University Magazine recently released its list of “The Best Online Law Schools in America 2026,” and South Texas College of Law Houston was ranked No. 7 — the only Texas law school in the top 10.
The magazine noted: “These schools offer strong academics, respected faculty, and opportunities to complete coursework online….” The rankings were featured in Above the Law.
South Texas Law was one of the first dozen or so law schools in the nation approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) to host a predominantly online program. The part-time, online schedule just launched in fall 2023 — making national recognition of the young program even more significant.
Each year, hundreds of applicants apply for the limited online spots available, and the 30-35 students in each cohort attend from across Texas and from many other states. They are a varied group, including teachers, paralegals, law enforcement leaders, farmers, small business owners, and military spouses.
“South Texas designed the Online Schedule to provide a rigorous program of legal education to individuals who are unable to pursue a law degree because of geographic limitations, family and job commitments, and life circumstances,” said Dr. Derek Fincham, inaugural program director and professor of law. “The students selected for this program are consistently strong and bring diverse professional and life experiences. Their demographics, test scores, and academic success mirror the students in the law school’s full-time and part-time/campus programs.”
The students earning their ABA-accredited J.D. degree through the online schedule come to the downtown Houston campus in August for a one-week residency period. They return to campus in each of the following years, as well.
Fincham noted the courses for the online schedule were built specifically for this format and incorporate the best practices for online teaching and learning.
One of the goals for launching the mission-focused program was to provide access to students in more rural parts of Texas and surrounding states who did not live near a law school — and whose communities often lack a sufficient number of attorneys, creating access-to-justice issues. That goal has been achieved, with the overwhelming majority of students coming from such communities.
To learn more about enrolling in the part-time online J.D. schedule, contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@stcl.edu or read more here: J.D. Part-time / Online Program.
