Unless otherwise noted, all policies herein apply to students enrolled at the School of Law in both the Juris Doctor and Master of Laws degree programs.

Academic Credit

Determination of Credit

Credits awarded by the School of Law are determined in accordance with ABA Standards and U.S. Department of Education Regulations which establish the minimum requirements for the awarding of credit. For each credit awarded students must perform a minimum of 42.5 hours of combined in-class and out-of-class work. Individual faculty members are free to require additional class time or out-of-class work that exceeds this minimum. Minimum requirements have been established for non-classroom (co-curricular) credits to ensure compliance.

Student Credit Load

In addition to the minimum and maximum credit loads, students must also adhere to the credit requirements outlined in the section, "Pace of Study."  Exceptions for overload/underload requests under ADA Accommodation guidelines will be considered by the Director of Student Affairs. All other requests are reviewed by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and/or his/her designee.

Fall/Spring Semester First-Year Juris Doctor Students: Credit and underload requests, and in fact any deviation from the prescribed curriculum, are not permitted by first year students.

Fall/Spring Semester Upper-Division Juris Doctor Students: The student credit load for day-division students is between twelve (12) and sixteen (16) credits. The student credit load for evening-division students is between eight (8) and twelve (12) credits.  All students seeking to enroll in credits under the specified credit loads must seek approval for the underload.  Evening students seeking to enroll between thirteen (13) and (16) credits must seek approval for the overload. All students seeking to enroll in the maximum-permitted seventeen (17) credits must seek approval for the overload.

Fall/Spring Semester LL.M. Students: LL.M. students studying with F-1/J-1 visas may enroll in up to 16 credits each fall/spring semester and may seek permission to enroll in 17 credits. A minimum of nine credits is required each fall/spring semester unless approval is granted by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs or his/her designee as well as ISSS. All other LL.M. students may enroll in up to 16 credits each fall/spring semester and may seek permission to enroll in 17 credits. A minimum of two credits is required each fall/spring semester unless a temporary leave of absence is granted.

Summer Semester Juris Doctor Students: The maximum-permitted credit load is ten (10) credits with no more than seven (7) credits permitted in any one session.

Winter Semester Juris Doctor Upper-Division Students: The maximum-permitted credit load is two (2) credits.

Distance Education Credits

A distance education¹ course is one in which students are separated from the faculty member for more than one-third of the instruction and the instruction involves the use of technology to support regular and substantive interaction among students and between the students and the faculty member, either synchronously or asynchronously. Attendance standards apply to all distance education courses².

Juris Doctor Students: may count towards graduation no more than fifteen (15) total credits of distance education course work. Students may enroll in up to six (6) of those distance education credits during their first year if this is the scheduled modality of the course.

¹

Students are encouraged to review Bar Examination requirements for each state to ensure acceptability of distance education courses. On July 15, 2020, the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association approved an emergency variance from ABA Standard 306(e) which outlines Distance Education guidelines. This was done as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

²

The American Bar Association has established that a law school may grant a student up to 50 percent of the credit hours required for the JD degree through distance education courses, though additional approval or acquiescence may be required.

Variable Credit

A variable credit course is one where the instructor permits students to engage in additional work to increase the credit awarded for the course. This option is not widely available – it is not permissible in the first-year curriculum courses - and most instructors will not approve an increase in credits. Students are not permitted to enroll in courses for fewer credits than the number for which the course is offered. The maximum increase of credit load in a course is one (1) credit. The additional credit must comply with the section on the Determination of Credit, which sets the minimum per-credit requirement for hours of student engagement. Instructors may require work which exceeds that minimum. Students who receive an additional credit receive one grade for the course. If the additional credit is to be graded separately from the course, the additional credit must be in the form of a separate enrollment (e.g., research project, individual field placement). The Office of the Registrar must be notified of any additional course credit no later than the end of the add/drop period. Students may increase their credit load in a maximum of three (3) courses over their entire course of study.

