Chapter 5:
Degree Requirements

Juris Doctor Degree

General Requirements for the Juris Doctor Degree

To earn a JD degree, a student must: 

1. Enroll in the School of Law as a full-time student after completing their undergraduate degree; 

2. Maintain a cumulative weighted average of at least 2.33 (C+) after the first year, and at the end of every academic semester thereafter ; and 

3. Successfully complete at least 90 hours of law study (87 credits for the class matriculating in fall 2024), including all required courses more fully described below. Of these 90 hours, 60 hours must be completed at the School of Law to qualify for a degree from the Wake Forest University School of Law. This applies to all students, including those who transfer to the School of Law, and to students given permission to do a portion of their work at another law school.

Students are responsible for tracking their academic progress towards the JD degree and ensuring that they will complete those requirements in the expected graduation term.  The Academic Progress tab in a student's record on Student Work Day can help students with this responsibility.

Credit Hour Determination

The faculty follows the ABA standard for determining credit hours for each course. One credit hour represents an amount of work that reasonably approximates: (1) at least one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and two hours of out-of-class student work per week for the semester; or (2) at least an equivalent amount of work performed in simulation, field placement, clinical, or co-curricular academic work. 

Fall and Spring Course Load

A full-time student must enroll in a minimum of 13 credit hours in Fall and Spring semesters. In extraordinary circumstances or in a student’s final semester, the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or their designee) may grant permission for students to enroll in as few as 10 credit hours in a semester. The student will still pay full tuition for that semester. Students in their final semester can submit their request for a reduced course load by going through the Part-time / Full-Time Status Change process in Workday. 

A student may be enrolled in a maximum of 16 credit hours in Fall and Spring semesters. In extraordinary circumstances, the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or their designee) may grant permission for students to enroll in up to 18 credit hours. Students can submit their request for maximum credit overload by going through the Request Credit Overload process in Workday.

Summer Course Load

Full-time for summer enrollment is defined as six credit hours. To be eligible for financial aid, students must be enrolled at least half-time. Half-time for the summer term is defined as three credit hours. Tuition for summer courses is billed per credit hour at the published tuition rate.

Classification

The presumption is that a non-transfer student will be classified as part of the class of students with which they began their law school education. 

• First-Year Student (1L): A student who at the beginning of the semester has completed fewer than 25 hours of work is typically a first-year student. 

• Second-Year Student (2L): A student who at the beginning of the semester has completed not fewer than 25 and not more than 54 hours is typically a second-year student. 

• Third-Year Student (3L): A third-year student is typically one who at the beginning of the semester has completed 55 or more hours.

First-Year Curriculum

The first-year curriculum for all Juris Doctor students matriculating in or after Fall 2024 includes the following:

Except as noted below, a student must take and pass all the courses in the first-year curriculum to graduate. The Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or their designee) will ordinarily exempt students who transfer to the School of Law from another law school, or from another degree program, from the requirement to complete Professional Development.  

A student who receives a failing grade in a first-year course must retake the course unless the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, upon the recommendation of the instructor, grants a waiver. Waivers are granted when: (1) justification is shown for the failure; (2) there is cause to believe that the students’ learning experience in the course was adequate; and (3) the student would be better served by being allowed to take another course that would otherwise be missed. The recommendation must be made no later than the semester following the semester in which the failure occurred. 

A student who receives a failing grade in a first-year course or who withdraws after the add/drop period may not take that course with the same instructor without that instructor’s written consent unless the course is not offered (excluding summer courses) with another instructor before the student is expected to graduate.

Upper-Level Required Courses

In addition to the first-year curriculum, a student must take and pass the following three courses:

• Constitutional Law II 

• Evidence (not required for students who matriculated in or after Fall 2023)

• Professional Responsibility

Each student also must satisfy each of the following four course requirements: 

1. The Legal Analysis, Writing and Research III requirement;

2. The Legal Analysis, Writing and Research IV requirement;

3. The Statutory Interpretation and Agency Regulation requirement; and 

4. The Experiential Learning requirement. 

More information on these four requirements is below.

A student may not use the same course to satisfy more than one of these four requirements. This requirement cannot be waived. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a student may receive LAWR IV credit in a course that also fulfills the Statutory Interpretation and Agency Regulation category requirement. 

