Academics
Students may take relevant courses in other programs and apply credit toward the J.D.; a maximum of 6 credits may be applied. The following joint degrees may be earned: J.D./M.Acct. (Juris Doctor/Master of Accountancy), J.D./M.B.A. (Juris Doctor/ Master of Business Administration in cooperation with Washington State Univesity), J.D./M.S. (Juris Doctor/Master of Science in environmental science), and J.D./M.S./Ph.D. (Juris Doctor/Master of Science/Doctor of Philosophy in water resources management).
The College of Law offers concentrations in corporate law, criminal law, environmental law, litigation, and lawyering skills. In addition, third-year students may participate in one of 7 live clinics, including 9th Circuit Appellate, Tribal and Immigration, Small Business, Domestic Violence, Victims’ Rights, Tax, and General Practice, for a maximum of 8 credits. Upper-level students may choose from seminars in several subject areas, including corporate law, dispute resolution, and environmental law, for 1 to 3 credits. The College of Law offers an extensive externship program, awarding class credit for summer placements in various government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and judicial offices for 1 to 8 credits. Any student may perform directed research upon a professor’s approval for 1 to 2 credits. Third-year students may participate in the Semester-in-Practice program in Boise for up to 12 credits. The Sherman Bellwood Lectures bring learned individuals to the state of Idaho and the University of Idaho campus to allow students the opportunity to discuss, examine, and debate subjects related to the justice system. The speakers are prominent and highly regarded local, regional, and national leaders who cover a wide range of topics and have included several former United States Supreme Court justices. Students may transfer in study-abroad credits earned through any ABA-approved study-abroad program. The College of Law has an Office of Academic Support run by a licensed attorney to assist students with their academic needs. Student organizations dedicated to promoting and supporting legal education among underrepresented groups include the Multicultural Law Caucus, Sexual Orientation Diversity Alliance (SODA), Women’s Law Caucus, and Student Advocates for Hispanic/Latino Support and Awareness. The most widely taken electives are in the areas of natural resources and water law and trial practice skills/clinics.
To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 90 total credits, of which 39 are for required courses. They must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the required courses. The following first-year courses are required of all students: Civil Procedure I and II, Contracts I and II, Criminal Law, Legal Research and Writing, Property I and II, and Torts I and II. Required upper-level courses consist of an upper-division writing requirement, Constitutional Law I and II, and Professional Responsibility. The required orientation program for first-year students is a 4-day program covering study skills and case briefings and culminating with students participating as witnesses and jurors in the upper-level Trial Advocacy mock trials. The program also includes a half-day Professionalism Workshop where current lawyers and judges discuss ethical issues with new students in small groups.
To graduate, candidates must have a GPA of 2.0 and have completed the upper-division writing requirement.