ยป Full-Time and Part-Time Students

First year courses

Full time

  • First year full-time students are enrolled in the same classes as their part-time classmates.
  • Full-time students are allowed to transfer into the part-time program with the approval of the Law Registrar.
  • If a student enrolls in the full-time program and remains in that program, they can complete law school in three years.
  • Full-time students will enroll in 15 credits in the fall and 14 credits in the spring of their first year. After the first year, full-time students will enroll in 12-16 credits each semester.
  • Full-time students will take Legal Research & Writing I, Contracts I, Criminal Law, Torts I and Civil Procedure I in the fall; and Legal Research & Writing II, Contracts II, Property Law, Torts II, Civil Procedure II and Civil Procedure Lab in the spring.
  • Full-time students may maintain a merit scholarship by achieving and maintaining at least a 2.9 cumulative grade point average after their first year.
  • Scholarships are awarded as a percentage of tuition and are based on the number of credits in which a student is enrolled.
  • Full-time students may earn/increase a merit scholarship by placing in the top 5% of their cohort group at the end of their first year.
  • First-year, full-time students are strongly discouraged from working.

Part time

  • First year part-time students are enrolled in the same classes as their full-time classmates but take fewer courses.
  • Part-time students will be allowed to transfer into the full-time program after the completion of their first year with the approval of the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.
  • If a student enrolls in the part-time program and remains in that program, they can complete law school in four years. However, if a part time student participates in the summer program each year, they can expect to graduate after three and one half years.
  • Part-time students will enroll in nine credits in the fall and 11 credits in the spring of their first year. After the first year, part-time students will enroll in 8-11 credits each semester.
  • Part-time students will take Legal Research & Writing, Torts I and Civil Procedure I in the fall; and Legal Research & Writing II, Torts II, Civil Procedure II and Civil Procedure Lab and Property in the spring.
  • Part-time students may maintain a merit scholarship by achieving and maintaining at least a 2.9 cumulative grade point average after their first year.
  • Scholarships are awarded as a percentage of tuition and are based on the number of credits in which a student is enrolled.
  • Part-time students may earn/increase a merit scholarship by achieving a cumulative GPA equivalent to the top 5% of the full time cohort group at the end of their first year.

Even though part-time students take fewer courses, the part-time program is academically rigorous and students are encouraged to work as little as possible during their first year of law school.

See the Student Handbook for the policies and procedures and additional information about joint degree programs, law review, moot court board, etc.