Cornell

HWS and Cornell Law Take a LEAP

Hobart and William Smith students interested in pursuing legal careers now have the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree from the Colleges and a law degree from Cornell University.

A memorandum of understanding signed by both institutions has established the Law Early Admissions Program (LEAP), a "3+3" joint degree framework that allows participating HWS students to complete their undergraduate and legal education in six years rather than the typical seven. The memorandum was approved by unanimous vote of the faculty of Cornell Law School and by Hobart and William Smith's Committee on Academic Affairs.

"Thanks to the months of planning and collaboration between HWS and Cornell, our students now have the opportunity to build on a unique liberal arts education at HWS with a degree from one of the best law schools in the world," says Professor of Philosophy and newly named Hobart Dean Scott Brophy '78, P'12, the Colleges' pre-law adviser.

OTHER JOINT DEGREE PROGRAMS:

  • Engineering (through the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University and the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College)
  • Business (through Clarkson University and the Saunders School of Business at the Rochester Institute of Technology)
  • Nursing (through the University of Rochester School of Nursing)