Our Accelerated Graduate Pathway to the University of Maine School of Law allows you to complete both a Bachelor’s and a JD degree in as few as six years, rather than the usual seven. During your final year of undergraduate study, if you meet progress requirements and Law School admissions standards, you can begin taking graduate-level Law courses. These courses will satisfy credit requirements for your undergraduate program as well as the Law program. You’ll save up to 30 credits worth of undergraduate fees, tuition, and expenses.

This means that you’ll complete your undergraduate Women & Gender Studies credit requirements at the University of Southern Maine in 3 years, rather than the usual 4. This involves a rigorous full-time course schedule. The sample Course Progression below illustrates what your undergraduate course schedule could look like if you major in Women & Gender Studies.

Course Progression

Year 1: Fall

  • ENG 100 College Writing (3 cr)
  • Creative Expression Core Requirement (3 cr)
  • Quantitative Core Requirement (4 cr)
  • Elective (3 cr)
  • Elective (3 cr)

Year 1: Spring

  • WGS 201 Rethinking Gender and Culture (3 cr)
  • WGS Related Course~ (3 cr)
  • WRI 2 Core Requirement (3 cr)
  • Elective (3 cr)
  • Elective (3 cr)

Year 2: Fall

  • WGS 380 Politics of Difference (3 cr)
  • WGS Topics Course, Subject Area 1 (3 cr)
  • WGS Related Course~ (3 cr)
  • Elective (3 cr)
  • Elective (3 cr)

Year 2: Spring

  • WGS 390 Contemporary Feminist Theories (3 cr)
  • WGS Topics Course, Subject Area 2 (3 cr)
  • WGS Related Course~ (3 cr)
  • Elective (3 cr)
  • Elective (3 cr)

Year 3: Fall

  • WGS 485 Internship or WGS 484 Thesis* (4 cr)
  • WGS Related Course+ (3 cr)
  • Science Exploration Core Requirement (4 cr)
  • Ethical Inquiry Core Requirement (3 cr)
  • WRI 3 Core Requirement (3 cr)

Year 3: Spring

  • WGS 486 Thesis* (4 cr for both 484 & 486)
  • WGS 490 Capstone Experience in Women and Gender Studies (3 cr)
  • Cultural Interpretation Core Requirement (3 cr)
  • Elective (3 cr)
  • Elective (3 cr)

~No more than one of the required WGS Related Courses may be at the 100-level.

+ This fourth WGS Related Course is only required if student elects WGS 485.

* If WGS 484 is elected, WGS 486 must be elected as well because 484/486 is a two-semester sequence.

If you’re admitted to the University of Maine School of Law:

Year 4: Fall

  • LAW 613 Civil Procedure (4 cr)
  • LAW 603 Contracts (4 cr)
  • LAW 607 Legal Research, Analysis, & Communication I (3 cr)
  • LAW 611 Torts (4 cr)

Year 4: Spring

  • LAW 620 Constitutional Law (4 cr)
  • LAW 605 Criminal Law (4 cr)
  • LAW 608 Legal Research, Analysis, & Communication II (3 cr)
  • LAW 610 Property (4 cr)

Read more about University of Maine School of Law First Year Courses