Western Law School - Admissions and Academics

Admissions and Academics

Admissions to the law school is highly competitive. For the 2011 academic year, there were 2,700 applicants for the 175 first-year spaces. The median entering grade was 84% (3.7 GPA) and the median LSAT score was 162 (86th percentile).

Over the years, Western law has been an innovator with respect to legal education. In 1998, the law school initiated the "January term", now replicated at many other law schools. The law school altered its academic year from a semester system to a trimester system, with the "January term" consisting of a four-week semester wherein students enroll in a single intensive course. The format allows the school to attract distinguished Visiting Professors to Western.

The school also has numerous exchange programs with law schools around the world. Upper year students have the opportunity to study abroad for one semester for credit to their Western J.D..

Western Law has one of the most active exchange programs of any law school in North America with one in five students participating in an exchange. Reciprocally, Western Law welcomes approximately 30-40 visiting exchange students annually from around the world.

The faculty offers two masters-level degrees: the Master of Laws (LL.M.) and the Master of Studies in Law (M.S.L.). The Ph.D. program will begin in September 2013.

Western Law, in conjunction with other faculties on campus also offers joint degree programs, including combined business and law degrees, combined law and engineering degrees and combined law and Ph.D. degrees.

The school year 2009-10 marks Western Law 50th anniversary.