Baylor University School of Law
The information on this page was provided by the law school.
Official Guide to ABA-Approved JD Programs
Centrally located in Waco, Texas, in a beautiful facility on the banks of the Brazos River, Baylor Law is by choice one of the smallest law schools in the nation. Since 1857, Baylor Law combines theory with practice throughout the curriculum and cultivates a commitment to service and responsibility in the community.
With strong bar passage and employment rates, robust scholarship offerings, three entering classes, a renowned Practice Court program, 5 joint degree programs, and 15 professional tracks, we have a lot to offer. Our unwavering dedication to professional excellence propels Baylor Lawyers to success in courtrooms, boardrooms, and communities all over the world.
The JD Program
At Baylor Law, the workload becomes more challenging as a student progresses through the curriculum. Most law schools cover theory in the first year, and the curriculum significantly eases in the second and third years, which are comprised of largely elective credit. At Baylor Law, each year is meaningful and increasingly difficult. Half of the credits in the second and third years at Baylor Law are required. Baylor Law has seven quarters of required legal writing credit. A Baylor Law student takes at least seventeen required experiential learning credits, almost three times what the American Bar Association requires.
The results of this unique approach to legal education can be seen in our students' performance on the bar exam. Baylor Law has the reputation of being rigorous. Because we challenge our students throughout the program, they are not only prepared for the realities of law practice but also for the bar exam.
Practice Court Program
The Baylor experience culminates in the third year when every student enters Baylor’s renowned Practice Court- a two-quarter, four-course, real-world advocacy training ground.
Legal Clinics
Students looking for hands-on experience with actual client cases will discover both through Baylor Law's Legal Clinics. As part of the School's commitment to pro bono public service, students step outside the classroom and into the community, meeting and working with clients with real needs and real issues—most of who cannot afford a lawyer.
Leadership Development Program
Equipping young lawyers with the additional toolkit to seek and assume leadership roles is what the Baylor Law Leadership Development Program is all about.
Study Abroad at St. Andrews
The program is organized into three schools: the School of Appeal, the School of the Trial, and the Advanced School of the Trial. Intimate by design, with a student to faculty ratio of approximately 3 to 1, the program is limited to a maximum of 60 students. Following enrollment, students select a school and complete the course of study in the two-week session. Upon completion of any school, they receive three semester (or five quarter) hours of credit.
Field Placements
The goal of Baylor Law School’s Field Placement Program is to broaden law students’ education by offering opportunities to apply the knowledge and skills gained from academic studies to the rigors of legal practice in a real‐life setting.
Dual Degrees
Baylor Law offers five dual degree programs:
- JD/Master of Business Administration
- JD/Master of Business Administration - Healthcare Administration
- JD/Master of Divinity
- JD/Master of Taxation
- JD/Master of Public Policy and Administration
Advocacy Teams
Classroom studies lay the foundation for legal theory, procedure and evidence. Advocacy exercises introduce skills critical to the practice of law. Competitions bring all of those elements together, enabling students to step into the shoes of a practicing attorney, counsel clients, draft agreements, negotiate deals, interview witnesses, make arguments, appeal decisions, and try cases all the way to final verdict.
Law Review
The Baylor Law Review is dedicated to publishing high-quality, practical legal scholarship on current legal issues and developments. We have an excellent staff and strong faculty support that help us achieve this goal. Our staff of students spends countless hours ensuring that the journal and each author's work is polished and ready for publication. As students, it is a privilege to be able to contribute to lasting legal scholarship in this way.
Professional Development Program
Employers want graduates who are knowledgeable about the professional and business practicalities of practicing law. Recent law school graduates have likewise expressed the need for this type of training. Both groups have specifically suggested the need for more guidance in client relations, law firm economics and financial management, legal billing and time management, legal marketing and networking, professional organizations and leadership opportunities, navigation through common ethical issues, job search strategies, and professional writing. Our goal is to produce professionals who are truly “practice ready” and prepared to succeed by requiring 18 hours of professional development.
Student Life
Student Organizations
Baylor Law has a large number of student organizations.
Housing
There are plenty of housing options in the Waco area. We provide a comprehensive list to our admitted students.
Waco
Waco is a great place in which to live, study, and work.
Career Placement and Bar Passage
Learn more about career placement at
Baylor University School of Law
Tuition and Aid
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition |
$61,782.00
|
| Fees |
$94.50
|
| Expected Cost of Attendance |
$82,784.00
|
There are ample scholarships available for law students. Many students will take out federal, state, and/or private loans as well.
Admission Decisions: Beyond the Numbers
Admission to the law school is based upon the applicant’s perceived ability to succeed in law school and in the practice of law and upon the applicant's potential contributions to the law school community and to the profession.
Academic ability (as demonstrated by the cumulative undergraduate grade point average and LSAT scores) is an important criterion for admission. However, each application is reviewed holistically, and many factors are considered. These factors are found in the personal statement, letters of recommendation, résumé, optional statement(s), and interview notes and are extremely important in the decision-making process.
These additional factors include (but are not limited to) an applicant's motivation to study law; past work experience and future career objectives; evidence of academic achievement, leadership, and responsibility; community involvement; the applicant's educational, social, and economic background; and any special skills or training, such as bilingual language skills, advocacy skills, or scientific or technical training. The Committee is particularly interested in learning about any aspect of the applicant's background that would allow him or her to distinctively enrich the law school environment and alumni community.