Credit for Substantially Similar Work

No credit will be awarded for a course paper, independent research project, or any other written work product, or any portion thereof, with respect to which the research and writing is substantially similar to that for which a student has previously been awarded, or is concurrently enrolled for, academic credit. A student may develop prior work for subsequent credit-earning work by doing additional research and writing, provided that the student disclose the prior work to the instructor, and the instructor believes that the additional research and writing justifies the new credit(s) awarded. A student who seeks to submit related work for credit in two courses concurrently must inform both instructors, so that each instructor can determine that the student has earned credit for that instructor’s course independently of the other course.

Credit for Courses Taken at Other Schools (Juris Doctor Students)

Prior to Admission to UConn Law – Law School Transfer Credits

Determination of applicable transfer credits to UConn Law is made at the time of acceptance. Any student seeking credit for individual courses taken at an ABA accredited law school prior to their admission to the School of Law, including a student who has applied unsuccessfully to the Admissions Committee for admission with advanced standing, may apply to the Petitions Committee for the award of credit for individual courses. The Petitions Committee does not consider any such application for credit until the student has satisfactorily completed one year of work at the Law School. However, the Committee does consider an application for exemption from required courses at any time.

Prior to Admission - Non-Law Credits

Credit for a Juris Doctor degree shall only be given for coursework taken after the student has matriculated in a law school's Juris Doctor program of study, except for credit earned toward a graduate degree before the student’s matriculation in a law school’s Juris Doctor program, provided that: (1) the student is enrolled in a joint¹ degree program at a law school that would have allowed credit for the non-Juris Doctor coursework had it been completed contemporaneously with the joint degree program; (2) the credit would have counted toward the Juris Doctor degree had the student been enrolled in the joint degree program at the time the credits were earned; (3) the credit was earned no more than three years prior to the student’s matriculation in the law school’s Juris Doctor program; and provided that the courses are ones the law school would have allowed credit for had they been taken as part of its joint Juris Doctor degree program.

Credit may not be granted toward the Juris Doctor degree for work taken in a pre-admission program.

¹

The Standards of the American Bar Association use the word "joint" to describe programs that are referred to as "dual" degree programs by the University of Connecticut.

Courses at Other Law Schools During UConn Law Study – Visiting Other Law Schools

Students currently matriculated at the School of Law may take courses at other accredited law schools to be credited toward graduation. Students must receive advance permission from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Permission will be granted for compelling circumstances. Credit at the University of Connecticut School of Law for approved courses is given on the same basis as if the School had provided that program itself. Students may seek credit for individual course credits, semester length study, or study for a period of one year.

Courses at Other Law Schools During UConn Law Study – Exchange Programs

Courses taken pursuant to School of Law sponsored/approved international exchange program may be credited toward graduation. Students participating in programs other than one of the Law School's exchange programs should receive advance written permission from the International Legal Programs Office. Credit at the Law School for approved courses is given on the same basis as if the School had provided that program itself. Acceptance of any credit or grade for any course taken in a foreign law school, including field placements and clinics, is subject to determination by the University of Connecticut School of Law.

Non-Law Courses During UConn Law Study

With the written approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, a student, after completing the first year of the Juris Doctor program, may enroll in courses offered by other schools of this University or other accredited institutions of higher learning. For credit toward graduation from the law school, courses generally should be at the graduate level and should contribute to the student's education in law or professional interests. A maximum of six credits in such courses may be allowed. Grades received in such courses are not included in the determination of the student's grade point average. Credit at the law school for approved courses is given on the same basis as if the school had provided that program itself.

The six-credit limit on non-law courses does not apply to students in dual degree programs, in which a greater number of non-law credits may be applied toward the JD degree. Dual degree students may not, however, apply additional non-law credits toward their JD degree beyond those authorized for their dual degree program, pursuant to this rule.¹

¹

The School of Law has an agreement with the University’s Neag School of Education to offer a program in educational leadership. While not officially a dual degree program, JD students enrolled concurrently in the University of Connecticut Administrator Preparation Program (UCAPP) may receive 12 credits toward their law degree.

Grades

For course credit to be granted for any work taken outside the School of Law, the student is required to have attained a grade of "C" or better. However, only the number of credits earned and the name of the institution will appear on the student's official University transcript. For this reason, students may wish to request official transcripts for each school they have attended.

