Academics
In addition to the J.D., the law school offers the LL.M. Students may take relevant courses in other programs and apply credit toward the J.D.; a maximum of 3 to 6 credits may be applied. The following joint degrees may be earned: J.D./M.A. or M.S. (Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in economics, journalism educational leadership and policy analysis, human development, and family studies.), J.D./M.B.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration), J.D./M.H.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Health Administration), J.D./M.L.S. (Juris Doctor/Master of Library & Information Science), J.D./M.P.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Public Administration), J.D./M.S. (Juris Doctor/Master of Science in consumer, Family, and personal financial planning), and J.D./Ph.D. (Juris Doctor/Doctor of Journalism).
The School of Law offers concentrations in corporate law, criminal law, environmental law, family law, international law, litigation, tax law, and trial law; alternative dispute resolution. In addition, the school offers a criminal clinic, a domestic violence clinic, a legislative clinic, and a mediation clinic. Internship programs are available to upper-level students who wish to experience the practice of civil and criminal law in various state and federal agencies; 3 credit hours are offered. Seminars are open to upper-level students on Communication Law, Criminal Law, and Environmental Law. Upper-level students may perform independent research for a faculty member and earn up to 3 credit hours. The main lecture series at the law school is the Nelson Lecture, in which noted national legal scholars deliver a major address. There are also annual lectures in dispute resolution and dispute resolution brown bag lunches. The Professional Perspectives requirement is mandatory for all students. It is designed to enrich the law school experience. The School of Law participates in the London Law Consortium. A semester in the Bloomsbury district of London, in the winter semester, is available to second- and third-year law students in good standing. A summer abroad program in Capetown, South Africa at the University of Western Cape is also offered. The school has a full-time academic counselor available to assist students with academic concerns. Remedial programs include Legal Reasoning. Scholarship funds are available; the Law School is a supporting institution in CLEO and participates in the ABA-legal opportunity scholarship program. The most widely taken electives are Trial Practice, Family Law, and Secured Transactions.
To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 89 total credits, of which 45 are for required courses. They must maintain a minimum grade average of 70.0 in the required courses. The following first-year courses are required of all students: Advocacy and Research, Civil Procedure I and II, Contracts I and II, Criminal Law, Lawyering, Legal Research and Writing, Property, and Torts. Required upper-level courses consist of completion of a writing requirement, Constitutional Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, and Professional Responsibility. The required orientation program for first-year students is a 3 1/2-day program for first-year students, consisting of meetings with administration, faculty, and student organizations; learning rules and regulations; and learning to brief a case.
In order to graduate, candidates must have a GPA of 77.5 and have completed the upper-division writing requirement.