Applications for our 2026 full-time, residential and Online JD programs are closed. Applications for 2027 will open on September 15, 2026.
As an online student, you'll attend part-time, remotely with no residency requirements. Your classes will be both synchronous and asynchronous, and you'll have access to all the same opportunities and resources as a full-time student. This includes academic and career counseling, bar prep, and externship opportunities. You’ll also have the opportunity to join our 20+ student organizations including Law Review, Moot Court or Trial Team. We’re at the forefront of legal education, and we’re shaping the future of the legal education landscape through our diverse offerings.
Our Admissions criteria for the Online JD program mirrors those for our fall admittees. You can learn more here to see if you qualify, or click the apply now button to get started.
If you have any questions please reach out to Professor Allison Mittendorf, Director of Distance Education, at a-mittendorf@onu.edu.
The online JD program is built around 24 average credit hours for each academic year, with the degree completed in four years. The cost of the program averages $10,500 per semester, for a total of 11 semesters. For more information, click on detailed cost information below.
If accepted into the online program you should expect to receive some form of scholarship when attending ONU Law. Each year, ONU Law administers a significant amount of merit-based scholarships and need-based grants totaling more than $3.5 million.
First semester synchronous courses will begin at 8 p.m. EST and students will have either a Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday schedule OR a Monday/ Wednesday/Thursday schedule.
Torts
Professional Identity
Legal Research and Writing I & II
Legal Problem Solving and Analysis
Civil Procedure I & II
Contracts I & II
Criminal Law
Property
Constitutional Law I & II
Business Organizations I & II
Evidence
Legal Profession
Criminal Procedure
PASS I & II
Sample First Semester Schedule
| MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY |
| First Year Students | ||
|
Professional Identity 8-9:05 PM |
Legal Res. & Writing I 8-9:45 PM |
|
|
Torts 9:20-10:30 PM |
Torts 9:20-10:30 PM |
|
Sample Second Semester Schedule
| MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY |
| First Year Students | ||
|
Civil Procedure I 8-9:35 PM |
Legal Res. & Writing II 8-9:05 PM Legal Problem Solving and Analysis 9:15-10:15 PM |
Contracts I 8-9:35 PM |
As part of our Academic Success Program, each student will participate in orientation and take a first semester professional identity/academic success course where they learn about the profession and how to successfully navigate the challenges of law school.
The Assistant Director of Academic Success meets regularly one-on-one with students and provides them with additional practice problems, rule-based reasoning problems, and analogical analysis problems. You will also have Teaching Assistants for each course who will conduct office hours to orient law students to the process of being successful in each required course.
ONU recognizes the importance of support and the level of connection needed as students navigate through their bar exam studies. We provide all of our ONU Law students with customized support from the Assistant Director of Bar Preparation beginning when they register for the bar exam.
ONU Law also has a Bar Course of Study that is required for all part-time, online students below a 2.5 GPA after their fourth semester of law school. This course of study steers students into classes that are regularly tested on the bar exam to help these students prepare for the bar exam.
ONU Law offers bar preparation courses (PASS I & II) during the students' final two semesters of study to allow students to get academic credit and an early start to studying for the bar exam. These courses reinforce a students' knowledge of the law as well as their analytical and writing skills in the context of highly-tested subject areas. We do this while also preparing you to take and pass the bar examination. PASS I & II introduces you to the structure of the bar exam, multiple choice questions, essays, and performance tests which you will encounter on state bar exams. All students receive a bar preparation course, created by Helix, to utilize as they prepare to take the bar exam.
The Assistant Director of Bar Preparation becomes the student’s main point of contact once they begin studying for the bar exam so that students feel completely supported through their studies after law school.
Some states may not accept credits earned in a non-residential J.D. program, which can impact your ability to take a bar examination or be admitted to the bar in certain jurisdictions. It is important that applicants to our part-time online J.D. program consult the applicable character, fitness, and bar admission requirements for each jurisdiction in which they intend to seek bar admission prior to enrolling in the distance education program.
Whether in person or online, ONU Law offers small class sizes, practical skills development, engaging courses, and best of all, a close-knit community. One of the ways we foster that sense of community is by giving students the chance to join, participate and lead student organizations in areas across legal disciplines. With over twenty organizations to choose from, it’s easy to find a place to make connections and spark your passion.
At ONU Law, life is focused, but fun. We encourage you to get involved, explore, make friends and pursue different interests. There are many benefits to participating in law student organizations including helping you to grow your professional network – not only among law students – but with our vast alumni network.
Participating in these organizations allows you to find your passion in the law, and begin to develop those practical skills that will place you ahead of the curve in the work environment. At ONU Law we rely upon the adult learning concepts of Tell, Show, Do, to create the best educational experience. These organizations help make that happen.
At ONU Law, externships and legal clinics provide you with the practical skills you need to stand out. Here – you’re in the driver’s seat. Our faculty will work with you one-on-one to design an experience that is unique and right for you.