Compensation

The School of Law will not grant credit for any work for which the student received financial compensation.

Credit for Courses Taken at Other Schools (LL.M. Students)

Students are ordinarily expected to take all credits needed for graduation at UConn School of Law with the following exceptions:

• Students may take up to six credits at another UConn institution with the consent of the director of the LL.M. program.
• Students interested in participating in an off-campus UConn School of Law program (i.e. the D.C. program or international exchange programs) must obtain advance permission of the director of the LL.M. program.
• Students interested in earning course credit at an institution other than the University of Connecticut are required to meet with the director of the LLM program to pre-approve the coursework. Prior to attending the outside institution, students must acknowledge in writing that if they fail to meet the P/F standard, such credits will not be used towards the LL.M. degree.
• Credit at the Law School for approved courses is given on the same basis as if the Law School had provided that program itself.
• Students with F-1/J-1 visas are required to spend two semesters in residence at UConn School of Law unless such student was admitted with advanced standing.
• Students with F-1/J-1 visas can earn no more than five credits in any combination of field placements, LL.M. Research Projects, LL.M. Thesis, or clinic credits.¹
• Students are allowed up to three credits of Pass/Fail credit without the consent of the LL.M. director.
• Students may take up to one course outside of the LL.M. curriculum without the approval of the director of the LL.M. program. For students with F-1/J-1 visas, all required courses are considered part of the LL.M. curriculum for each program.

¹

If you are planning to sit for a bar exam in the U.S. and are interested in clinics, field placements, independent study or other non-classroom credits, please review the requirements of the jurisdiction in which you plan to take the bar exam to make sure such credits are eligible.

Courses Prior to Admission to UConn Law’s LL.M. Programs

Students may transfer into the LL.M. degree up to 12 credits from relevant UConn Law coursework completed as a non-degree student or in another degree program, so long as the grades earned are a B or above. Subject to the discretion of the director of the LL.M. program, students may be granted advanced standing of up to six (6) credits for other prior relevant graduate-level coursework. In no circumstances, can a student have more than 12 credits of advanced standing upon matriculation into a degree program. Credit may be transferred into the program but the grades will not be factored in to the UConn School of Law LL.M. grade point average.

Grades from Non UConn Law Courses After Matriculation in UConn Law LL.M. Program

For Courses Taken Within UConn: For course credit to be granted for any work taken at another school of the University of Connecticut, the student is required to have attained a grade of “B” or better.

For Courses Taken Outside of UConn: For course credit to be granted for any work taken at a school outside of the University of Connecticut, the student must have the approval of the LL.M. faculty director prior to taking the course. For course credit to be received, the student must attain a grade of “B” or better.

Grades received in such courses are not included in the determination of the student’s grade point average. Only the number of credits earned and the name of the institution will appear on the student’s official University transcript. For this reason, LL.M. students may wish to request official transcripts for each school they have attended.

Compensation

The School of Law will not grant credit for any work for which the student received financial compensation.

Add/Drop Deadlines

The dates outlined in this section pertain only to academic deadlines. The dates pertaining to monetary refund policies will differ. All petitions and requests to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or their designee for late adds or drops must indicate the view of the instructor (and for LL.M. students the director of the LL.M. program or their designee). No late adds will be approved without the instructor’s approval. Any student who fails to comply with this policy should be prepared to take the final examination or otherwise satisfy the course requirements in all courses for which he or she is registered.

Fall/Spring Courses

Juris Doctor Students are expected to have made their course selections and to have settled on a final schedule by the end of the first week of each semester. This includes any addition of variable credit and enrollment in non-classroom activities including: TA positions, competitions, etc. Changes in a student's schedule after the add/drop will be permitted only under a limited set of circumstances.

