Class Format
Structured for Success
Attending classes at St. Francis School of Law is similar to a traditional law school, where your professors conduct stimulating and invigorating live class discussions several times per week. Most students plan to spend a total of 18 to 20 hours per week attending classes, engaging with other students and your instructor on the discussion board, writing assignments, completing projects, and other related activities.
The industry-standard technology platform we use has been designed to support education and collaboration, and enables you to stay connected, informed, and involved.
Class Format
Academics
Faculty
Class Format
Live, Interactive Classes
Participating in live class is an important part of how students learn at St. Francis. For approximately three hours each week, you participate in live, interactive classes using our web-conferencing platform. Unlike some other online law schools that offer only chat capability and pre-recorded video lectures, St. Francis class sessions are truly interactive. Students participate live, face-to-face and voice-to-voice. You’re required to think on your feet and share your reasoning and perspective.
Live class sessions generally are held during the evening, between the hours of 6:00 and 7:30 pm Pacific Time, two nights a week.
Academics
Writing Assignments
Learning real-world skills requires practice. Written assignments focus on helping you prepare for St. Francis examinations, as well as those administered by the State Bar of California. Written projects focus on practical, professional skills. Weekly assignments include research, writing, review, and performing specific exercises.
Independent Studying and Group Projects
Your coursework requires independent study in the fundamentals, including reading, case-briefing, answering hypothetical questions that test your knowledge, and outlining course materials. Many professors also assign projects that require collaboration with peers in order to enhance and develop your professional lawyering skills, including oral advocacy and negotiation.
Exams
Testing is an important part of your learning, not just for your classes, but also to prepare you for passing the State Bar of California exams.
At St. Francis, you take proctored exams, just as you would in a traditional law school. All exams at St Francis are administered online using our proctors.
Faculty
Highly Credentialed. Highly Experienced.
St. Francis School of Law professors come from the top ranks of practicing lawyers who apply their years of experience in designing and delivering our online law degree curriculum, so that St. Francis students begin developing a sense of how to successfully navigate legal issues from day one.
Instead of learning from academics who concentrate on scholarly work, you learn from highly successful lawyers, who have deep experience in the subject matter they teach and bring a higher level of understanding and meaning to the curriculum. You not only study legal concepts and principles, you have a clear understanding about why they are relevant and how lawyers apply them effectively in the real world.
From the day you graduate, you will have the training, knowledge, and practical skills to successfully handle real-world legal issues, and be a valued asset to any client or employer.

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