Bachelor of Arts in American Studies/ Juris Doctor (LAW)

Saint Louis University's American studies program uses film, food, fashion, buildings, sports, popular media, the environment, art, literature and historical texts in order to understand the diverse cultures of the United States and its place in the world in the past and present. American studies is interdisciplinary, using a variety of sources and methods (literature, social science, film and community institutions) to understand American cultures. American studies is global and diverse, paying close attention to international and regional relations, as well as to the variety of racial, ethnic, religious and other communities within and around its borders. American studies is practical, which means the everyday is taken as seriously as the esoteric, and the lessons learned in the classroom are applied to work in communities and public institutions. As a result, SLU's American studies degree trains students in critical thinking, complex problem solving, and clear written and oral communication. American studies graduates from SLU have experience working in diverse groups and applying their knowledge to the world around them. Saint Louis University's Juris Doctor program offers extensive courses and personalized interaction with nationally recognized professors. Students will be directly exposed to practicing attorneys and clients through professional skills courses, Saint Louis University legal clinics and field placement programs.

Students are eligible to apply to Saint Louis University's American studies/J.D. program any time in their undergraduate career. Students must maintain a 3.50 cumulative GPA to continue in the accelerated program.

After having completed 75 credits, students will submit an application to SLU's School of Law. If admitted to SLU Law, these students will begin their J.D. program in their fourth year. The first year of law school coursework will count as elective credit toward the undergraduate bachelor's degree. Thus, the College of Arts and Sciences will award students their degrees after the successful completion of their first year of law school.

Students must complete at least 90 credits, 75% of those required to earn their undergraduate degrees, before matriculating to the law school. These must include the College of Arts and Sciences core curriculum requirements (48 to 51 credits) and American studies major requirements (30 credits).

English Language Proficiency Requirements

To ensure a successful academic experience at Saint Louis University, we require international applicants to demonstrate they are proficient in the English language by submitting scores from any one of the following standardized tests:

IELTS minimum score of 6.5; Internet-based TOEFL (IBT) minimum score of 80; Paper-based TOEFL (PBT) minimum score of 550; PTE minimum score of 54; Duolingo minimum score of 125.