GCU is launching a new law school
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Grand Canyon University is moving forward with plans to open a new law school.
Why it matters: Arizona State University and the University of Arizona have the only two American Bar Association-accredited law schools in the state, and ASU is the only option in the Valley for aspiring lawyers.
Driving the news: GCU announced its new College of Law Wednesday, about four months after it began searching for a dean.
- At the time, the private Christian university said it was exploring the possibility of a law school but hadn't made a decision.
State of play: GCU's law school will need approval or accreditation from the Arizona Supreme Court, Higher Learning Commission, Arizona Board for Private Postsecondary Education and ABA, which the university described as a multi-year process.
- But GCU is hoping to have its first law school students in the fall of 2027 or spring 2028.
- The university is also conducting final interviews for its founding dean, with a decision expected in the coming weeks.
What they're saying: "The legal profession plays a critical role in preserving the institutions and principles that make a free society possible," GCU president Brian Mueller said in the university's announcement.
- "We believe there is an opportunity to create a law school that produces outstanding attorneys while also grounding students in a Christian worldview, a deep understanding of the Constitution and an appreciation for the principles of free markets, individual liberty and the rule of law."
GCU also announced that it will open a College of Construction and Industrial Technologies, which will offer instruction in trades like instruction in trades like manufacturing, electrical work, microchip technology and construction.
- The school will offer bachelor's degrees and eventually graduate degrees as well.
What we're watching: How much tuition will cost at GCU's law school.
- The university hasn't determined tuition levels yet, and is discussing models for undergraduate and graduate-level programs, spokesperson Bob Romantic tells Axios.