UAlbany, HVCC, Albany Law Launch Legal Studies Pathway Program

ALBANY, N.Y. (Aug. 31, 2021) – The University at Albany, Hudson Valley Community College and Albany Law School are launching a Legal Studies Pathway Program, which will guarantee admitted students the opportunity to earn a degree from each institution, culminating in a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Albany Law School, the nation’s oldest independent school of law.

The program builds on previous agreements between Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) and UAlbany, as well as the enhanced affiliation agreement UAlbany and Albany Law signed in 2015.

The new agreement creates an innovative pathway program, drawing on the academic strengths of each institution, allowing HVCC students to earn an associate’s degree from Hudson Valley, transfer to UAlbany to earn a baccalaureate degree, and then enroll at Albany Law.

“This new agreement dares our students to dream big, while providing the support, resources and a clear roadmap toward their dreams of a future legal career,” said Hudson Valley President Roger Ramsammy. “Hudson Valley is proud to provide the first two years of this unique legal education pathway, and we are also proud to partner with two outstanding institutions – The University at Albany and Albany Law School.”

“This partnership brings together three outstanding academic institutions to expand opportunities for students interested in pursuing careers in law,” said UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez. “There has never been a greater need for legal professionals who understand the unprecedented challenges we face as a society, and this partnership will create transformative opportunities for students who are ready to make a difference in the world.”

“We are excited to build on many years of successful collaboration with the University at Albany and to begin a new partnership with Hudson Valley Community College,” said Albany Law School President and Dean Alicia Ouellette. “The Legal Studies Pathways program directly supports our mission by expanding access to a career in law to students who might not otherwise have considered law school as a viable option.”

Students in the pathway program need to maintain continuous, full-time enrolment at Hudson Valley as they progress toward their associate’s degree. They will have access to opportunities to engage with their peers, faculty, professionals and support services while enrolled at HVCC through invitations to attend workshops, events and programs at UAlbany, including all UAlbany Pre-Law programming and specialized Pre-Law advisement.

Once they complete their degree from Hudson Valley, they enter into a baccalaureate program at UAlbany in a number of fields.

Students in the Pathway program will have guaranteed admission at Albany Law so long as they have completed their baccalaureate degree at UAlbany and achieved a GPA and a one-time or average score on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) that is no lower than the median GPA and LSAT score for the prior year’s entering class at Albany Law. Students will still go through Albany Law’s application process as part of the pathway program.