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Honors College & College of Law Announce New Accelerated Law Program MIAMI (November 6, 2009)- Honors College Dean Lesley Northup and College of Law Dean Alex Acosta today announced the creation of the FIU Honors College Accelerated Law Program (HCAP). Under this program, Honors students would enter the FIU College of Law after their junior year, allowing them to earn both a baccalaureate degree and a J.D. in six years. This is the first accelerated, degree-earning program between the Honors College and another FIU college. The inaugural class of Honors College seniors will begin the program in fall 2010.
Applicants must have a minimum 3.5 grade point average and a 155 LSAT score and must have completed all requirements in their majors except electives before entering the College of Law. “Honors students are uniquely positioned to apply successfully for the program,” said Dean Northup. “Our students are not only high academic achievers, but they tend to be committed early to their career goals and to have the maturity to handle the rigors of attending law school.”
The College of Law’s Dean Acosta said, “We are very interested in recruiting top FIU students into the College. The Honors College provides applicants who are not only highly accomplished, but also represent the diversity we are building in the law school.” The FIU College of Law emphasizes preparation of students for ethical and effective general practice of law, community service, and international and comparative law. Graduates from FIU College of Law achieved the highest percentage among graduates of the state’s ten law schools passing the Florida bar exam in February 2009, according to the Florida Bar Association.
FIU Honors College Fellow and law professor Scott Fingerhut has been appointed Honors College Director of Pre-law Programs. Fingerhut offers a wealth of knowledge and experience as a practicing attorney and mentor to aspiring lawyers. He will serve as liaison between the two colleges and oversee the new Honors College Pre-Law Community, an organization of HCAP students that will provide for Early Admissions applicants
Honors students interested in law careers, and particularly in HCAP, will be well prepared. All Honors freshman take a course in leadership which helps prepare them for service in the civic sector. Special seminars will also be offered that fulfill Honors College academic requirements while addressing the interests of potential lawyers. Finally, the Honors College Pre-Law Community, a requirement for HCAP students, will provide specialized internship and community service opportunities, exposure to legal research and other skills, and preparation for applying to and attending the College of Law.
In addition to possible early admission, advantages of HCAP include specialized lower division advising, discounted LSAT preparation tools and courses, and service learning and research opportunities, such as the Honors College Student Research and Artistic Initiative (SRAI) and the Honors College/City of Sweetwater community partnership.
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