Pepperdine and Tuskegee Team Up to Offer 6-Year Bachelor’s, Law Degree Program
Credit: Denise Taylor / Contributor / Moment Mobile / Getty Images- Qualifying Tuskegee students will be able to start their first year of law school at Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law after finishing their junior year.
- Candidates are automatically considered for two scholarships designed to cover tuition.
- So-called “3+3” partnerships are an increasingly popular way to get qualified students enrolled in law school.
Pepperdine and Tuskegee universities are the latest institutions to team up for a “3+3” dual bachelor’s and law degree program.
Under a memorandum of understanding signed Oct. 10, qualifying Tuskegee students will be able to attend the first year of law school at Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law after finishing their junior year. This allows them to earn a bachelor’s degree followed by a Juris Doctor degree in six years instead of seven.
Leaders from Pepperdine, located in Malibu, California, and Tuskegee, a historically Black college and university (HBCU) located in central Alabama, recognized the unique partnership between their schools more than 2,000 miles apart.
“Our collaboration represents two outstanding universities working together for students to complete a law degree and consider a variety of careers with a strong legal foundation and create a more diverse pool for the profession,” said S. Keith Hargrove, Tuskegee University’s provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.
According to the release, Tuskegee 3+3 candidates are also automatically considered for the Caruso Law HBCU scholarships of up to 50% of tuition and Caruso Excellence Scholarships, which cover full tuition.
“In addition to providing a pathway to law school for students from historically underrepresented backgrounds, this accelerated program represents a significant tuition savings for these students,” said Chalak Richards, dean of students, diversity, and belonging at Caruso Law.
The Pepperdine-Tuskegee agreement was announced a month after Kent State University and the University of Akron School of Law, both in Ohio, announced their own 3+3 partnership.
Akron’s School of Law already had a host of 3+3 partnerships with other schools in Northeast Ohio and Southwest Pennsylvania, including Robert Morris University, the University of Mount Union, Walsh University, and Youngstown State University.