Academics
In addition to the J.D., the law school offers the LL.M. and M.S.L. 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.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in bioethics), J.D./M.B.A. (Juris Doctor/ Master of Business Administration), J.D./M.P.A. (Juris Doctor/ Master of Public Administration), J.D./M.P.H. (Juris Doctor/ Master of Public Health), J.D./M.P.I.A. (Juris Doctor/ Master of Public and International Affairs), J.D./M.S. (Juris Doctor/ Master of Science in law and public management), and J.D./M.S.W. (Juris Doctor/Master of Social Work).
The School of Law offers concentrations in corporate law, criminal law, environmental law, family law, intellectual property law, international law, labor law, litigation, tax law, torts and insurance, and health law. In addition, clinical offerings consist of the Tax Clinic, Family Law Clinic, Community Economic Development Clinic, Environmental Law Clinic, and Civil Practice Clinic. Second- and third-year students may receive 2 credits for a variety of seminars, which can satisfy the upper-level writing requirement. Externship opportunities are available with 62 federal and state judges, 34 other judges throughout Pennsylvania, and 34 judges in other states. Students are also placed in 91 Pennsylvania and federal agencies and out-of-state agencies; including Legal Aid Societies, the Urban Redevelopment Authority, U.S. Attorneys, neighborhood legal services, public defenders, the National Labor Relations Board, hospitals, and housing authorities. The Colloquium Committee sponsors the Caplan Lecture, the Mellon Lecture, a Faculty Colloquium series, and the Martin Luther King Lecture annually. The Law School sponsors a lecture in honor of Black History Month and on Constitution Day. The University of Brussels and University of Augsburg provide both faculty and student exchange; however, the Center for International Legal Education will work individually with students interested in studying abroad at any location. A Law at Sea program, in which each student is required to take 7 credits of law school courses, is also available. The Law School invites minority and other students to participate in the Mellon Legal Writing Program, which is designed to provide additional academic and social support for students confronting special challenges. The Law School has been co-sponsor of the CLEO (The Council for Legal Educational Opportunity) Institute. The Law School hosted the Institute in 1993, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2005, and 2007. Student organizations sponsor programs reflecting the interests of the group, such as Sports and Entertainment Law, International Law, Environmental Law, Health Law, Business Law, and Family Law. The most widely taken electives are Federal Income Tax, Corporations, and Evidence.
To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 88 total credits, of which 34 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: Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Legal Analysis and Writing, Legal Process and Civil Procedure, Property, and Torts. Required upper-level courses consist of an upper-level writing requirement and Legal Profession. The required orientation program for first-year students is conducted over a 2-day period including a formal program, diversity training, discussion groups, family and friends orientation, lunch, and a student activities fair.
In order to graduate, candidates must have a GPA of 2.0, have completed the upper-division writing requirement, and a Legal Profession Ethics course.