Degree Requirements
JD Degree Requirements
- JD students must complete a minimum of 86 credit hours, 74 of which must be graded credits.
- Full-time JD students may not graduate in less than 6 semesters, excluding summer sessions, with 12-17 credits per semester.
- Part-time JD students must complete either
- 8 part-time (8-12 credit) semesters, or
- 7 part-time (8-12 credit) semesters and a minimum of 11 credits over 2 or more summer sessions, or
- Part-Time students can meet the residency requirement upon the completion of seven part-time (defined as 8-12 credit hours per semester) semesters and a minimum of 11 credit hours approved as additional credits taken at Loyola. In order to reach 11 credit hours outside the regular part-time credit hour range, students will likely need to register for additional credits over one or more summers. No exceptions will be made.
- Note: Part-time JD students may not graduate in less than 7 semesters, excluding summer sessions.
- Required Courses
|
First Year: Fall Semester (credits) |
|
LAW 113 Civil Procedure (4) |
|
LAW 152 Property (4) (Part-time students will take Property in Semester 3) |
|
LAW 162 Torts (4) |
|
LAW 190 Legal Writing (2) |
|
LAW 190R Legal Writing I & Legal Research |
|
LAW 424 Professional Identity Formation (1) |
|
First Year: Spring Semester |
|
LAW 122 Constitutional Law (4) (Part-time students will take Constitutional Law in Semester 4) |
|
LAW 132 Contracts (4) |
|
LAW 140 Criminal Law (3) |
|
LAW 192 Legal Writing II (2) |
|
Perspective Elective (2-3) |
|
Requirements to be completed prior to graduation |
|
LAW 414 Professional Responsibility (3) |
|
Course(s) designated "Skills" (2) NOTE: A Skills course is no longer required for any JD student who started their JD degree in August 2023 or later. |
|
Course(s) designated "Experiential" (6)** |
|
LAW 270 Business Organizations NOTE: Required prior to graduation for all students that started their JD in Fall 2023 or later; |
|
LAW 210 Evidence NOTE: Required prior to graduation for all students that started their JD in Fall 2023 or later; |
|
Course(s) designated "Rigorous Writing" (2-3) NOTE: At least one course with a RW designation is required after a student’s first year. |
- Students who have a GPA below 2.9 after the second, third, or fourth semester will be required to complete the Bar Exam Fundamentals course (LAW 232).
- Students must complete 6 credits of experiential learning:
- A minimum of 3 of these 6 credits must be “Live Client Experience” (LCE) courses, which include:
- An intensive field placement in Loyola’s Externship Program;
- Participation in one of Loyola’s clinics, or
- An approved practicum project.
- 3 of the 6 credits may be earned through “Comprehensive Simulation” (CS) courses. These courses are structured around hypothetical legal situations.
- Note: Students may not satisfy the Experiential Learning requirement by taking a class that is also taken to satisfy the "Skills" requirement or the “Perspective Elective” requirement.
- A minimum of 3 of these 6 credits must be “Live Client Experience” (LCE) courses, which include:
- Students must complete a minimum of 2 credits in a “Skills” course. NOTE: A Skills course is no longer required for any JD student who started their JD degree in August 2023 or later.
- Students entering Fall 2022 and after must complete a course designated as BCCR (BCCR and Per Elec can be the same course).
- Students must complete 2-3 credits in a "Perspective Elective" course.
- To remain in good standing and be eligible to continue in the program,
- JD students must achieve a minimum 2.33 grade point average in order to graduate. Prior to graduation, in order to remain in good standing and be eligible to continue in the program, a student:
- must have attained a grade point average of at least 2.0 at the end of the first semester of the first year;
- must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.33 every semester thereafter; and
- must not receive a grade of “F” in more than three courses during residence in the School of Law.
- JD students must achieve a minimum 2.33 grade point average in order to graduate. Prior to graduation, in order to remain in good standing and be eligible to continue in the program, a student:
MJ Degree Requirements
- MJ students must follow the prescribed curriculum for their particular program and must meet minimum credit hour requirements.
- To receive credit for courses outside the prescribed curriculum, a student must receive prior approval from administrators of their program and the outside program.
- If a thesis is required, the student must complete the thesis during the semester in which they register for their final thesis course. Students who seek an extension must formally request one through their program administrator.
- To remain in good standing and be eligible to continue in the program, MJ students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 each semester.
- MJ students who receive a grade of “F” or “WF” in more than one course in a given semester will be dismissed from the program.
- Regardless of grade point average, an MJ student who receives more than two grades of “F” or “WF” will be dismissed from the program.
LLM Degree Requirements
- LLM students must follow the prescribed curriculum for their particular program and must meet minimum credit hour requirements.
- To receive credit for courses outside the prescribed curriculum, a student must receive prior approval from administrators of their program and the outside program.
- If a thesis is required, the student must complete the thesis during the semester in which they register for their final thesis course. Students who seek an extension must formally request one through their program administrator.
- To remain in good standing and be eligible to continue in the program, LLM students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 each semester.
- LLM students must achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.33 in order to graduate from the program.
- LLM students who receive a grade of “F” or “WF” in more than one course in a given semester will be dismissed from the program.