Colby-Sawyer College’s Agreement with Vermont Law School Provides Students Path to Career in Law
Colby-Sawyer College and Vermont Law School (VLS) have signed an articulation agreement that allows Colby-Sawyer students to complete their bachelor’s degree and Juris Doctor in as little as five years, and a bachelor’s and master’s degree in four.
Students in the dual-degree program will complete their bachelor’s degree at Colby-Sawyer College in three years. If students choose to do the 3+3 program, they complete their J.D. at VLS in the traditional three years; if they choose the 3+2 program, they complete a two-year accelerated J.D.; and in the 3+1 they receive a master’s degree in one year from VLS.
Signed by President Thomas C. Galligan Jr. and President and Dean of VLS Marc Mihaly, the agreement provides highly qualified and motivated Colby-Sawyer students the opportunity to couple their undergraduate studies with graduate or professional programs in law, policy or government. It also enhances the relationship between the schools while creating a financially viable path for students interested in legal careers.
“The agreement expands the opportunities available to our students in a new and exciting way,” said Deborah A. Taylor, academic vice president and dean of faculty at Colby-Sawyer. “It allows students who choose a law degree as their educational goal to reduce their overall time to completion by up to two years, thereby saving the resources of both time and money.”
“Our partnership with Colby-Sawyer College reflects Vermont Law School’s ongoing commitment to increasing opportunities for the next generation of leaders,” said President Mihaly. “We’re proud to partner with Colby-Sawyer, and look forward to preparing our shared students for meaningful careers in law, policy, government or advocacy.”
Interested students must apply to the dual-degree program by the end of their sophomore year and take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) by February of their junior year. VLS will waive application fees for all students in the dual-degree program.
Colby-Sawyer College also has affiliation agreements to assist qualified graduates into master’s degree programs at Plymouth State University (N.H.); Springfield College and Wheelock College in Massachusetts; and the University of New Haven in Connecticut.
About Vermont Law School
Vermont Law School, established in 1972, is an American Bar Association-accredited private, independent institution in South Royalton, Vt. VLS offers a Juris Doctor curriculum that emphasizes public service; three master’s degrees — Master of Environmental Law and Policy, Master of Energy Regulation and Law and Master of Food and Agriculture Law and Policy; and four post-JD degrees — LL.M. in American Legal Studies (for foreign-trained lawyers), LL.M. in Energy Law, LL.M. in Environmental Law and LL.M. in Food and Agriculture Law. The school features innovative experiential programs and is home to the Environmental Law Center, South Royalton Legal Clinic, Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic, Energy Clinic, Food and Agriculture Clinic and Center for Applied Human Rights. For more information, visit vermontlaw.edu.