University of Detroit Mercy Law to launch state's first online J.D. program

DETROIT, Sept. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A $2.22-million gift from Jonathan D. Rose will help the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law launch a fully online juris doctor degree in fall 2026.

The Online J.D. Program (OJD) is the first in Michigan and just the 21st in the nation. Applications for the four-year program are now being accepted at law.udmercy.edu. It is accredited by the American Bar Association.

For UDM President Donald B. Taylor, this new program further enhances the University's academic tradition of innovation and excellence.

"This is an extremely important gift by a very generous alumnus because it allows Detroit Mercy to make a difference in the lives of many students to come," Taylor said. "Support for programs like this are crucial to preserving and building on the UDM brand of education, which continues to be recognized nationally for the quality of our offerings, commitment of faculty and staff and dedication to student success." 

Dean of Detroit Mercy Law Nicholas Schroeck agreed. "This program will mirror our residential J.D. program, and I think that is why we have already started to see strong interest in the online program. Students know the high-quality education they will receive from Detroit Mercy Law, whether they're physically on our campus or in our online classrooms," Schroeck said. 

Detroit Mercy's OJD can be completed fully online and will replace Detroit Mercy Law's evening part-time residential program. Classes will be offered asynchronously for the most part, with some upper-level courses such as the award-winning clinics taught synchronously.

Enrollment capped at 25 for the first class, which begins in fall 2026. The cap will increase each year until 2030, when it will reach 45 students.  

This program has the potential to open doors to many who thought a career in law is not an option because it targets people who cannot attend law school during conventional hours and those who live too far from a law school campus to participate in person.     

For more information about the Detroit Mercy Online J.D. Program, including how to apply, visit law.udmercy.edu or call 313-596-0264.

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SOURCE University of Detroit Mercy