LL.M. programs students have until the end of the second week of the semester to add or drop any course that is not fully subscribed (i.e., that is not “closed”). They have until the end of the first week of the semester to drop any closed course. Any changes to a student’s schedule after the add/drop period will be permitted only under a limited set of circumstances. Credits dropped after the end of the add/drop period are included in the semester’s final credit load for billing purposes. LL.M. students studying with F-1/J-1 visas should also consult with ISSS prior to dropping a course if it would bring them below full-time status. LL.M. students are also advised to consult with the Office of Student Finance before dropping any credits to ensure any/all aid is not jeopardized, if applicable.

Students will be required to withdraw from a course in the event of a time conflict.

During the period after the add/drop deadline but still within the first six weeks of the semester, students may drop a non-required course, provided that the course is not fully subscribed (i.e., is not a "closed" course), only for good cause shown and only with the permission of the instructor and the permission of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Adding any course after the add/drop period or dropping any open course after the sixth week of the semester requires the approval of the Petitions Committee. Such late adds are rarely, if ever, approved.

Dropping any closed course after the add/drop period requires the Petition Committee’s approval. If the Committee grants a request to drop a closed course, it may require that a student lose one RP (registration priority) for the following semester.

JD Students in Required Courses: First Year Day Division and Second Year Evening Division students are not permitted to add or drop 1L required curriculum courses taken during the fall and spring terms.

Summer Courses

Students may add courses provided that no more than one class meeting has been missed (or in the case of on-line course, through the first day of the term). Students may drop summer term courses (with the exception of Legal Practice: Negotiation and any closed course) through and including the sixth class meeting. Dropping any closed course after the add/drop period requires the Petition Committee’s approval. If the Committee grants a request to drop a closed course, it may require that a student lose one RP (registration priority) for the following semester.

To add or drop a course, a student should complete the necessary forms with the Registrar's Office. All petitions and requests to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for late adds or drops must indicate the view of the instructor. No late adds will be approved without the instructor's approval. Any student who fails to comply with this policy should be prepared to take the final examination or otherwise satisfy the course requirements in all courses for which he or she is registered.

JD Required Courses: JD Students are not permitted to drop required 1L curriculum courses taken during the summer term.

Winter Term Courses

Students may add courses provided that no more than one class meeting has been missed (or in the case of on-line course, through the first day of the term). Students may drop winter term courses through and including the 2nd class meeting (or in the case of on-line courses, through the second day of the term). Dropping any closed course after the add/drop period requires the Petition Committee’s approval. If the Committee grants a request to drop a closed course, it may require that a student lose one RP (registration priority) for the following semester.

To add or drop a course, a student should complete the necessary forms with the Registrar's Office. All petitions and requests to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for late adds or drops must indicate the view of the instructor. No late adds will be approved without the instructor's approval. Any student who fails to comply with this policy should be prepared to take the final examination or otherwise satisfy the course requirements in all courses for which he or she is registered.

Research Projects

JD Special Research Projects, LLM Research Projects, and LL.M. Theses may be added no later than the end of the second week of the semester during the fall and spring terms, and no later than the second day of the term for summer and winter terms. In order to add a special research project a student should submit the appropriate application form, complete with the necessary signatures, to the Registrar's Office. Late applications are permitted only with the permission of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and/or the Petitions Committee (for JD Students), and with the permission of the LL.M. Program Director or his/her designee (for LL.M. Students)

A JD special research project may be dropped at any time during the semester, no permission is required. An LL.M. research project or an LL.M. thesis may be dropped at any time during the semester with permission of the director of the LL.M. program.

Individual Field Placements

Individual field placements may be added no later than the end of the first week of the semester during the fall and spring terms, and no later than the second day of the term for June term. In order to add an individual field placement, a student should submit the appropriate field placement approval form, complete with the necessary signatures, to the Field Placement Program Director. Late applications are permitted only with the permission of the Field Placement Program Director and/or the Petitions Committee. The additional permission of the Director of the LL.M. Program is required for LLM students.

Individual field placements may be dropped only with permission of the Field Placement Program Director and/or the Petitions Committee. The additional permission of the Director of the LL.M. Program is required for LLM students.

Financial Aid

Students are advised to consult with the Office of Student Finance before dropping credits to ensure any/all aid is not jeopardized.