A student who receives a failing grade in an upper-level required course must retake the course unless the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, upon the recommendation of the instructor, grants a waiver. Waivers are granted when: (1) justification is shown for the failure; (2) there is cause to believe that the students’ learning experience in the course was adequate; and (3) the student would be better served by being allowed to take another course that would otherwise be missed. The recommendation must be made no later than the semester following the semester in which the failure occurred. A student who receives a failing grade in an upper level course or who withdraws after the add/drop period may not take that course with the same instructor without that instructor’s written consent unless the course is not offered (excluding summer courses) with another instructor before the student is expected to graduate and the course is required for graduation.

LAWR III

A student must satisfy the LAWR III requirement by passing a designated LAWR III course. The LAWR III courses continue improving students’ skills in legal analysis, writing and research. 

Individual LAWR III courses have specific and individually tailored course-specific objectives.  Despite this variety, however, the courses in the LAWR III curriculum as a whole are carefully constructed to achieve common overall goals and outcomes. Within the various courses comprising the LAWR III curriculum, all LAWR III courses have the following common course goals and associated learning objectives: 

• Goal 1:  Students will develop effective research, analysis, and communication skills to solve legal problems.

• Goal 2:  Students will consider the purpose, structure, audience, and applicable rules (i.e., the Rules of Civil or Criminal Procedure, Rules of Evidence, Rules of Appellate Procedure, regulations, etc.) when drafting a legal document.

• Goal 3:  Students will improve their techniques for writing precisely, clearly, concisely, and for self-editing, incorporating feedback, and revising.

• Goal 4:  Students will develop a strong sense of professional values and recognize common ethical problems in drafting legal documents.

LAWR IV

To satisfy the LAWR IV requirement, a student must pass a designated LAWR IV course, which will require the student to engage in a “rigorous writing experience” which produces a work product that:

1. is a substantial scholarly, academic paper, or practice-oriented work product of approximately 5,000 to 7,500 words, including citations (which may be satisfied by a series of shorter papers if, taken as a whole, they satisfy all of these requirements);

2. makes a contribution appropriate to the topic of law or legal policy;

3. demonstrates a thoughtful and accurate analysis of the legal or policy issues involved;

4. is supported by comprehensive research; and

5. otherwise satisfies the supervising professor’s criteria for depth of research, analysis, accuracy and clarity.

During the process of writing the LAWR IV work product, the student must consult with the faculty supervisor, who will review and provide feedback on an outline or other pre-writing product, and a draft of the final work product. In addition, the student must consult with a research faculty member about matters such as topic selection, development of a research plan, and research process unless that requirement is waived by the faculty supervisor because, for example, the faculty supervisor has subject-matter expertise in the area.

One or more upper level elective courses may be designated to satisfy the LAWR IV requirement in a particular semester. Other courses or practice-oriented work product may also qualify if the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs certifies, before registration, that the rigorous writing experience satisfies the goals and objectives of the LAWR IV requirement.

To satisfy the LAWR IV requirement, the course cannot be taken on a pass/fail basis. At the conclusion of the course, the supervising professor will grade the student’s paper and make a separate determination and certification concerning whether the student satisfied the LAWR IV requirement.

Experiential Learning Requirement

To satisfy the Experiential Learning Requirement, a student must pass one or more designated Experiential Learning courses totaling at least six credit hours. Courses are typically designed as Experiential Learning courses if they are simulation courses, law clinics, or field placements. One or more upper level elective courses may be designated to satisfy the Experiential Learning requirement in a particular semester. Other practice-oriented work product may also qualify if the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs certifies, before registration, that the course satisfies the goals and objectives of the Experiential Learning requirement.

Statutory Interpretation and Agency Regulation Requirement

To satisfy the Statutory Interpretation and Agency Regulation requirement, a student must take a course designated as satisfying the requirement. Such a course must have a course description and learning objectives establishing that the course:

a) teaches students to interpret, apply, and advocate using statutes; and

b) illustrates how administrative agencies implement statues by promulgating regulations and/or adjudicating a license, benefit, or enforcement action arising under a statute.

One or more upper level elective courses may be designated by the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to satisfy the Statutory Interpretation and Agency Regulation requirement in a particular semester.

To satisfy the Statutory Interpretation and Agency Regulation requirement, the course may be taken under any grading policy, including the pass/fail option, but must be at least two credits.

Multiple Experiential Learning Experiences in the Same Semester

A student seeking to enroll in the same semester in more than a single clinic, single practicum extension, single field placement, or single externship must receive the approval of the Associate Dean for Experiential Learning. 

