Jump start your career! Combining Syracuse Law’s first-rate online classes and far-reaching Externship Program, Orange Flex gives residential J.D. students a head-start on their careers across the nation.
Orange Flex allows qualified students to spend their 3L year in another city or town. Students satisfy graduation requirements with an externship and by taking up to 12 credits of online courses via JDinteractive (JDi), our fully interactive, online law degree program.
JDi offers an array of online courses consisting of live and self-paced class sessions taught by College of Law faculty. The College’s long-established Externship Program features placements in New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, San Francisco, Washington, DC, and elsewhere. Additionally, a skills-focused seminar is offered online.
As externs, students gain valuable applied learning experience in judicial settings, law firms, corporate legal departments, government agencies, and non-profits.
Advantages to this 3L Option
- Accelerate your career by being “on the ground” and developing practical skills in the city of your choice one year from graduation.
- Strengthen your professional networks in the community in which you wish to work, particularly among Orange Law alumni who assist the Externship Program as placement hosts and seminar guests.
- Take advantage of the College’s online courses, developed and taught by Syracuse Law faculty who are national leaders in providing high-quality online education. (Orange Flex students receive enrollment in available JDi classes prior to other residential students.)
Frequently Asked Questions
The program is open to third-year residential J.D. students in academic good standing who have:
(a) completed all their required courses in the residential program by the end of 2L year;
(b) not already earned more than six credits of externship placement; and
(c) a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above at the time of application and are not on the structured curriculum.
Students take up to 12 credits of JDi classes online and up to 14 credits of externship and seminar in a location of their choosing for their final year of law school. Students will work with the Director of Externships to confirm an appropriate externship placement, which must be in-person and at least 100 miles outside of Syracuse.
Orange Flex students enroll in a sponsored externship outside of the Central New York region, defined as a market more than 100 miles from Syracuse. Students will work with the Director of Externships to confirm an appropriate externship placement.
Students in the Orange Flex program typically take online courses and complete an externship placement and seminar in both fall and spring semesters. Externship hours are typically scheduled during the regular workday. Online course schedules vary. Most are offered in the evening hours, though some are offered weekday mornings or Sunday afternoon.
Occasionally, students may find that a full semester of classes followed by or preceded by a full semester of externship and seminar works better for their personal circumstances. Students who prefer this option are encouraged to speak with the Director of Externships.
Yes. Orange Flex students can take up to 12 credits of online courses, but students who earn more than 62 credits in their first two years of law school can take fewer online credits to reach the 87 credits required for graduation.
Applications for Orange Flex must be submitted by the last day of February. Applications can be found here and in Article III of the Academic Rules located in the Registrar SharePoint Site.
Yes. Eligibility is limited to students who have not already earned more than six externship credits.
Students can take upper-division online courses alongside students in the JDi program. Course availability varies based on semester and JDi enrollment.
Yes. JDr students who plan to take an in-person, geographically remote externship in their 2L year or for only one semester (outside of the Orange Flex Program) are limited to 6 externship placement credits absent a waiver of this credit limit. Students who wish to seek a waiver under this process should submit a “Petition for Exemption from non-instructional credit limitations” using this form. This form is also located in Article I of the Academic Rules on the Registrar SharePoint Site.
If a JDr student plans to take an in-person, geographically remote externship for 6 credits or less, they must follow one of the below options for that semester:
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- Submit a Request to Transition to part-time status (see Article II of the Academic Rules); or
- Successfully petition to enroll in JDi classes to meet the 12 credit full-time status (see Article III of the Academic Rules)
- A petition to enroll in JDi classes requires a 3.0 minimum GPA
- Students are limited to two JDi classes per academic year and 15 total credits overall
- Students seeking to enroll in JDi classes are not guaranteed enrollment in their preferred classes
Current students should direct questions related to course offerings to the Office of Online Education. Questions related to externships should be directed to lawexternships@syr.edu.
Prospective students, please contact lawadmissions@syr.edu.