Academics
Students may take relevant courses in other programs and apply credit toward the J.D.; a maximum of 12 credits may be applied. The following joint degrees may be earned: J.D./M.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in criminal justice, political science), J.D./M.B.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration), J.D./M.C.R.P. (Juris Doctor/Master in City and Regional Planning), J.D./M.D. (Juris Doctor/Doctor of Medicine), J.D./M.S.W. (Juris Doctor/Master of Social Work), and J.D./Ph.D (Juris Doctor/Doctor of Philosophy).
The School of Law offers concentrations in corporate law, criminal law, entertainment law, environmental law, family law, international law, juvenile law, labor law, litigation, media law, securities law, sports law, tax law, torts and insurance, constitutional law, health law, and intellectual property. In addition, students can earn up to 8 credits per semester for clinics. Clinics are open only to upper-level students, and some require students to be in their final year. Clinics include Constitutional Rights, Women’s Rights, Environmental Law, Urban Legal, Federal Tax, Special Education, Women and Aids, Domestic Violence, Child Advocacy Project, and Transactional Law/Community Development. Some 20 seminars are offered each semester for 2 credits each. They are open to all upper-level students and offer the opportunity to write a substantial legal paper that meets the writing requirement. Upper-level students with grades of B- or better may engage in internships with state or federal magistrates, justices, or judges for 3 credits; they are supported by a weekly in house seminar. Externships are available with the Attorney General’s office, the Security and Exchange Commission, and the National Labor Relations Board. An Intellectual Property Externship is also offered. Students may assist full-time faculty members in their research for 2 or 3 credits. Independent research may be undertaken by upper-level students for 2 or 3 credits with faculty permission. Special lecture series include Miller, Stoffer, and Weintraub lectureships, which are given annually. Students may enroll for up to 12 credits in an ABA/AALS sponsored semester-abroad program. Approximately 25 students engage in this study, from China to Greece and at the University of Leiden-Holland. First-year students are tutored by upper-level students with good grades; tutors may earn 2 credits. The Minority Student Program is dependent on socio-economic status, regardless of race. The school also has programs on behalf of women, minority groups, and gay and lesbian groups. The most widely taken electives are Evidence, Business Associations, and Copyright.
To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 84 total credits, of which 34 to 35 are for required courses. They must maintain a minimum GPA of 1.67 in the required courses. The following first-year courses are required of all students: a required freshman elective, Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Legal Research and Writing I and II, Property, and Torts. Required upper-level courses consist of an upper-level writing requirement and Professional Responsibility. All students may elect to choose among extensive in-house clinical programming. The required orientation program for first-year students is 3 days and covers Professional Responsibility registration, student services, health and safety issues, an Introduction to Legal Research course, and provides opportunities to meet upper-class students and all student organization representatives.
In order to graduate, candidates must have a GPA of 2.0 and have completed the upper-division writing requirement.