Skip to main content.
UMass Law students in front of the UMass Law building

Reasons to Choose UMass Law

Apply for Fall 2024

The UMass Law application is open! Learn to Pursue Justice at the only public law school in Massachusetts.

UMass Law is preparing a new generation of lawyers who will pursue justice.

Outstanding professional preparation

You’ll master essential legal skills, learn the fundamentals of statutory and case law, and explore new and emerging areas of practice. Your preparation begins with our simulation-based Legal Skills sequence of courses and culminates in real-world clinic, internship, and pro bono opportunities.

Learn more: Academics

Affordable legal education

As the only public law school in Massachusetts, UMass Law offers you an affordable legal education. Substantial scholarships and fellowships are available. We recognize that the cost of your education is an important consideration that will impact your future career choices.

Learn more: Financial aid

Small class sizes

At UMass Law, we enhance your legal education by keeping our class sizes small to facilitate access to faculty, enable greater student-faculty interaction, and create a stronger sense of community.  According to ABA data for 2021-22, UMass Law ranks first for the smallest average first-year doctrinal class size of any law school in Massachusetts with 56 students.

Learn more: Curriculum

Flexibility in earning your degree

We offer full-time and part-time programs: days, evenings, weekends, and summer sessions. Pursue a JD degree—or combine your law studies with business to earn a JD/MBA, with public policy to earn a JD/MPP degree, or with social work to earn a JD/MSW degree. We also offer 3+3 "fast-track" programs for undergraduates to advance more quickly into law school.

Learn more: Degree programs

Real-world law practice opportunities

Every student at UMass Law participates in the real-world practice of law—in our Business, Criminal, Human Rights, Immigration, or Tribal Law Clinics or one of an array of public or private field placements.

Learn more: Clinics, fields placements & pro bono

Faculty members with practical experience

You’ll learn from professors with practical legal experience in an educational community that prioritizes justice. Our professors are experienced lawyers, gifted teachers, supportive mentors, and respected scholars. They are committed to helping you develop your own professional capabilities and identity.

Learn more: Faculty

Welcoming learning community

You’ll be part of a supportive and collaborative learning community that’s broadly diverse by age, gender, race, background, sexual orientation, and life/work experience. We welcome and nurture a rich diversity of people and ideas. Indeed, our recent entering classes have been the most diverse in all of New England.

Learn more: Student life

Personalized application process

We evaluate applicants as individuals to assure that your abilities and potential are truly recognized. Since we believe that our future students are more than a set of numbers, we admit students based upon a thorough evaluation of all factors in your file. 

Learn more: Admissions criteria

You will be prompted for your user name and password. If you encounter problems, contact: lawadmissions@umassd.edu

Back to top of screen