Austin Peay and University of Memphis form 3+3 agreement for law degree

The Department of Political Science and Public Management is housed in the Clement Building.

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University’s (APSU) Department of Political Science and Public Management recently established an agreement with the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law to provide a six-year path to obtain a law degree. 

The partnership will increase the affordability and accessibility of law school for Middle Tennesseans, according to Katharine T. Schaffzin, dean of the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. 

“Students can earn a bachelor’s degree from Austin Peay and a JD from the University of Memphis in six years, saving an entire year of undergraduate tuition and lost earning potential,” Schaffzin said. “Moreover, the three plus three program will increase the number of high-performing undergraduates from Middle Tennessee studying at Memphis Law, while improving Austin Peay’s ability to retain and graduate these students.” 

Students at APSU will be advised to complete a degree requirement, prepped for the LSAT and complete the application process for the law school by the end of their junior year according to Harold A. Young, APSU assistant professor of Political Science and Public Management.  

 Dr. Harold Young

“If a student is accepted to law school and successfully completes the first year (30 credit hours), APSU will confer a bachelor’s degree,” Young said. “If a student does not get accepted to law school by the end of their junior year, that student simply continues with degree work at APSU and is encouraged to apply again.” 

For more information, contact Harold Young, 931-221-7059 or youngh@apsu.edu.  

 About Austin Peay

Austin Peay State University is located on an urban campus that for over 180 years has been used for educational purposes and on which the buildings of five colleges have stood. APSU is located in Clarksville, Tennessee, the state's fifth largest and youngest city, and recently designated by Money Magazine as the ‘Best Place to Live.’ 

The school is named after former Tennessee Governor Austin Peay, a Clarksville native. APSU is a doctoral level university with six colleges and four Chairs of Excellence. For information, visit www.apsu.edu. 

About University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law is fully accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools, the society for legal education in the United States. Graduates of the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law include judges, other public servants and leading practitioners in the Mid-South and throughout the nation. The Law School has been named as the Best Law School Building and Facilities in the nation (twice) and is located in downtown Memphis, which was recently listed as one of the Top 15 Emerging Downtowns in the country by Forbes Magazine. For information, visit www.memphis.edu/law.