Limits on Hours Earned Through Field Placements, Other Study Outside of the Classroom, and in Another Department, School, College, or the University

Students may earn no more than 20 hours of credit for study outside the classroom, which includes field placements (such as externships or practicums), co-curricular activities (such as journals or moot court-related activities), and non-JD courses earned in other departments or schools at this University or another institution of higher learning. Credits awarded towards the classroom component of field placement classes will not count against this 20 hour limit.

Students who earn their JD degree through a dual or concurrent degree must earn at least 64 credit hours in courses that require attendance in regularly scheduled classroom sessions or direct faculty instruction, as defined in ABA Standard 311. This 64-credit requirement may prevent dual-degree students from enrolling in the full 20 hours of credits permitted by this policy.

Students may not enroll in clinics, externships, field placements, or practicums until the student has successfully completed 28 credit hours toward the JD degree.

A JD student can earn up to twelve hours of academic credit for non-JD, graduate-level courses taken at Wake Forest University, including foreign language classes.  Any such course must be approved by the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or their designee) as being appropriate to the student’s goals with regard to the practice of law.  A student seeking to take such a course must obtain the approval of the professor teaching the course. Such courses will be graded on a pass/fail basis, and credits earned will count towards the 20-hour limit on study outside the classroom. To receive approval for registration, students should complete the Outside Enrollment Form found below or on the Registrar's Office website. 

Transfer Credit Policy

All transfer credit requests are reviewed by the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or their designee) and the Registrar’s Office. Credits are only approved if they comply with ABA Standard 505 and with all applicable Law School policies provided in this section. Transfer credits combined from any source provided in this section cannot exceed 29 credits to be applied to the JD degree.

Pre-Matriculation Credits

The Law School does not accept any transfer credits to be applied towards the JD degree for any credits earned prior to matriculation in the JD program, including any work completed in a law pre-admission program, except for credits earned consistent with the Dual and Concurrent Degree policy below, or credits completed outside of the United States that would satisfy JD requirements at the Law School, consistent with ABA Standard 505(c).

JD Degree Transfer Students

A student from another law school who is otherwise qualified for admission may, at the discretion of the Dean, be admitted to advanced standing for the JD degree, provided:

1. the law school is a member of the Association of American Law Schools or approved by the ABA, with preference given to students from AALS member schools;

2. all procedures for admission of beginning students have been followed, and

3. a transcript of such law school work, class rank, and a certification of good standing by the Dean of such law school previously attended have been received.  

To be awarded a JD degree from Wake Forest University School of Law, a student who transfers from another law school must successfully complete a minimum of 60 credit hours while enrolled at the School of Law as a full-time student for not less than four semesters and must fulfill all other degree requirements.

The Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs determine the amount and type of credit given for work done in other law schools. This determination is typically based on an interview with the transfer student, a review of curriculum information from the previous law school, and in some cases, consultation with faculty members who taught the transfer student at the previous law school. A transfer student may be required to take 1L classes at the School of Law if they did not complete courses consistent with School of Law degree requirements at their previous school.

The Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs will determine the overall number of credits earned, the number of credits to be attributed to each course, and the number of graduation requirements that the transfer student has satisfied. The transfer of credits sometimes results in the loss of some credit because of differences in graduation requirements and course credits. The credit awarded is based on the similarity in subject matter and academic rigor between the course as taught at the previous law school and the course as taught at the School of Law. The objective is to grant each transfer student the number of credits and fulfillment of degree requirements that students would receive for completing comparable work at the School of Law. 

If a transfer student completes courses on a pass/fail basis at the previous law school after the first two full-time semesters are complete (for instance, a pass/fail course completed during the summer after the first year), the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs may award credit for the course, but deduct the credit hours from the pass/fail hours available to the student going forward.
 

Transfer Credit for Dual and Concurrent Degree Programs

The Law School will grant credit earned towards a graduate degree prior to Law School provided that the student is enrolled in a dual or concurrent degree program with the JD degree, the credit would have counted towards the JD degree had the student been enrolled in a dual or concurrent degree program, and if the credit was earned no more than three years prior to matriculation in the JD program.

Transfer Credit for Wake Forest Exchange Students

Credit earned during the semester on a foreign campus will be transferred to the Wake Forest transcript. The amount of transferable credit will be established with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs before the program. Exchange students are required to provide proposed course work to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs as a written plan for review and approval.

