The star program at the University of South Dakota Law School is American Indian Law, drawing from the state's rich native heritage. The academic program works with many of the nine tribes in South Dakota, and students in the JD concentration can explore various regulations and policy issues facing local American Indian communities. Before joining a particular program or department, students must complete a number of required classes. These are mostly concentrated in the first year, with upper-level credits devoted to electives. Once students complete their requirements, USD Law has two curricular emphases--American Indian law and environmental law--and 11 specialty law tracks for them to choose from. There are also nine available joint degrees, ranging from a JD/MPA to a JD/MA in English.

The University of South Dakota Law School is committed to accommodating nontraditional students who might not otherwise graduate from law school. To that end, in addition to its full-time JD, USD Law has a flex-time program that allows students to spread out their studies over the course of five years. The school also has two specialized admissions processes: an accelerated admission system for undergraduate students to apply directly to law school without the final completion of their undergraduate degree; and a law screening program that admits students based on their performance in a six-week summer class.

USD Law graduates tend to steer away from the traditional private practice jobs, with 21 percent of the class of 2007 taking judicial clerkships and an additional 15 percent accepting jobs in the public law sector. While still in school, students tell Vault the biggest feature of the city of Vermillion is the university, so the nightlife is fairly quiet. Social activities center on the campus through a number of student groups and a thriving Greek system.