Billing

Credits dropped after the end of the add period are included in the semester’s final credit load for billing purposes. Student credit load for billing purposes is determined according the tuition refund schedule as published by the Bursar’s Office. These deadlines do not always correspond with add/drop deadlines.

International Students

LL.M. students studying with F-1/J-1 visas should consult with ISSS prior to dropping any credits if it could bring them below full-time status.

Attendance

Regular class attendance is expected. Under the Standards of the American Bar Association for the Approval of Law Schools, regular class attendance is necessary to satisfy class requirements. Upon timely notice, instructors may require attendance at regular or specially-called classes or relevant lectures, conferences and similar sessions.

In cases of excessive absence, the instructor may deny course credit. However, the instructor does not have the right to give a student an "F" for excessive absence; instead, the student will receive a grade of “N” (for “no grade submitted”). A grade of N has no GPA impact. Students are not permitted to drop a course once an N for excessive absences has been entered.

In courses where class meetings do not follow a standard schedule, including blended and fully asynchronous courses, assessment of attendance will be based on participation requirements established by the instructor. Lack of participation by a student may be treated as excessive absence.

Late Arrival

LLM and Exchange students enrolled in on-campus programs are required to arrive prior to the first day of the semester to attend mandatory orientation sessions. Requests to arrive after the first day of the semester are granted only in rare instances because of the negative impact a delayed start can have on a student’s academic success.

Requesting Permission for Late Arrival

Students requesting permission for late arrival are required to submit a formal application. Students must obtain permission from all of their instructors and establish a plan for completing missed work, for their request to be considered. The student is responsible for keeping up with all missed work and meeting all deadlines. Late arrival requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and approval is not guaranteed. Under no circumstances will students be allowed to arrive after the 10th day of classes. Students who do not arrive by the 10th day of classes will be administratively withdrawn.

We advise that students do not finalize any travel arrangements until they receive official notice from the Office of Graduate Programs and Admissions that their late arrival request has been approved. If a student is not confident they will be able to arrive on campus by the 10th day of classes, the student should consider deferring admission (incoming/new student) or requesting an academic leave of absence (returning/current student).

Financial Considerations

Students who are administratively withdrawn because they do not arrive by the 10th day of classes may not be entitled to a refund. See the UConn School of Law Refund Policy for more information.

Auditing Courses

Current students may audit law courses with the consent of the instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. No formal registration is required, and no record of the audit is made on the transcript. The privileges of an auditor are limited to attending class lectures, regular attendance is required. An auditor may not participate in class discussion or use instructor time, unless permission to do so is specifically granted by the instructor. No work assignments or examinations are required.

Course Conflicts

Students are prohibited from selecting courses for which class session times conflict or overlap. Any student who is registered for a schedule of classes which contains a conflict or overlap in class meeting times is required to withdraw from as many courses as are necessary to eliminate all conflicts or overlaps in their class schedule. Such student should select which course or courses to withdraw from for this purpose, if the student does not, this decision will be made administratively.

Course Recording

Class sessions may be recorded and posted for student use at the discretion of the instructor. Students who wish to have classes recorded as an accommodation for a documented disability should contact Student Services to make those arrangements.

Students may not audio-record or video-record classes, or portions thereof, without the prior consent of the instructor. Students also may not duplicate any portion of an existing class recording, or post, publicize, or disseminate it in any way, without the prior consent of the instructor.

A student who violates this section may be subject to sanctions under the Academic Misconduct Policy.

Division/Program Changes

Transferring from Juris Doctor 1st Year Evening to 2nd Year Day Division¹

Students may transfer at the end of the first year/spring semester. The effective date of the transfer is a student’s second fall term.

Students must complete their required courses in the division in which they entered the law school. Evening 1L students who transfer to the day division in year two, will be required to complete the remaining required courses (Constitutional Law I/II and Property I/II) in the evening division.

Students must complete a total of six (6) credits in summer and winter terms. These credits may be earned in any one (or more) of the following ways:

• Take additional summer coursework at the end of the first or second year.
• Take additional coursework during winter term of the second and third year.
• With advance approval of the Dean's Office, take a summer course at another ABA approved law school.
• With advance approval of the Dean's Office, take a graduate level summer course at a non-law school (under the so-called "six-credit rule").
• Complete a Special Research Project.
• Complete an Individual Field Placement.