Our highly skilled librarians are available for remote services via email, video conference, and live chat from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. on weekdays, and 12 to 6 p.m. on weekends.
The library provides remote access to Westlaw, Lexis, CALI, and over 15 other electronic databases and resources – all of which will be accessible to online J.D. students. Our law students have access to over 256 additional databases through the university library system. We also have access to the West Academic Study Aids subscription and the LexisNexis Digital Library. Both allow for multi-student online access to study aids, hornbooks, casebooks, and other resources
Choosing between ONU Law's full-time, in-person JD program and part-time, online JD program depends on your personal circumstances, learning preferences, and professional goals. Both programs provide the same ABA-accredited legal education, but they are designed for students with different schedules and needs. As you compare your options, consider how much time you can dedicate to law school, the learning environment in which you are most successful, the financial commitment of each program, your interest in extracurricular opportunities, and the bar admission requirements in the state where you plan to practice.
The program is structured to be completed through four years of part-time enrollment with fall, spring, and summer courses for a total of 11 semesters completely online with no in-person requirements. Each semester students will complete 9 to 12 credit hours. There is no way to speed up the online program due to it being a strictly part-time opportunity.
You can find the academic calendar for the next year of semesters here. Fall semester typically starts in late August, Spring in late January, and Summer the day after Memorial Day.
Required courses are taught via a combination of asynchronous content and synchronous virtual meetings in the evenings. First semester synchronous courses begin at 8 p.m. Eastern time and students will have either a Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday schedule OR a Monday/ Wednesday/Thursday schedule. In your second year of the program, you can begin taking electives, which are offered as early as 8:30 am Eastern time, while required courses remain offered exclusively in the evenings. You can view a list of required courses and a sample schedule here which shows the approximate end time of evening courses.
Each course utilizes a combination of asynchronous and synchronous instruction. Asynchronous course content may consist of readings, video lectures, writing and other assignments, while synchronous instruction includes virtual class meetings, where professors use a variety of instruction styles. Some courses may be more discussion based whereas others use the Socratic method.
In all courses, asynchronous work is required to learn, absorb, and understand course concepts. While no two students are identical, the typical time commitment is about 30 - 40 hours per week. This includes the time for attending class, completing assignments, studying, and preparing for exams.
Our Admissions criteria for the Online JD program mirrors those for our fall residential admittees. You can learn more here to see if you qualify, or apply now to get started. Applications open on September 15th and will close whenever the class has been filled.
To ensure that our online students receive a high-quality educational experience, our online cohort is limited to 50 seats. Admission is competitive and offered on a rolling basis.
The most up to date information can be found on the Tuition and Fees site about half way down the page on the line “Online JD Program.” All admitted students are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships.
Students from other law schools may be eligible to transfer into the Online program. We will review your application, examine factors like your law school grade point average, character & fitness, and letter of good standing from the other law school to determine eligibility.
However, as the Residential JD Program here at Ohio Northern is a Full-Time Program, we do not allow students to transfer from the residential program to the Part-Time Online JD Program. Nevertheless, some elective courses are offered virtually for residential program students.
Yes! The Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law has many organizations that our online students can join. These organizations often host speakers throughout the year that are available to attend virtually. If a Q&A takes place after the presentation, the comments section will open and a moderator will ask the question on your behalf.
In the spring of 2L (second) year, you will have the opportunity to competitively write for a position on the Ohio Northern Law Review board as well as try out for our Moot Court, Jessup, or Nationally ranked Mock Trial team.
You can view a full list of our student organizations here.
Following the spring semester of your second year, students can fulfill skills course credit hour requirements by completing an externship. Each externship is worth 2 to 6 credit hours and students can receive up to 6 credit hours towards the Skills Course requirements via externships.
ONU offers several opportunities to study abroad once you have completed your 1L (first) year through the summer term. In the past we have offered the Rule of Law course during the January term hosted for two weeks in London, England and the Advanced Comparative Advocacy course at the end of May in Reykjavik, Iceland. Other opportunities are not offered annually and students can apply for other study abroad programs and receive transient credit.
Explore your opportunities here.
Professional licensure or certification requirements vary from one profession to another and state to state. Ohio Northern University programs leading to a professional licensure are designed to prepare students to apply for applicable licensure in the State of Ohio. Completion of an ONU program may not meet educational requirements for a licensure in another state.
If you are planning to pursue professional licensure in a state other than Ohio, it is strongly recommended that you contact the appropriate licensing entity in that state for information and guidance regarding licensure requirements before beginning an academic program.
To see if ONU’s ABA-approved Online J.D. program meets the educational requirements to take the bar examination in your state, click on the link below.
Some law schools may not accept transfer credits from a distance education J.D. program. Further, participation in a distance education J.D. program may impact your ability to take a bar exam or be admitted to the bar in certain jurisdictions. It is important that applicants consult the applicable character, fitness, and bar admission requirements for each jurisdiction in which they intend to seek bar admission prior to enrolling in a distance education J.D. program. For more information, see the J.D. professional licensure disclosure information here.