Yes — you can earn an ABA-accredited law degree online in Texas. STCL Houston’s part-time online J.D. is a top-ranked online law school, completed in four years, built for working professionals, with one 7–8 day on-campus residency each fall in Houston.
Ranked #7 in The Best Online Law Schools in America 2026 (University Magazine, featured in Above the Law) — the only Texas law school in the top 10.
Delivered primarily online, anywhere
STCL Houston’s part-time online J.D. delivers a rigorous, ABA-accredited legal education built for the online experience. Founded in 1923 to serve working professionals, South Texas now lets students across Texas earn the same J.D. — online, in four years.
The goal of our part-time schedules is to allow you to obtain a rigorous, ABA-accredited J.D. degree while maintaining your personal and professional commitments.
South Texas College of Law Houston was founded in 1923 to provide a legal education for working professionals. Since its founding, South Texas has earned a reputation for educating exceptional practice-ready attorneys. Today, South Texas remains committed to providing those unable to step away from full-time employment or family commitments an opportunity to earn a J.D. through two flexible part-time schedule options.
Part-time program schedules start exclusively in the fall.
What is the J.D. Part-Time Experience?
- ABA-Accredited Curriculum: Complete a rigorous, fully accredited Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree designed specifically for working professionals to finish in four years.
- Flexible Hybrid Format: Balance your career and education with a predominantly online coursework schedule, requiring just one in-person, on-campus residency at the start of each academic year.
- Direct Faculty Access: Build meaningful mentorships and network with experienced law professors through both robust online platforms and face-to-face interactions.
- Comprehensive Academic Support: Receive the exact same resources as full-time students, including dedicated academic advising, student support services, and specialized bar exam preparation.
- Real-World Clinical Experience: Build a professional resume before graduation through hands-on externships, simulation courses, and live-client practice at the Randall O. Sorrels Legal Clinics.
- Full Campus Integration: Participate actively in the law school community with complete access to student organizations, networking events, and career employment interviews.
What is the Part-Time Curriculum Plan for Online students?
Curriculum plans for first-year law students in the part-time programs are shown below. The J.D. Part-time / Online schedules start exclusively in the fall. Students will select upper-level electives in their third and fourth years of study.
| Part-Time Students | Cr. Hrs. |
|---|---|
| First Year Fall Semester | |
| Civil Procedure I | 3 |
| Criminal Law | 3 |
| Introduction to Law Study | 1 |
| Legal Research and Writing I | 3 |
| Total hours | 10 |
| First Year Spring Semester | |
| Contracts | 4 |
| Legal Research and Writing II | 2 |
| Legal Skills* | 1 |
| Torts | 4 |
| Total hours | 10-11 |
| First Year Summer Session | |
| Constitutional Law or Property | 4 |
| Total hours | 4 |
| Second Year Fall Semester | |
| Civil Procedure II | 3 |
| Constitutional Law or Property | 4 |
| Professional Responsibility or Advanced Legal Skills** | 3 |
| Total hours | 10 |
| Second Year Spring Semester | |
| Evidence | 3 |
| Federal Income Taxation | 3 |
| First Amendment | 2 |
| Elective (if chosen) | 2-3 |
| Total hours | 8-11 |
| Second Year Summer Session | |
| Electives (if chosen) | 4-7 |
| Total hours | 4-7 |
| Third Year Fall Semester | |
| Professional Responsibility (if not already taken) | 3 |
| Electives | 5-8 |
| Total hours | 8-11 |
When is the application deadline for the online J.D. Part-Time program?
Both the J.D. Part-time / Campus and the J.D. Part-time / Online schedules start exclusively in the fall. The fall application opens in mid-November, and applications should be received by the following dates:
- February 5, 2027 (priority)
- May 7, 2027 (final)
All applicants who apply by the priority deadline will automatically receive an application fee waiver.
J.D. Part-Time / Online Questions
The J.D. Part-time / Online schedule is designed for motivated self-starters who wish to pursue a law degree through a more flexible delivery format that allows them to maintain their professional and personal responsibilities while obtaining their legal education. We expect students in the online schedule to be comfortable in an online learning environment and have access to reliable internet access for the virtual classroom and digital resources.
Yes. South Texas requires all students to meet exacting admissions criteria. Just like students in the traditional, on-campus programs, online students will be expected to meet rigorous academic and professional standards.
We anticipate our J.D. Part-time / Online students to continue working at their full- or part-time jobs during the day. Additionally, we expect they will commit the necessary time and effort during the evenings and weekends to complete classwork, including attending some regularly scheduled synchronous classes in the evening as well as participating in some daytime commitments, such as faculty office hours or school events.
As with any law school degree program, the J.D. Part-time / Online schedule will require significant dedication during and after class times, which will include readings, preparation, office hours, discussion board submissions and responses, and synchronous and asynchronous classes. Students should plan to commit approximately two to three hours per week outside of class for every credit hour.
Some students may periodically choose to take time off from work or daytime commitments to complete assignments or prepare for classes or exams.
Types of classes: J.D. Part-time / Online students will take classes mostly online in a combination of synchronous classes (face-to-face virtual at set times) and asynchronous classes (no set class time, but with regularly assigned deadlines) each semester. Online synchronized class periods
will typically be scheduled on weekday evenings and occasionally during the day on Saturdays. Schedules are determined at the start of each semester, and future days/times may vary from semester to semester.
On-campus requirement: Each year, students will have a required in-person experience on campus in Houston (7-8 days). For the first year, this occurs at the beginning of the fall semester and includes orientation with all students, opportunities to meet the professors teaching online courses that semester, connections with student organizations, and in-person class time. This “residency” experience will ensure that online students are familiar with and become a part of the South Texas Law community. For the 2L and 3L academic years, this in-person experience occurs at the beginning of the spring semester. The in-person experience for the final year occurs at the beginning of the fall semester.
Time to completion: The part-time J.D. degree can be completed in four years.
Throughout the four-year J.D. Part-time / Online program, online synchronized class periods will typically be scheduled on weekday evenings and occasionally during the day on Saturdays. Schedules are determined at the start of each semester, and future days/times may vary from semester to semester.
STCL Houston Student Services will be available for virtual meetings and phone calls with online students, in addition to various online workshops and connection opportunities. Some of those include academic advising, financial aid and debt counseling, library services, and career services.
For all students, STCL Houston faculty are available during regular office hours, and phone or virtual conversations are quite common. Students and professors also engage through email and through the learning system messaging features. If online students sign up for co-curricular or extracurricular activities involving professors, they will have additional opportunities to make connections with faculty members.
Student organizations will offer virtual opportunities for online students to participate in various meetings and in academic, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities including law reviews, clinics, and advocacy. Students who are able are always welcome to come to campus for in-person participation, as well.
J.D. Part-time / Flex and J.D. Part-time / Online students may seek to transfer to the full-time, on-campus schedule after successfully completing the initial fall and spring semesters. Transfers are granted on a case-by-case basis.
Yes, J.D. Part-time / Online students are eligible to apply for the same financial aid and scholarship opportunities as all other South Texas students.
South Texas College of Law Houston offers one ABA-accredited J.D. degree, and each student’s diploma only notes that degree — regardless of whether the degree was achieved full-time or part-time, on campus or online.