Transfer Credit for Wake Forest Students Visiting Away

The Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may grant a School of Law JD student the right to visit at another law school for one or two semesters if the student can show special need. Examples of special need include, but are not limited to: engagement or marriage to a person who lives a sufficient distance from Winston-Salem so that continued enrollment at Wake Forest Law constitutes a hardship or specialized training available at the other school that is not available at the School of Law. Examples that would not constitute special need include, but are not limited to: a desire to study closer to home; lower tuition at another school; greater ease in preparing for another state’s bar exam; and placement opportunities.

Grades earned as a visiting student do not transfer to a student’s School of Law record, nor are they included in the student’s record for purposes of calculating rank in class. Only course credits earned at the visited law school are transferred to the student’s record and only if the student earned a grade of “C” or better. Visiting students must obtain approval of all courses taken at the visited school from the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or their designee).

Students seeking to visit away should complete the Change of Enrollment Request form, the link of which can be found below and on the Registrar’s Office website. The Change of Enrollment Form will allow the student to indicate the courses they intend to register for at the visited school for approval by the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or their designee).

Students who are approved for and choose to visit away will be placed on leave of absence from Wake Forest Law during their time attending another school.

Minimum Grade Requirement

A cumulative weighted grade average of 2.33 (C+) is required by all JD students at the end of their first year and at the end of every academic semester thereafter to continue their enrollment and to graduate from the School of Law. Otherwise, the student is academically ineligible, as explained in Chapter 6.

Accounts Payable to School of Law

All amounts owed by a graduating student to the School of Law or University must be paid or otherwise approved by the Dean and Student Financial Services’ Office of the University before the student may graduate.

Degree Length

The JD degree is typically completed in six, residential semesters (Fall and Spring) and no more than five years may elapse between the commencement and completion of the requirements for the JD degree.

Accelerated Graduation

With the permission of the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or their designee), a student may be permitted to accelerate graduation by one semester if they: (1) meet all applicable requirements; and (2) have been in residence for at least five semesters (Fall and Spring). 

Any student who is interested in accelerating graduation must confer with the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or their designee) and must complete and submit to the Registrar an Application for Accelerated Graduation form no later than the end of the spring semester of the student’s second year. Students enrolled in a dual-degree program (described more fully below) may not use summer school work to accelerate graduation dates.

Visiting JD Students

A student who is in good standing and eligible to re-enter a law school which is a member of the AALS or is approved by the ABA may, with the permission of the Dean of such law school, attend the School of Law without becoming a degree candidate with the approval of the Dean of the School of Law. The student must pay the appropriate tuition and fees.

Concurrent and Dual Degrees

JD/MBA Concurrent Degree

The JD/MBA Concurrent Degree program allows a student to combine the three-year JD curriculum and the two-year evening MBA curriculum into a three or four-year course of study.  Students will spend all three years at the School of Law.  During their second and/or third year, students will take classes in the School of Law and the School of Business.  Students will spend the summer after their second year taking evening MBA classes in the School of Business.  The JD degree requires completion of 75 hours of law coursework, including the JD degree requirements prescribed by the School of Law for graduation, as well as satisfactory completion of 15 credit hours of MBA coursework transferred to Wake Forest Law at the completion of the MBA credit hours and inclusion in the School of Business transcript.  The MBA requires 36 hours of business coursework, including the MBA core courses, as well as satisfactory completion of 9 credit hours of law coursework transferred to the School of Business at the completion of the JD requirements.  Graduation and conferral of both degrees will occur in May at the end of the third or fourth year pending successful completion of all coursework and requirements for both programs.

Students must notify the Registrar of the School of Law of their intention to pursue the concurrent degrees before undertaking the program. In addition, students in the program will have a law faculty advisor, with whom they will meet before undertaking the concurrent degrees and at least once per semester.  Further information can be found on the JD/MBA Concurrent Degree website. 

JD/MA in Bioethics Dual Degree (Currently not Accepting New Students)

The JD/MA in Bioethics Dual Degree program facilitates an interdisciplinary and comparative study of law and bioethics and encourages students whose academic or career interests require gaining competence in both disciplines. The dual-degree program will save students a semester plus a summer of enrollment by granting 12 hours of law credit for bioethics coursework, and granting 6 hours of bioethics credit for law coursework. Students will generally spend their first year full-time in the School of Law.  Students in this dual-degree program will complete 78 credits of law coursework, including the JD degree requirements prescribed by the School of Law for graduation, and 12 additional bioethics hours during their second and third years of law school. Graduation and conferral of both degrees will occur in December at the end of the seventh semester pending successful completion of all coursework requirements for both programs.

