BW forges 3+3 program with CSU Cleveland-Marshall College of Law

Baldwin Wallace University has inked a new partnership with Cleveland State University's Cleveland-Marshall College of Law (C|M|LAW) that will give students a speedier pathway to a law degree. The 3+3 program takes a year off the normal time required to complete both undergraduate and law school degrees.

"We are proud to offer this opportunity for our exceptional students who know from early in their first year at BW that they want to go to law school and stay in northeast Ohio," said BW President Bob Helmer.

President Helmer, BW Provost Steve Stahl and C|M|LAW School Dean Lee Fisher signed the compact at a ceremony on June 15.

How 3+3 works

Eligible students complete 91 out of 120 undergraduate credits at BW, with their senior year serving as their first year of law school at Cleveland-Marshall. This shortens the amount of time to complete an undergraduate degree and law degree to six years instead of seven. Students are at BW for three years and Cleveland-Marshall for three years, hence the program's 3+3 moniker.

Students in the program are awarded a BW bachelor's degree in their chosen field after the completion of their first year of law school.

Inclusive History, Values

BW has a long history with Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. In 1897, then-Baldwin University (prior to the merger with German Wallace College) created a law school, one of the first in the country to admit women, which would eventually become Cleveland-Marshall.

Today, both BW and C|M|LAW share a commitment to social justice, public service and preparing the next generation of leaders.

"We are pleased to partner with Baldwin Wallace University to give their talented students greater opportunity to pursue a law degree as a force for change and justice," said Cleveland-Marshall Dean Lee Fisher.

Program Eligibility and Information

For more information on program eligibility, visit BW's pre-law information page or contact Professor Barbara Palmer, BW's pre-law advisor and director of legal studies.

About CSU Cleveland-Marshall College of Law (C|M|LAW)

CSU Cleveland-Marshall graduates have a history that is strong in social justice, leading at the forefront of major social movements, including women's suffrage and civil rights. Graduates holding prominent leadership positions include the current U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court and Mayor of Cleveland. Cleveland-Marshall consistently ranks as the top public law school in Northern Ohio, the top part-time program in the state and houses innovative programs in cybersecurity, space law, health law, criminal justice and leadership. More at csulaw.org; @cmlawschool.