About the Pre-Law Program

Drury University is proud to partner with the University of Missouri School of Law in Columbia, Missouri (MULaw) to coordinate their programs to allow undergraduate students in their junior year of study (60 credit hours completed prior to that year) at Drury to apply and be considered for admission to MULaw’s Juris Doctor (JD) Program. Admitted and enrolled applicants who successfully complete one year of full-time study in MULaw’s JD’s program will satisfy the remaining requirements for a baccalaureate degree at Drury, which are generally 124 credit hours, by having these course credits transferred back to Drury. NOTE—the hours may vary by major.  Also, this is NOT a guaranteed admission program.  Students apply to MULaw and MULaw makes the final decision as to admission and financial aid. 

MULaw will consider Drury applicants for admission to their J.D. program who:

1. Are enrolled in a baccalaureate program at Drury;
2. Are in their junior year of study (having completed at least 60 credit hours prior to the beginning of that academic year) and will complete a minimum of 94 credit hours of undergraduate study prior to entering law school at MULaw;
3. Successfully complete the MULaw application process during their junior year by the established deadline for that year’s admissions cycle.
4. Register with the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) and submit their Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) score by MULaw’s established deadline, and
5. Receive a favorable recommendation from one of the Drury Pre-Law Advisors or Drury faculty members.
6. Like any program, MULaw will consider a Drury application based on undergraduate GPA and LSAT scores compared to the median for each from the incoming class the previous year.

NOTE: Students should take the LSAT in June BEFORE their Junior year and submit materials commensurate with any aspiring law student, including letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and other application materials.

• Applicants who do not have a permanent residence in the State of Missouri, will be given a residence waiver for their first year in MULaw’s JD Program while establishing residency.

3. DRURY agrees to the following:
   • Students enrolled in the 3+3 program who successfully complete the first year of full-time study in MULaw’s JD Program will have satisfied all course requirements for the baccalaureate degree at DRURY, including major-specific requirements that may involve additional credit-hour requirements.
   • The student will be allowed to participate in commencement at Drury upon completion of the first year of study at Mizzou Law, assuming all degree requirements have been met for the undergraduate degree
   • Credit will be awarded for the 1L courses completed at MULaw and the undergraduate degree will be conferred provided that:
     • The student has provided DRURY with an official transcript of courses completed during the 1L year;
     • The minimum grade of a C- was earned in each 1L course if the course will replace an elective in the student’s degree or the minimum grade of a C was earned in each 1L course if the course will replace an upper-division course in a major or minor; and
     • The student has completed all academic and administrative requirements for a Drury bachelor’s degree to be conferred.
   • Students who fail to successfully complete the MULaw first-year coursework as outlined herein, and therefore are not able to apply 30 hours of MULaw coursework toward the completion of their Drury baccalaureate degree will work with their Drury academic advisor to determine the appropriate coursework needed to complete their Drury degree.
4. MULaw retains the right to determine whether the student has successfully completed their first year of law school and will be allowed to progress to their second year.