Students must notify the Registrar of the School of Law of their intention to pursue the dual degree before undertaking the program. In addition, students will have a law faculty advisor, with whom they will meet before undertaking the dual degree and at least once per semester. Further information can be found on the JD/MA in Bioethics website. 

JD/MDiv Dual Degree

The JD/MDiv Dual Degree program promotes an interdisciplinary conversation between religion and law.  Students interested in the dual JD/MDiv program can combine the three-year law curriculum and the three-year divinity curriculum into a five-year program. Students will first complete two years of work in either the School of Law or the School of Divinity. Years 3 and 4 will be completed in the alternate school. For the fifth year, students will enroll in each school for one semester, completing any remaining degree requirements and elective courses that are dual-degree appropriate. When undertaken as part of the dual JD/MDiv program, the JD degree requires completion of 75 hours of law course work and the other degree requirements prescribed by Wake Forest Law for graduation. Graduation and conferral of both degrees will occur in May at the end of the fifth year pending successful completion of all coursework and requirements for both programs

Students must notify the Registrar of the School of Law of their intention to pursue the dual degree before undertaking the program. In addition, students will have a law faculty advisor, with whom they will meet before undertaking the dual degree and at least once per semester. Further information can be found on the JD/MDiv Dual Degree website. 

JD/MA in Sustainability Dual Degree (Currently not Accepting New Students)

The JD/MA in Sustainability Dual Degree program promotes interdisciplinary learning in the law and sustainability, and allows students to earn a JD degree and a MA in Sustainability in three years (plus one summer).  Students must complete 78 credit hours in the School of Law, including specified sustainability-related law courses and the satisfaction of all degree requirements prescribed by the School of Law for graduation, and 22 credit hours in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), including intra-semester sustainability workshops and the core curriculum in sustainability designed by the Wake Forest Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability (CEES). Students may elect to enroll in the dual-degree program in their first or second year of law school. Graduation and conferral of both degrees will occur in August at the end of the seventh semester pending successful completion of all coursework and requirements for both programs. 

Students must notify the Registrar of the School of Law of their intention to pursue the dual degree before undertaking the program. In addition, students will have a law faculty advisor, with whom they will meet before undertaking the dual degree and at least once per semester. Further information can be found on the JD/MA in Sustainability website. 

Two-Year JD for International Lawyers

The Two-Year JD for International Lawyers is a degree designed for students who have received their legal education outside of the U.S. and now want to pursue a JD degree. 

Two-Year JD Degree General Requirements

Students admitted into the program receive up to 30 hours of law school credit for certain courses in their previous legal education. The Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or their designee) will determine which courses previously taken will receive transfer credit. Students must complete a minimum of 57 credit hours in residence at the School of Law to graduate with the JD degree. All other graduation requirements and academic eligibility standards are the same as the three-year JD program.

All Two-Year JD students are required to participate in the first-year law student orientation programming prior to the start of classes. In some cases, it may also be required that students participate in an earlier orientation for international students. 

During the first year of study at the School of Law, Two-Year JD students will take the following required courses: 

• Civil Procedure

• Constitutional Law

• Contracts

• LAWR

• Property 

• Torts

During the second year, students will take: 

• Constitutional Law II

• Professional Responsibility

• LAWR III

• LAWR IV

• a course that satisfies the Statutory Interpretation and Agency Regulation requirement

• Six credits from Experiential Learning courses

During the second year, it is also strongly encouraged that students take courses that are tested on the bar exam. Exceptions to required coursework may be made for students who have previously studied in the LLM Program at the School of Law.

Masters of Laws (LLM) Degree

The Master of Laws (LLM) Degree is designed for students who have received a first degree in law in a country other than the United States. 

LLM Degree General Requirements

To earn the LLM degree, a student must: 

1. Be admitted to the School of Law as a full-time student; 

2. Spend the equivalent of one academic year (two semesters) in residence in the LLM program; 

3. Attain a cumulative average of at least 2.0 in all work; and 

4. Successfully complete at least 24 hours of courses, including all required courses. Transfer credits will not be accepted. 

