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Law School Evening Program

The Evening Program is designed for particularly enterprising people who seek to earn a law degree while working full time. Evening students come from many professional fields, including academia, medicine, scientific research, law enforcement, government and regulatory work. Admission to the Evening Program means long-term dedication.

The Evening Program requires a significant commitment on the part of its students. The program is four years and meets year round. All classes meet on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. In order to ensure a well-rounded legal education, 55 of the 88 hours needed to graduate are required classes. These classes are all offered in a regular rotation order.

Most substantive classes are offered on an every-other-year schedule, so students are expected to complete the program through continuous attendance for eight semesters and six summer sessions. Students who are unable to attend classes on this schedule would most likely have difficulty graduating from the program on time. Generally, required classes are offered during the regular school year, and electives are offered during the summer sessions, although nine hours of electives are generally offered during the regular school year rotation. Students are expected to attend both summer sessions each year in order to earn the necessary hours for timely graduation.

The traditional first-year classes are staggered over the first two years of enrollment. Students will take classes their first year with second-year students and in their second year with first-year students. Examination of students’ grades over time has shown that there is no negative impact on students’ grades from this arrangement. Even with two class years in this arrangement, the class size averages 80 students or less.

Read answers to frequently asked questions about the Evening Program below. For all other questions, please contact Asst. Dean Adrienne Meddock.

The evening program, like the day program, has an attendance policy.  A student may miss nine hours of class in a three-credit hour course, six hours in a two-credit hour course, and three hours in a one-credit hour class.  Travel exceeding these absences will generally not be excused.  Students are encouraged to discuss their class schedules with their employers and limit travel as much as possible.  Because of the constancy of the evening schedule (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.), students can easily plan travel to minimize absences from classes.

The average undergraduate grade point average (UGPA) for the program is usually around 3.25 (as computed by Law Services) and includes those students with advanced degrees.  About half our evening students have an advanced degree, and several have Ph.D.s or M.D.s. 

Your undergraduate average is the most important one for admission purposes, since it is the one degree all applicants have in common.  Your advanced degree is a “plus factor” in that it could give you an edge over an applicant with a similar UGPA and LSAT, but it is not a substitute for your undergraduate performance.  Anything about your graduate study that you feel will particularly help you in law school should be highlighted in your personal statement.

Since many of our applicants have been out of school for 20 years or more, we often hear this question.  A helpful letter of recommendation is one that comments honestly and thoroughly on the applicant’s ability to express him or her self in written and oral form.  Generally, academic contacts know you in these capacities.  Your recommender should be able to tell us how they know you and be able to comment about your written and oral communication skills.  An unhelpful recommendation is one that comments generally on the applicant’s character and demeanor.  We are most interested in learning about your ability to do well in law school and in the profession upon your graduation.

UNC, Duke and NCCU law schools have an Inter-institutional agreement permitting students to take elective classes at any of these schools while paying tuition at their home school.  Permission of the dean is required to take classes at the UNC or Duke law schools or in the Day Program at NCCU.  Required classes need to be taken at NCCU in the admitting program.

The study commitment for law school is significant.  Students prepare 2 to 3 hours outside of class for every hour in class.  The average class load is 9 hours, meaning students should schedule between 18 and 27 hours a week of study time each week.  When papers, exams, or projects are due, students can expect the out-of-class demands to increase.