No prior knowledge of the law is required. Scaled scores range from 120 to 180, with an average of 150. The more selective the school you want to attend, the higher your score would likely need to be. Historically, your LSAT score, along with your GPA, would be far and away the most important factor that most law schools would consider.
Oct 10, 2017 · First-year course in international or comparative law* An upper-level elective with a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 credits *Beginning with students matriculating into the J.D. program in the Fall 2019, requirements have changed to include a 1L Constitutional Law course and an Upper-Level International and Comparative Law course.
Minimum Course Credit Requirement To earn a J.D. degree, a law student must take a minimum of 65 credit hours in regularly scheduled law school classes. These classes include seminars, cross-listed courses, and clinics. They do not include internships, DRS offerings, non-law graduate level classes, or undergraduate language classes.
For purposes of this section, an "hour" is defined as 60 minutes. (iii) A final exam of at least 2 hours (for two or three credit courses) or at least 3 hours (for four credit courses). For purposes of this section, an "hour" is defined as 60 minutes. (b) Non-Exam Courses. For courses assessed primarily by means other than a final exam, other ...
Credit Type | minimum required | Notes |
---|---|---|
Upper Level | ≥52* | Total required credits across the 2L and 3L years. |
LAW classroom | ≥36 | Credits from HLS courses, seminars, and reading groups. Required as part of the 52 total upper-level credits. |
Tuition | $70,430 |
---|---|
Other (books, travel, and incidentals) | $36,920 |
TOTAL | $107,350 |
LOW | MEDIAN | |
---|---|---|
GPA | 3.25 | 3.94 |
LSAT | 153 | 174 |
From obtaining a bachelor’s degree to sitting for the bar exam, becoming a lawyer doesn’t happen overnight. Earning a law degree takes most people 3 years. However, the amount of time it takes you may vary depending on your particular path.
Earning a law degree takes most people 3 years. However, the amount of time it takes you may vary depending on your particular path. The degree you receive when you complete law school is the Juris Doctor (J.D.). Ask most people how long it takes to obtain a J.D. and they’ll tell you 3 years.
A Master of Laws (LL.M) is a post-law degree. Most LL.M degree programs take 1 year to complete. The degree is intended for people who want to study a more specialized field of law (such as taxation, intellectual property, or human rights law).
The degree is intended for people who want to study a more specialized field of law (such as taxation, intellectual property, or human rights law). If you’re considering obtaining a law degree, head over to our student center to learn more about your options.
The Handbook of Academic Policies (HAP) is the official source of academic policy and requirements at HLS. Please refer to the HAP for additional information on degree requirements and academic policy. The following is provided as a quick reference guide and should not be considered the absolute authoritative source for all degree requirements, ...
The Handbook of Academic Policies (HAP) is the official source of academic policy and requirements at HLS. Please refer to the HAP for additional information on degree requirements and academic policy.
Once a student has completed 56 credits, that student is viewed by the University as a third-year law student, regardless of how long it has been since the student matriculated (i.e., first enrolled) at the Law School.
Retaking a course is considered in the Law School Rules as rewriting an examination. See Section 7.4 , Law School Rule 6.04, Law School Rule 6.05 and Law School Rule 6.09 for specific information.
To determine if seats are still available in certain courses, go to the enrollment module on your My UW page, select the "class search" function, select the department ("Law"), then select "show open courses."
Note that no more than eight credits of directed reading and six credits of directed research can be applied to the 90 credits required for the J.D. degree. (Additionally, a single directed reading is limited to from one to three credits.) Letter grades are not authorized for directed research or directed reading; grading will be simply “satisfactory/unsatisfactory.”
Law Degree Timeline. Law school is typically three years long. In a standard J.D. program, this timeline does not vary unless a student has extenuating circumstances and receives special permission to extend the length of their studies. There are a couple of exceptions.
The first year is all about learning the basics of a legal education and getting accustomed to new teaching and learning styles. All law students take the same first-year courses: civil procedure, torts, criminal law, contracts, property, constitutional law, and legal research and writing. Before the school year even starts, professors will expect ...
Grades matter a great deal in the first year of law school, especially if you aspire to clerk for a judge or secure a summer associate position at a big law firm. Clerkships for judges and prestigious law firms are based on grade point average.
Third-year law students are focused on graduation, the bar exam, and securing employment. Students interested in litigation should pursue clinical work or an externship with a supervising attorney. The third-year also involves meeting any outstanding graduation requirements. For example, some law schools have a pro-bono requirement, which entails spending a certain number of hours volunteering in a legal capacity, like a clinic or government agency.
After Graduation. After graduation, law school grads dedicate themselves to bar exam preparation. Most students opt to take a bar review class and then go over their notes during the afternoon and evening time. Some students balance bar exam prep with a job.
In addition, if you are pursuing a dual degree, it generally takes longer than three years to complete the law school program. For the vast majority of students, the law school experience follows the three-year timeline. Here’s what to expect during each year of law school.
WMU-Cooley's curriculum is designed to help you master the knowledge you’ll need to pass the bar examination and competently practice law. With 65 required credits – including Bar Exam Skills – you will have a class in almost every subject tested on the bar examinations in all 50 states.
The curriculum is also designed to give you the knowledge, skills and ethics needed to succeed. In addition to the subjects listed above, our required curriculum includes experiential learning and a class in legal research and writing.
WMU-Cooley Law School offers a wide variety of electives. Not all electives are offered every semester. Schedules are prepared on the basis of need, professor availability, and student demand.
All students are required to complete Constitutional Law II. This 3-credit course is an in-depth study of the guarantees of individual rights in the United States Constitution, especially freedom of expression and equal protection of the law.
A cornerstone of our law school’s mission is the belief that legal education must incorporate a global perspective and recognize the need to interact sensitively and effectively with a diversity of people. All Oregon Law students must complete at least one elective course designated by the curriculum committee as including substantive content relating to legal history, structural inequality, discrimination, cultural context, or cultural competency.
These courses are designed to develop the analytical, research, and writing skills you will need to successfully study and practice law. First year classes tend to consist of approximately 70 students.