Required Courses

All LLM students must choose either the Thesis Track or the Seminar Paper Track. An approved seminar paper or thesis is required to graduate with the LLM degree. 

All LLM students are required to take: Legal Analysis, Writing and Research for International Lawyers (LAW 121) and Introduction to American Law (LAW 851), each for two credit hours, and in the fall semester of their program.  

LLM students must successfully complete at least three (3) credit hours from 1L JD curriculum. 

The Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or their designee) may allow a student interested in business law to take up to six credits towards the LLM from approved courses in the Wake Forest University School of Business. 

Additional information regarding LLM degree requirements can be found on the LLM program website.

Specializations

Candidates for the LLM degree may choose to specialize in Business Law, Criminal Law, Intellectual Property Law, or Technology Law. They may also choose to specialize in other areas of law with the guidance of their faculty advisor and permission of the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or their designee). Candidates may only specialize in one area of law during their program. In addition to the required courses above, students wishing to specialize in a specific area of law must take at least nine (9) credit hours of approved courses in that area. 

The required first-year curriculum class may be used towards the required credit hours in the chosen specialization if it falls under that specialization’s list of approved courses or is approved by the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or their designee) to meet the specialization’s requirements.

Fall and Spring Course Load

A full-time LLM student must enroll in a minimum of 9 credit hours in Fall and Spring semesters. A student may be enrolled in a maximum of 16 credit hours in Fall and Spring semesters. In extraordinary circumstances, the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or their designee) may grant permission for students to enroll in additional credit hours.

Half-time for fall and spring semesters in the LLM program is defined as 4.5 credit hours.

Summer Course Load

Full-time for summer enrollment is defined as six credit hours. To be eligible for financial aid (for US citizens and permanent residents), students must be enrolled at least half-time. Half-time for the summer term is defined as three credit hours. Tuition for summer courses is billed per credit hour.

Degree Length

The LLM can be completed in as few as two semesters, but no more than three semesters not including an approved Leave of Absence period. Students who plan to extend their program to three semesters must receive approval from the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs (or their designee) before the add/drop period ends for the second semester of study. Students must submit a request for the extension that includes the reasons for the request as well as their planned course of study for the remainder of their program. Failure to receive approval for the extension prior to the end of the add/drop period in the second semester of study could result in students not being allowed to finish their program. A student who plans to extend their program to three semesters is responsible for obtaining the appropriate visa needed to extend the program.

Minimum Grade Requirement

A cumulative grade average of 2.0 (C) or above is required by all LLM students at the end of their first year and at the end of every academic semester thereafter to continue their enrollment and to graduate from the School of Law.

Accounts Payable to School of Law

All amounts owed by the graduating student to the School of Law or University must be paid or otherwise approved by the Dean and Student Financial Services’ Office of the University before the student may graduate.

Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) Degree

The Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) Degree is designed for scholars and teachers of law and is most often obtained by international attorneys who are pursuing academic or high-ranking governmental careers in their home countries. The SJD is not a course-oriented degree but rather is directed towards scholarly research and producing a dissertation of publishable quality that contributes in an original manner to the law. SJD students must have a degree in law in their home country and an LLM degree from an ABA accredited law school. The Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the Admissions Review Committee may grant an exception to allow a non-US LLM to be approved as part of the admissions requirements.

SJD Degree General Requirements

To earn the SJD degree, a student must: 

1. Be admitted to the School of Law as a full-time student; 

2. Spend the equivalent of one academic year (two semesters) in residence in the SJD program; 

3. Attain a cumulative average of at least 2.0 (C) or Pass on all work; 

4. Spend at least two academic years (four semesters) in the program; 

5. Earn a minimum of 28 credits; and 

6. Successfully defend a dissertation to a committee of faculty members. 

Transfer credits will not be accepted. 

Required Courses

SJD students must spend their first year in the program (two academic semesters) in residence on the campus of the School of Law. During this year of residency, SJD students must enroll in at least one law course directly related to their topic of study each semester, and Supervised Dissertation (LAW 890) for six credit hours. After completion of the year in residence, students must enroll in Supervised Dissertation (LAW 890) each semester to be enrolled in the program. Students may also continue to enroll in other School of Law courses or choose to work on their dissertation from abroad. 