The above options are at the discretion of the student. Some students prefer to take care of all of their credits during the first summer so that if they are fortunate enough to land a clerkship in a law office for the summer after the second year they won't have any incomplete academic obligations. 

Transferring students will have completed fewer credit-hours by the end of their first year than their counterparts who began as full-time students. To mitigate a heavy workload, in future semesters, the faculty urges students who transfer from the evening division to consider seriously the possibility of enrolling in additional summer or winter term credits beyond the six described above.

¹

These guidelines assume that it is a student's intention to graduate in three years.

Other JD Division Transfers

Students may request to transfer divisions after the completion of one year of study, and only effective during a semester break. Division changes are not approved for a mid-semester change.

All JD Division Changes

It is imperative that students complete the change of division form and submit it to the Registrar's Office for approval prior to the posted deadlines. This will allow students to select courses during the enrollment appointment times established for day division students.

Students considering a division change are urged to discuss their plan with the Registrar, Bursar and Student Finance Office to discuss matters of credits, length of study, billing and financial aid. All of these may be affected by a division change.

Academic Standing and Support¹

Academic Support

Any JD day division student in the lowest 10 percent of the class at the end of the fall semester of their first year, and any evening division student in the lowest 10 percent of the class at the end of the spring semester of their first year, shall be required to take a class the following semester focused on academic success. This will be in lieu of the statutory/regulatory elective for that semester, though the statutory/regulatory elective is still required for graduation and must be taken in a subsequent semester.

Academic Warning

All LL.M. students whose cumulative grade point average after attempted completion of at least six credits is below 2.3 will meet with the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs or his/her designee and receive an academic warning which will set forth the student’s academic status and an academic support plan.

Dismissal

A JD student must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.3 at the end of any academic year to remain in good standing. In computing the average, no consideration is given to grades received for work completed at other schools, including other law schools, even though transfer credit has been given for such work. Any student who fails to attain the required grade point average at the end of any academic year is automatically dismissed from enrollment and barred from attendance at classes.

An LL.M. student must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.3 to remain in good standing. Any student who fails to attain the required cumulative grade point average after attempted completion of nine credits may be dismissed from the program and barred from attendance at classes in the future. In computing the average, no consideration is given to grades received for work completed at other schools, including other law schools, even though transfer credit has been given for such work.

Readmission after Dismissal

For Juris Doctor Students: All petitions for readmission by JD students will be determined by the Faculty Petitions Committee. Students may petition for readmission for the academic year following their dismissal, or in a subsequent academic year. If the Committee finds that the student has the necessary aptitude to perform satisfactory work at the Law School, it grants readmission and requires the student to repeat any required courses in which the student received a grade of "D" or lower. In the year following readmission, the student must maintain a grade point average of 2.6. The Committee may impose any other conditions on readmission it deems appropriate.

Procedure: The deadline for submitting petitions for readmission for the following year is three weeks after a student receives their grades at the end of the academic year. A student may petition for readmission in subsequent years at any time. All petitions should contain a complete statement of the facts and circumstances supporting the request.

For LL.M. Students: All petitions for readmission will be determined by the Director of Graduate Programs and Admissions, and the faculty director of the LLM program (the “Committee”). Students may petition for readmission for the academic year following their dismissal or in a subsequent academic year. If the Committee finds that the student has the necessary aptitude to perform satisfactory work at the Law School, it grants readmission and requires the student to repeat any required courses in which the student received a grade of “D” or lower. In the year following readmission, the student must maintain a grade point average of 2.6. The Committee may impose any other conditions on readmission it deems appropriate.

Procedure: The deadline for submitting petitions for readmission for the following year is three weeks after a student receives his/her grades at the end of the academic year. A student may petition for readmission in subsequent years at any time. Petitions must be in writing and include the student’s current mailing address. All petitions should contain a complete statement of the facts and circumstances supporting the request.

¹

Requirements for Financial Aid may vary.

