Academics
In addition to the J.D., the law school offers the LL.M. The following joint degree may be earned: J.D./M.H.A. (Juris Doctor/ Master of Health Administration).
Various clinics, open to second- and third-year students, provide direct service to miners seeking black lung benefits, to clients facing the death penalty, and to lower-income clients in the region. Credit ranges from 3 to 10 hours. Seminars, available to upper-level students, are worth 2 or 3 credits and are offered in a variety of areas. Upper-level students may perform internships with judges or prosecutors during the academic year for 4 graded credits or with government or nonprofit employers in the summer for 2 ungraded credits. Independent research projects may be undertaken by second- or third-year students; credit varies. The Frances Lewis Law Center sponsors research fellowships for third-year students. Bain and Shepherd Fellowships provide stipends to support collaborative research projects between students and faculty. Special lecture series include the annual John Randolph Tucker Lecture and visiting lectures sponsored by the Frances Lewis Law Center and other law student organizations in areas of special interest to their members. The school offers no summer session but may accept credit for courses taken in programs offered by other ABA-approved law schools. The school offers exchange programs with Bucerius Law School in Hamburg, Germany; Trinity College Dublin in Dublin, Ireland; and the University of Western Ontario in Ontario, Canada. Tutorials are offered to upper-class students in a variety of fields. The Academic Support Program offers a series of programs introducing the case method and legal analysis and provides continuing academic support throughout the year. Special interest group programs include Women Law Students Organization, Black Law Students Association, Christian Legal Society, and Gay Law. The most widely taken electives are Federal Income Tax, Family Law, and Close Business Arrangements.
To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 85 total credits, of which 38 are for required courses. They must maintain a minimum GPA of 1.0 in the required courses. The following first-year courses are required of all students: American Public Law Process, Civil Procedure I and II, Contracts, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Legal Writing, Property, and Torts. Required upper-level courses consist of Constitutional Law and Professional Responsibility. The required orientation program for first-year students is 3 days and includes social activities for the entire student body, an introduction to the case method and case briefing techniques, an introduction to legal research, an honor system orientation, and a university orientation.
To graduate, candidates must have a GPA of 2.0 and have completed the upper-division writing requirement.