Fall and Spring Course Load

A full-time SJD student must enroll in a minimum of 6 credit hours in Fall and Spring semesters. A student may be enrolled in a maximum of 16 credit hours in Fall and Spring semesters. In extraordinary circumstances, the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or their designee) may grant permission for students to enroll in additional credit hours.

Half-time for fall and spring semesters in the SJD program is defined as 3 credit hours.

Summer Course Load

Full-time for summer enrollment is defined as six credit hours. To be eligible for financial aid (for US citizens and permanent residents), students must be enrolled at least half-time. Half-time for the summer term is defined as three credit hours. Tuition for summer courses is billed per credit hour.

Degree Length

The SJD degree can be completed in as little as two years (four academic semesters), but must be completed it in no more than five years (ten academic semesters) unless the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs grants an exception. 

Students may only graduate in May or December unless the Associate Dean for International Programs grants an exception.

Accounts Payable to School of Law

All amounts owed by the graduating student to the School of Law or the University must be paid or otherwise approved by the Dean and Student Financial Services’ Office of the University before the student may graduate.

Master of Studies in Law (MSL) Degree

The MSL is designed specifically for and uniquely tailored to working professionals who need to better understand the law in order to more efficiently and effectively manage risks in their careers. 

MSL Degree General Requirements

To earn the MSL degree, a student must successfully complete:

• • 13.5 hours of required core courses

  • at least 10.5 hours in the selected track

  • elective courses, for a total of 30 hours

With approval by the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or their designee), degree-seeking students may transfer up to 6-hours of graduate-level academic coursework relevant to the student’s track. These credits must be completed prior to matriculation or prior to completion of the MSL degree.

No more than six credit hours of transfer and capstone hours, total combined, may be applied towards the MSL degree. 

MSL Graduate Certificate and Requirements

Students may earn one of four Graduate Certificates upon completion of 12 hours of requisite coursework. A student may: 

1. Apply directly to the Graduate Certificate program; or 

2. Enroll in the MSL degree program, completing 12 hours of the requisite courses, opting not to continue on to completion of the degree. 

Students seeking the Graduate Certificate have the same application requirements as degree seekers. The same grading policy and academic standards (including standards for enrollment, grade point average, and academic good standing) apply to Graduate Certificate students.

Both MSL degree courses of study for each track, as well as MSL Graduate Certificate courses of study for each track can be found below. 

MSL Tracks

All MSL students in the degree or certificate seeking programs will choose a track (specialization). This track will be notated on the student’s final transcripts. Only one track specialization may be earned in either the degree or certificate program. Students are not eligible to receive a certificate in one track and a degree in another, nor are they eligible to receive two certificates in different tracks. 

Students may change their track selection mid-enrollment with approval from the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs. Students can submit their request to change their track by going through the Change Program of Study process in Workday.

Course Load and Continuous Enrollment

MSL students may take between three and six credit hours per semester. To maintain status as a half-time student for financial aid purposes, MSL students must register for at least three credit hours per semester.  Students may take less than three credits or more than six credit hours per semester only with the permission of the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs (or their designee).

All MSL students must maintain continuous enrollment during their program of study, taking at least three credit hours every Fall and Spring semester until completion of their program. In accordance with the Leave of Absence policy, a leave of up to one year may be granted with permission of the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs and the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Students who do not register for a course as required and who do not request a leave of absence will be dropped from their program and must reapply to re-enter the program.

Term Course Load and Student Status

Students in the MSL degree program are considered full-time when taking 6 or more credit hours in any given term (fall, spring, or summer). Students taking a minimum of 3 credit hours are considered half-time.

MSL Degree Length

Students transferring credit may complete the degree in as little as 17 months (four semesters). Students without transfer credit may complete the degree in as little as 22 months (five semesters). No more than six years may elapse between the commencement and completion of the requirements for the MSL degree unless an exception has been granted by the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs and the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

MSL Graduate Certificate Length

The Graduate Certificate may be completed in as little as 9 months (two semesters). No more than two years may elapse between the commencement and completion of the requirements for the MSL Graduate Certificate.

Minimum Grade Requirement

A cumulative grade average of 2.5 or above is required by all MSL students at the end of their second academic semester and at the end of every academic semester thereafter to continue their enrollment and to graduate from the School of Law.

Accounts Payable to School of Law

All amounts owed by the graduating student to the School of Law or University must be paid or otherwise approved by the Dean and Student Financial Services’ Office of the University before the student may graduate.