Academics
In addition to the J.D., the law school offers the LL.M., S.J.D., and M.J. (Master of Jurisprudence), D.L. (Doctor of Laws). Students may take relevant courses in other programs and apply credit toward the J.D.; a maximum of 9 credits may be applied. The following joint degrees may be earned: J.D./M.B.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration), J.D./M.M.P. (Juris Doctor/Master of Marine Policy), J.D./M.P.H. (Juris Doctor/Master of Public Health), and J.D./Psy.D. (Juris Doctor/Doctor of Psychology in Law).
Students must take 12 to18 credits in their area of concentration. The Widener University School of Law offers concentrations in corporate law, environmental law, litigation, health law, and technology and law. In addition, clinics for up to 8 credits include Environmental Law, Family Law, Consumer Bankruptcy, Veterans Affairs, and Criminal Defense. Clinical education also includes a comprehensive trial advocacy training program. Seminars are offered in a variety of specialized areas, to all upper-level students. Students may take part in externships with legislative and state agencies, district attorneys, public defenders, legal aid societies, and state and local courts. All students must complete a major research paper or directed research project. The Law School’s law journals, moot court, and trial advocacy programs, and the many institutes and organizations provide additional opportunities for scholarly research. Field work opportunities include the Wolcott Fellowship Program, which places students each academic year as part-time clerks for the Delaware Supreme Court. The Francis G. Pileggi Distinguished Lecture in Law is an annual lecture series featuring practitioners, judges, academicians, and distinguished experts in corporate law, held for the benefit of the Delaware bench and bar and Widener students. Summer-abroad programs are offered at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, the University of Nairobi in Kenya, the Graduate Institute in Geneva, Switzerland, and the University of Venice in Italy. The Academic Support Program provides a comprehensive program focusing on basic examination skills, study and outlining skills, and time management. The content of the program varies by academic level. An intensive Legal Analysis course is also offered for some second-year students. Specialized programs for minority students are offered through the Career Development Office, the Black Law Students Association, and the Minority Law Students Association. The Delaware Community Foundation Fellowship provides an opportunity to explore the area of trusts and estates and the Chadwick Constitutional Education Fellowship involves work with high school students in the area of constitutional law. The most widely taken electives are Wills and Trusts, Family Law, and Trial Advocacy.
To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 88 total credits, of which 57 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, Constitutional Law I, Contracts, Criminal Law, Legal Methods I/Analysis, Legal Methods II/Advocacy, Property I and II, and Torts. Required upper-level courses consist of Administrative Law, Business Organizations, Constitutional Law II, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Federal Income Tax, Legal Methods III, Professional Responsibility, and Sales and Leases. The required orientation program for first-year students is 1-week and includes an introduction to law course and informational sessions on information technology, the legal information center, stress management, student organizations, meet the faculty, financial aid, and character and fitness to practice law.
In order to graduate, candidates must have a GPA of 2.0, have completed the upper-division writing requirement, Skills Requirement, Professionalism Day, and Introduction to Law.