Academic Programs

Pursuing Excellence in Learning, Professionalism and Service

At Syracuse University College of Law we understand that the pursuit of excellence is a challenge that has to be met everyday. That is why we promote a rigorous, dynamic, and interdisciplinary approach to the study of law. 

The College of Law prepares students for the challenges and opportunities of the future by educating them in the legal foundations of civil society. Students learn the skills and doctrines of the law while exploring its history and theory. They participate in clinics and externships where they represent real clients, they do trial and appellate court training and competitions, and they edit and contribute to legal scholarship by participating on legal journals. Our interdisciplinary focus enhances student understanding of law and of legal institutions in a global context. Through research, course work, joint degree programs, and interdisciplinary centers, students and faculty engage the broader community in a collaborative process of discovery and learning. 

In the pursuit of excellence we look for students committed to the idea of legal education as a public good. A public good is not an ordinary market or consumer good. A public good is one that produces positive benefits to society in general. As participants in the creation of a public good, students are actively engaged in the process of learning, professionalism, and service. Students are not treated as mere consumers or customers. A legal education is not something you buy, and an excellent law school is not simply a collection of capital goods. Legal education is a process of engagement; engagement with classmates, faculty, the community, and the world. 

At the Syracuse University College of Law students are engaged in a professional relationship of learning, discovery, and service. We have assembled an outstanding faculty and developed a curriculum informed by a careful consideration of the needs of lawyers in the twenty-first century. Our programs are developed with a sense of trust and of stewardship, and they are designed to challenge and prepare students for the rigors of the law. While our programs are dynamic and cutting edge, we do not simply respond to consumer tastes. In understanding legal education as a public good we take seriously our responsibility for developing sound academic programs, and for establishing high standards of ethics and conduct. 

We encourage you to explore our academic programs, and we invite you to join us in the pursuit of excellence.