Discontinuing or Postponing/Resuming Legal Studies¹

Students who may be considering separation from the School of Law are required to meet with the Director of Student Affairs to discuss the reasons for separation, possible alternatives² and other administrative concerns (including, but not limited to: ABA regulations regarding length of study, and monetary commitments to the School of Law). The Director of Student Affairs will inform the student how to submit the required form and of the additional steps that follow. Students who discontinue their studies at the School of Law without being granted approval to separate will be administratively withdrawn and must obtain the permission of the faculty petitions committee to resume studies at a later time.

¹

This section pertains to students who have begun their studies and then subsequently consider separating from the School of Law. Students who have not yet begun law studies withdraw their application through the Office of Admissions.

²

See section entitled "Alternative to Leave of Absence: Continuous Registration."

Separation from the School of Law may be for a fixed period of time - this is a leave of absence; or for a final cessation of studies at the school of law - this is a withdrawal. Students transferring to another law school would request a withdrawal.

Degree requirements are determined by the student’s initial admit term for students who take leaves of absence. Students who otherwise separate from the law school and later return are subject to the degree requirements as they are at the time of readmission.

Access to most University systems are disabled upon student separation. These include UConn email, HuskyCT, Office365, listservs, etc. Access to the student administration is not discontinued.

Please note: Students who study for a defined period of time either at another campus as part of a dual degree program or at another school of law as an approved visitor do not have to separate from the School of Law, though these forms of study do require pre-approval as well.

Voluntary Withdrawals

A student may seek to withdraw from the School of Law at any time prior to the commencement of the final examination period. If approved, such students do not receive credit or grades for any courses taken in the semester from which they withdraw. Withdrawn courses do not appear on a student’s transcript. If the withdrawal occurs in the second semester of a full-year course, these same regulations shall apply, except when arrangements for partial credit are made. The instructor may, in consultation with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, permit credit to be awarded for one semester of a full-year course.

Once the final examination period has begun, withdrawal requests will not be granted and students are expected to complete all required course work and examinations. Students will receive failing grades for all uncompleted course work and examinations.

Leaves of Absence

A leave of absence means that a student is temporarily separated from the School of Law and does not have active student status. A student who is on a leave of absence is not considered to be in good academic standing.

An approved leave of absence indicates that the student status will be recorded as “inactive” for the duration of the requested period of leave, and as such, the student will not have access to University services as indicated above. A student on a leave of absence is not eligible to work under student employment policies nor hold any position in a student organization or the SBA.¹

All time spent on a leave of absence will be included in determining a student’s maximum length of study (as defined in the academic policies).

A student may seek a leave of absence from the School of Law at any time prior to the commencement of the final examination period. If approved, such students do not receive credit or grades for any courses taken in the semester in which they take the leave, and these courses will not appear on the student’s transcript. Once the final examination period has begun, leaves of absence requests will not be granted for the current semester and students are expected to complete all required course work and examinations. Students will receive failing grades for all uncompleted course work and examinations.

If the request for the leave is for a future term (or terms), the student is expected to complete the current term in which they are enrolled.

If a student takes a leave of absence after completion of one semester of a year-long course, permission may be granted for the student to resume the second semester upon return from the leave. In determining whether or not this privilege will be granted, the following factors will be considered: change in the course content, the elapsed time since the course was originally taken (ordinarily the privilege will not be granted if the leave has exceeded one year), and the instructor’s evaluation of the student’s performance in the first semester. Permission is sought from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the Director of Student Affairs. Credit is ordinarily not given for one semester of a full-year course. Approval of such may be granted by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in consultation with the course instructor.

Under no circumstances may a student work with a faculty member to complete work toward their degree during the time of their leave.²

International students contemplating a leave of absence may have additional considerations and are strongly encouraged to evaluate thoroughly the implications of any decisions on their student status. International students must obtain authorization from an international advisor at International Student and Scholar Services before a leave is approved. Failure to do so will be considered a status violation and may result in termination of the student’s SEVIS record.

¹

Students are not guaranteed reinstated membership in a student organization or SBA upon their return to studies.

