Weekend degree program

The Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, Minn., recently announced plans to offer a weekend law degree program starting in the fall of 2001, which will be one of the first of its kind in the nation. The innovative option will be available to selected students, and is offered in collaboration with the College of St. Catherine, a recognized leader in part-time, weekend education for adults. Classes will be taught at the School of Law by full-time professors from Hamline on Friday evenings and Saturday during the day, and within three to four years will also be offered at the College of St. Catherine, which has campuses in St. Paul and Minneapolis. Enrollment the first year will be limited to 50 students, and those enrolling will participate in professional activities as full-time students, including Moot Court and the Hamline Law Review. It is expected that students will be able to earn their Juris Doctor degrees within four to five years.

The program was designed to provide flexibility and greater access to legal education for adults seeking to change careers that are located within a three to four hour drive of the Twin Cities, or have easy flight connections. Officials from the two schools also believe that the new collaboration will lead to the development of dual-degree programs, such as joint J.D. and master's degrees in library science or health care administration. However, although Hamline's full-time law program is accredited by the American Bar Association, it needs to gain approval for the weekend program before the first class can be seated. You can get more information by telephone (800) 388-3688, e-mail (lawadm@gw .hamline.edu), or visiting the school Web site at http://www.hamline.edu/law.

--OED