Mitchell Hamline School of Law

Gateway to Legal Education
Program

About

An introduction to law school and the practice of law teaching undergraduates from historically underrepresented communities through hyflex law courses.

The aim is to increase diversity in the legal profession and at Mitchell Hamline.

Partners

  • Institutions: Delaware State University and North Carolina A&T State University
  • Two and four-year post-secondary institutions in Minnesota starting with North Hennepin Community College.

The Gateway to Legal Education program collaborates with colleges and universities that have large populations of historically underrepresented and first-generation college students. Mitchell Hamline School of Law provides free, online classes to undergraduate institutions. Courses are taught and graded by Mitchell Hamline faculty, sometimes in collaboration with faculty at partner institutions. Course credits are awarded through the undergraduate institution, and tuition is paid to the home institution based on credits earned. Students who complete the Gateway course and express interest in applying to law school are encouraged to apply to Mitchell Hamline School of Law with the support of an adviser from the Admissions office and access to a scholarship that pays for an LSAT preparation course and application fees.

Psychology, Race, and Law

Offered through North Hennepin Community College

  • HyFlex course
  • Begins Jan. 13, 2026
  • Learn the law from Mitchell Hamline Professor Rick Petry and North Hennepin Psychology Professor Dr. Sean Payton
  • Earn credits towards your North Hennepin and Inver Hills Community College degree

Course description
Psychology, Race, and Law examines the interaction between psychology, the legal system, and race, using real-world examples. Topics include eyewitness memory, the insanity defense, involuntary civil commitment, forensic evaluation in cases of child sexual abuse, false confessions, profiling, and child custody determinations. The class addresses various controversies in the law, including jury selection, jury decision-making, police interrogations and confessions, use of lie-detector tests, eyewitness testimony, repressed and recovered memories, and the role of psychologists as expert witnesses.