Full- and part-time scheduling

Flexibility Opens Opportunities

At William Mitchell, we’ve crafted a flexible course schedule with enrollment options that meet your individual needs.

Your first year, you can enroll as either a part-time or full-time student. After your first year is completed, you can choose to carry either a part- or full-time course load. Depending on what’s going on in your life, you have the option of changing your enrollment status as frequently as each semester. You can accept clerkship, externship, or law-related job opportunities and still attend law school on a reduced schedule. Mitchell offers schedules fit your life, so you don’t have to change your life to attend law school.

If you want to earn credits more quickly, you can take classes during the summer or J-term. Our extensive study abroad program lets you earn three to six credits while enjoying cross-cultural learning experiences.

Choose the path that works for you. You will still receive the same high-quality legal education. At Mitchell, full- and part-time students take classes together. The mix of educational, professional backgrounds creates a lively classroom mix. Full-time faculty and adjuncts teach all students, so you’ll benefit from a broad, multidimensional education experience.

First-year options

	Full-time	Part-time
Number of classes	Typically 5	3 to 4
cr	14	8 or 11
Typical class times	Mon–Fri, 8 am–4 pm	Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Fri, 5:30–9:20 pm
Time in-class	Approximately 14 hours per week	8 to 11 hours per week
Average years to degree	3	4

Other facts you need to know

• Expect to spend an average of 2 to 3 hours per credit studying outside of class.
• A total of 86 credits are required for graduation. All students must complete their degree within six years of initial enrollment
• Full-time students may not work more than 20 hours a week as mandated by the American Bar Association. Part-time students do not have that restriction.
• After you complete your core courses in your first year, you can switch between full or part-time, day or evening classes. A limited number of upper level elective classes are offered on Saturday.

Sample schedules

Full-time three-year schedule

First Year	Second Year	Third Year
Fall cr Contracts 3 Torts I 2 WRAP 3 Civil Procedure 3 Property I 3 Semester total 14 Spring cr Contracts 3 Torts II 3 WRAP 3 Civil Procedure 2 Property II 3 Semester total 14	Fall cr Constitutional Law—Powers 2 Evidence or Elective 3 Professional Responsibility or Elective 3 Bar Course or Elective 6–7 Semester total 14–15 Spring cr Constitutional Law—Liberties 3 Evidence or Elective 3 Advocacy 3 Professional Responsibility or Elective 3 Bar Course or Elective 3 Semester total 15	Fall cr Bar Courses and Electives 14–15 Semester total 14–15 Spring cr Bar Courses and Electives 14–15 Semester total 14–15 Minimum of 86 credits Maximum of 89 credits

Part-time four-year schedule

First Year	Second Year	Third Year	Fourth Year
Fall cr Contracts 3 Torts I 2 WRAP 3 Civil Procedure 3 Semester total 11 Spring cr Contracts 3 Torts II 3 WRAP 3 Civil Procedure 2 Semester total 11	Fall cr Constitutional Law—Powers 2 Property I 3 Professional Responsibility or Elective 3 Bar Course or Elective 3 Semester total 11 Spring cr Constitutional Law—Liberties 3 Property II 3 Evidence or Elective 3 Bar Course or Elective 2 Semester total 11	Fall cr Advocacy 3 Evidence or Elective 3 Bar Courses and Electives 4–5 Semester total 10–11 Spring cr Bar Courses and Electives 10–11 Semester total 10–11	Fall cr Bar Courses and Electives 10–11 Semester total 10–11 Spring cr Bar Courses and Electives 10–11 Semester total 10–11 Minimum of 86 credits Maximum of 89 credits