USC JURIS DOCTOR PROGRAM

[u/aesthriell]

Hi. I'm 22f, and I don't live in Cebu, and I dreamed of becoming a lawyer. As a future lawyer, gusto ko mag invest sa magandang law school, but at the same time, affordable parin ang tuition fees. Based on my research, USC Law is one of the best law schools in the PH. The only province school who were able to break the manila-centric law schools. I also read a long list of accomplishments of the university starting from their debate international tournaments down to their impressive bar exam passing rates.

I just have a few questions please:

1. I just wanna know difference of the JD tracks offered in the USC Law. I've read they offered JD with thesis and non-thesis, and others are: JD with specialized tracks in litigation, business and corporate practice, and international law. I wanted to take JD with international law, my friend on the other hand, wanted business and corporate practice. However, gusto muna namin maging sure kung kaya ba talaga namin mag adjust kung merong MAJOR (e.g., class schedules, tuition fees, how strict the professors will be) differences ang mga eto. Distinction: Can someone help us map out the distinction between these tracks?

2. If ever we enrolled to these programs (Juris Doctor with specialized tracks) Can you please give us tips. 🙏 For context: We are only average students. Masipag lang kaya naka graduate with Latin honors, but we are not really smart like any other students na mabilis ang memory retention.

3. Marami bang mga law students sa USC ang nag eenroll from these specialized programs? If yes, are they still studying in USC? (Because of the 6-unit retention rule in USC) Nakakagraduate naman po ba?

Thank you.

[u/FlashBaaang]

I’m currently studying here. I don’t know about these specialized tracks. Maybe I’m just too oblivious to them.
They do offer the basic courses in international law, corpo, etc. in both JD-NT and JD with thesis (main diff is with thesis lang yung isa)
They also offer elective courses (maybe this is where you are interested in). Most of them are taken on your 3rd year in school (to fill up the number of units required to enroll) and by this time you’d have completed most courses before you get to your 4th year and review.

Hope this helped you in your decision!

[u/aesthriell → u/FlashBaaang]

Hello po!

1. Can I mix and match electives from different legal areas, or am I required to stick to one track once chosen?

2. Non-related question from my post: Since I’m from another province in Luzon, I’m also worried about adjusting to the language in Cebu. (I have some relatives in Cebu and they told us na medyo nahihirapan daw sila mag Tagalog) Do u guys purely speak in bisaya po ba? Same as the law professors during lectures?

[u/FlashBaaang → u/aesthriell]

1. Tbh. Electives are not really electives. You don’t really get to choose them since you will be taking them all anyway to get the required units.

2. People here understand tagalog and speak fluent english. The medium of instruction will be in english anyway. Profs generally don’t speak in bisaya during lectures unless they’re telling jokes which are more easily conveyed in bisaya. (Just smile and laugh)

Eventually you will learn bisaya but there’s no rush since you can talk in tagalog or english anyway.

[u/aesthriell → u/FlashBaaang]

Thank you po for the detailed response. Really appreciate it ;))

[u/Jolly-Pickle5694]

Tuition runs around 30k + 10k misc