Launch Your Legal Career Here
Duquesne University Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University is the only Pittsburgh law school offering an evening law program. Professionals from diverse backgrounds and experiences come here to pursue a Juris Doctor degree part-time while working full- or part-time. Our evening students earn their part-time J.D. after only four years of study.
Conveniently located within blocks of downtown Pittsburgh, Duquesne Law offers evening courses Monday through Friday, beginning at 6 p.m. Professionals in the part-time program include those working in energy, engineering, finance, taxation, information technology, and numerous other fields. The list of part-time alumni is impressive and includes business owners, law firm partners, judges, corporate counsel, solo practitioners, and many others.
How to Apply
Admission criteria and performance standards are the same in all day and evening law programs. Applications are accepted Sept. 1 - April 1 for priority consideration for all J.D. programs, including part-time. Applications will be accepted from May 1 through July 31 on a space-available basis. Learn about the application process and apply online via LSAC.org.
Part-Time Evening Scholarships
All accepted students are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships. Incoming student scholarships are renewed annually, provided the student remains in Academic Good Standing. Duquesne University Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University does not award conditional scholarships - that is, financial aid dependent upon a student maintaining a minimum grade point average or class standing, other than that what is ordinarily required to remain in Academic Good Standing.
Merit scholarships specifically for part-time students include the following, a number of which are funded from the proceeds of endowed funds.
- Catherine Celeste Dillon Memorial Scholarship
- Randy K. Hareza Endowed Scholarship
- John J. Hickton Endowed Scholarship
- Law Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship
- Edward J. Krug Endowed Scholarship
- Law Faculty Scholarship for Excellence
- Law School Scholarship for Excellence
- H. Murray Lubic, L'26 Endowed Scholarship
- Morris L. and Helen E. Machen Endowed Scholarship
No separate scholarship applications are required. Read more about scholarships.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Competitive tuition rates and generous financial aid make Duquesne Law affordable. In fact, National Jurist magazine calls Duquesne a "Best Value" law school.
Students work directly with Duquesne University's Office of Financial Aid to apply for federally funded or institutional aid such as Stafford Loans, GradPLUS Loans, and private educational loans. Interested students should submit a FAFSA online at fafsa.ed.gov before May 31. Applicants to Duquesne Law DO NOT have to complete the Duquesne Financial Aid Application. Learn more about applying for aid as a graduate student.
Curriculum
First Year Part-Time Evening Required Courses
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Civil Procedure and Drafting I (fall) | 3 |
| Civil Procedure II (spring) | 2 |
| Contracts I and II (fall and spring) | 6 |
| Legal Research & Writing I and II (fall and spring) | 5 |
| Legal Skills (fall- optional) | 1 |
| Advanced Legal Skills (spring- required for bottom 25% following fall semester) | 1 |
| Torts I and II (fall and spring) | 5 |
Second Year Part-Time Evening Required Courses
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Advanced Legal Reasoning (fall- required for bottom 25% following first year) | 2 |
| Constitutional Law I and II (fall and spring) | 5 |
| Criminal Law (fall) | 3 |
| Criminal Procedure: The Police Function (fall or spring) | 2 or 3 |
| Property I and II (fall and spring) | 6 |
| Business Associations (may be taken in the second or third year (fall or spring) | 3 |
Third Year Part-Time Evening Required Courses
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Business Associations (may be taken in the second or third year- fall or spring) | 3 |
| Evidence (fall or spring) | 3 |
| Professional Responsibility (may be taken in the third or fourth year- fall or spring) | 3 |
*Strongly Recommended courses for Third Year Part-Time Evening students: Conflict
of Laws- 2 credits, Estates and Trusts- 3 credits, Family Law- 3 credits, Secured
Transactions- 1 or 3 credits
Fourth Year Part-Time Evening Required Courses
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Core/Applied Competencies I and II (fall and spring) | 6 |
| Professional Responsibility (may be taken in the third or fourth year- fall or spring) | 3 |
| Sales (fall or spring) | 2 |
*Strongly Recommended courses for Fourth Year Part-Time Evening students: Conflict
of Laws- 2 credits, Estates and Trusts- 3 credits, Family Law- 3 credits, Secured
Transactions- 1 or 3 credits
Course descriptions may be found on the Law School Registrar's Curriculum page.
Courses shown are required. Students are advised that the graduation requirement for all divisions is 87 credits total.
All matriculating students are required to satisfy an Upper-Level Writing requirement and 6 credits of Experiential Learning.
Because Duquesne periodically reviews and revises its curriculum, course offerings and credit hours are subject to change at any time.