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Birmingham, Ala. - Tuskegee University is partnering with Samford University's Cumberland School of Law to save students time and money.
The new accelerated program, announced Wednesday, allows Tuskegee students to skip their senior year to begin their first year of law school at Cumberland. Students earn a bachelor's degree and Juris Doctorate in six years instead of the typical seven years.
Tuskegee juniors use the coursework from their first year of law school to fulfill the requirements for their bachelor’s degree. Students will also be eligible for partial and full tuition scholarships, internships, and mentoring opportunities.
Dr. Tammy Laughlin, assistant professor of political science and co-advisor of the pre-law program at Tuskegee University, noted several of Tuskegee's students are from Alabama and recognized Cumberland as a major producer of lawyers in the state. Both Tuskegee and Samford see the partnership, known as a 3+3 program, as an opportunity to grow the field of African American lawyers in the state.
“We believe that this partnership with the Cumberland School of Law will make law school more accessible for students of color within the State of Alabama and will ultimately increase the number of African Americans practicing law both in Alabama and in the Southeast,” said Dr. Channa Prakash, dean of Tuskegee’s College of Arts and Science.
“We are extremely proud to partner with Tuskegee University for the 3+3 program. Tuskegee students are very involved in their pre-law program, and it just made sense to institute a formal agreement that substantiates the relationship which already exists," said Whitney Dachelet, Cumberland School of Law Assistant Dean for Admission and Enrollment Management. "I look forward to seeing how this relationship grows over the coming years and watching even more Tuskegee/Cumberland students flourish in their careers.”
In recent years, Cumberland has also partnered with pre-law programs at Samford University, Birmingham-Southern College, the University of Montevallo, and Troy University to create joint 3+3 programs.