender and are determined by the borrower's credit rating. ASU Law does not endorse any specific lenders, but there are several online resources from which you can choose a lender (e.g., U.S. Department of Education and FinAID.org).
Admission Decisions: Beyond the Numbers
Every submitted application receives full review and consideration by the admissions committee prior to a decision. Admission is influenced by several factors including LSAT performance, undergraduate grade point average, the quality and grading patterns of undergraduate institutions, honors and awards, demonstrated commitment to public service, work and leadership experience, extracurricular or community activities, maturity, ability to communicate, foreign language proficiency, uniqueness of experience and background, service in the armed forces, history of overcoming economic or other disadvantages, overcoming disability, and exceptional personal talents.
Test-optional admissions pathway
ASU Law has a new test-optional pathway approved through a five-year American Bar Association Standard 503 variance beginning with the application for fall 2026. This approach reflects our commitment to reducing barriers that can keep talented people from pursuing a law degree and, ultimately, to expand access to justice in communities that need it most. The admissions committee makes decisions after considering all the information provided by the applicant. A limited number of applicants will be accepted through the test-optional pathway.
The test-optional pathway is open to candidates who do not have a reportable LSAT or JD-Next score and do not plan to take either test. There are no additional qualifications to apply as a test-optional candidate. If you are admitted as a test-optional applicant, you must not take the LSAT or JD-Next. If you have a valid and reportable LSAT or JD-Next score it will be considered as part of the comprehensive review of your file. Currently, the test-optional pathway is only open to full-time, on-campus applicants.
Admitted Applicant Profile
