The SCALE Program curriculum is structured on a quarter system, with each quarter lasting approximately 10 to 12 weeks. The program spans eight quarters—four quarters per academic year—along with a summer session between the first and second years. Students progress through SCALE I with Quarters 1–4 and SCALE II with the SCALE Summer Session and Quarters 5–8. The schedule has students typically attending 2–3 classes per day for a total of 15 to 18 hours of instruction per week. First-year classes typically begin no earlier than 9 a.m. and conclude between 3 and 4 p.m.
SCALE students complete the same 87 units required for all Southwestern J.D. programs, taking 10 to 12 units per quarter and roughly 6 units during the summer. While SCALE has a core required curriculum, students have opportunities to explore electives outside the program during the summer and second year, provided the courses do not conflict with the set required courses. SCALE students also have full access to Southwestern’s seven J.D. concentrations, and can typically satisfy concentration requirements through a mix of SCALE required courses and electives. Additionally, all students complete a guaranteed eight-to-ten-week externship in their final quarter, with many opting to pursue an additional externship during the preceding summer.
Students who wish to pursue certain professional opportunities, including traditional Big Law summer clerkships, may request to extend the program to 2.5 years while enrolled in SCALE. Under this option, the first-year curriculum remains the same, but certain upper-division courses, including bar-readiness courses, are shifted into the student’s final semester. This allows students to maintain a lighter academic load during their second year and also provides the benefit of completing bar-focused coursework closer to the administration of the bar exam.
For SCALE key dates (e.g., Quarter start and end dates, exam periods, and holidays), please refer to our Academic Calendars.
