Foundation Curriculum
The first year of the day division and the first three semesters of the evening division are composed of 31 hours of required courses, or foundation curriculum. This foundation curriculum provides students with the conceptual and substantive knowledge and skills essential to the practice of law.
Day Division
During the first two semesters of enrollment, day-division students will complete all 31 hours of the foundation curriculum. The day-division is divided into 3 sections: A, B, and C (i.e., the Twilight Option, which is explained below). Students in sections A & B take courses during he morning and afternoon. A reduced course load for students who have not yet completed this 31-hour course sequence will be permitted only by approved transfer to the evening program. The first year curriculum in the day division consists of the following courses:
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Fall 1
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Spring 1
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| Torts | 4 hrs | Property | 4 hrs |
| Contracts | 4 hrs | Civil Procedure | 4 hrs |
| Constitutional Law | 4 hrs | Criminal Law | 3 hrs |
| Legal Skills and Values I | 3 hrs | Intro to Int. and Comp. Law | 3 hrs |
| Legal Skills and Values II | 2 hrs | ||
| TOTALS | 15 hrs | 16 hrs | |
Twilight Option – Section C
The Twilight Option allows students to plan their schedule so courses are taken in the mid-afternoon and early evening. The curriculum is otherwise identical to day sections A & B.
Evening Division
During the Fall and Spring semesters of the first year and the Fall of the second year, evening students will complete all 31 hours of the foundation curriculum. During this initial three-semester period, students who do not enroll in full course load must withdraw from school entirely. The law school will offer summer courses outside the core curriculum for students who wish to earn credits in the summer after their first year. The first three semesters of the evening division consists of the following courses:
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Fall 1
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Spring 1
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| Torts | 4 hrs | Civil Procedure | 4 hrs |
| Contracts | 4 hrs | Property | 4 hrs |
| Legal Skills and Values I | 3 hrs | Legal Skills and Values II | 2 hrs |
| TOTALS | 11 hrs | 10 hrs | |
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Fall 2
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| Constitutional Law | 4 hrs | ||
| Criminal Law | 3 hrs | ||
| Intro to Int. and Comp Law | 3 hrs | ||
| TOTALS | 10 hrs | ||
Upper Level Curriculum
After finishing the foundation curriculum, students must also complete 59 credit hours of upper-level courses. Most of these courses are electives, but students must satisfy several upper-level requirements. These are the requirements which must be met:
- Professional Responsibility: Students must pass this course with a C or better.
- Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution: Students must take two courses that satisfy the litigation and alternative dispute resolution requirement.
- International and Comparative law: Students must take at least one upper-level course that satisfies the international and comparative law requirement.
- Legal Skills and Values III:
- Graduate Seminar: Students must take a seminar involving a multi-draft writing project.
- Community Service: Students must also perform thirty (30) hours of community service.
Course Descriptions
Course description for Law available in the University’s Graduate Catalog.
Download Course Descriptions (PDF Format)