Quinnipiac University in Connecticut has launched a six-year law program where select students can complete both their undergraduate and law degree.

Students participating in the new program will take 105 credits by the end of their third year, which is about five more classes than the average junior student, Jill Martin, chair of the legal studies, told The Quinnipiac Chronicle. 

By the end of their junior year, students will be done with all the undergraduate classes and will be completely enrolled in Quinnipiac law school.

Martin said the Hamden-based university's decision to adopt the six-year program reflects "a nationwide discussion on changes to law school education"

"There's a lot of discussion about what law school education should be looking like," she said. "And so this was an idea that would encourage students to come to Quinnipiac because they have the option of doing the six-year program."

The program is expected to get students acquainted with law school and encourage them to pursue their law degree at Quinnipiac University after they finished their undergraduate requirements.

Acquiring a law degree via the six-year program will save students time and money because they will not have to pay a seventh year of tuition, Jessica Hynes, associate professor of legal studies, told The Quinnipiac Chronicle.

"They also do have a somewhat automatic admission into law school," Hynes added. "They have to maintain certain requirements, but other than that they don't have to go through the regular admissions process."

Students who join the program will not be forced to go to Quinnipiac's law school after they finish their undergraduate degree in three years. They can choose to attend a different law school.

Martin said students are also free to change their majors, which is fairly common.

"We realize that people who come in as freshmen change their mind about things and that's totally expected," she said.