²

Students may only work on incomplete work while separated from the University if student has enrolled in Continuous Registration.

Financial Aid

Students are advised to consult with the Office of Student Finance before discontinuing studies to discuss Financial Aid ramifications. Taking a leave of absence may impact students’ financial aid and monetary obligations including return of all or part of their funds to their source, which may result in financial indebtedness to the University. Student loans are not kept in deferral during a leave. Students are strongly encouraged to discuss any financial implications in detail with the Student Finance Office before making a final leave decision.

Billing

Students are advised to consult with the Bursar’s Office before discontinuing studies to discuss billing and refund of fees (if applicable).

Alternative to Leave of Absence: Incomplete/Deviation/Drop

As an alternative to a leave of absence, students who, within three weeks of the start of the exam period in a given semester, find that they are unable to finish that semester, may consult with the Director of Student Affairs and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to determine whether some combination of extensions and deviations in their courses may obviate the need for a formal leave of absence. Students should not make individual, ad hoc arrangements with faculty when seeking to avail themselves of this alternative.

• Students may be able to seek extensions in non-exam courses. Extension policies for non-exam courses are outlined in these policies. Students would receive an Incomplete (I) until the work is completed.
• In exam courses, students may seek an exam deviation. Exam deviation policies are outlined in these policies.
• In granting any extension or deviation, consideration must be given as to whether the student will have complied with the attendance requirements of each course. The Director of Student Affairs will consult with the instructor and the Office of the Registrar on matters related to attendance.
• Extensions and deviations are not permitted in clinics, field placements, or skills competitions.
• A student may also petition to drop any course, and, if granted, such course will be removed from the student’s transcript. Policies regarding dropping courses are outlined in these policies.

In determining whether a student may utilize this alternative to a leave of absence, the Director of Student Affairs will consult with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the Registrar.

Alternative to Leave of Absence: Continuous Registration

Continuous Registration enrollment permits a student to stay in active status.¹ Continuous registration enrollment is required in a fall or spring semester for any student who is actively completing incomplete coursework but not enrolling in credits for that term. Continuous registration is an alternative to a leave of absence for students who are not actively enrolled in credits but seek to maintain access to University resources. A student enrolled in continuous registration is not eligible to work under student employment policies (because a minimum half-time enrollment status is required). Students may, however, hold a student organization or SBA position(s).

Continuous registration enrollment must be completed before the end of the add/drop period. A flat fee (no tuition) is charged for each fall/spring enrollment. All time spent on continuous registration enrollment will be included in determining a student’s maximum length of study (as defined in these Academic Policies).

International students must obtain authorization from an international advisor at International Student and Scholar Services for continuous registration enrollment. Students should discuss any financial implications of continuous registration with the Student Finance Office before making a decision.

¹

While a student is considered active during continuous registration, this status does not keep student loans in deferral.

Military Leave

Requests for separation by veterans and active service members will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Upon notification of activation or deployment, students should submit a copy of their orders. The Assistant Director of Student Affairs is responsible for working with students whenever they are called to active duty while enrolled and to assist them when they are ready to return to their academic program

Resuming Legal Studies

Requests to resume legal studies are reviewed by Student Affairs, in consultation with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The following factors will be considered: reason for leave/return, elapsed time from the School of Law, and any conditions imposed by the school on the student’s return. Students should contact the Director of Student Affairs to initiate their return, who will inform them of the required steps.

Access to University systems will be reinstated effective the date of approval of the request.

Examinations

General Information

Examination schedules are posted by the Registrar's Office.

The exam schedule for a given semester will be published with the schedule of courses and will be available prior to registration. It will indicate the type of exam (proctored or take-home) for each course and, if an exam is proctored, the schedule will indicate the date and time of the examination. Proctored exams will be scheduled so that courses meeting at different times do not have simultaneous or overlapping exams.

Students are responsible for verifying the date, time and place of their examinations. The exam period normally covers two weeks or some significant portion thereof. At the discretion of the Registrar, regular and/or deviated exams may be scheduled on Saturdays or Sundays during the exam period, subject to accommodation for religious observance.

Students must be available for the entire examination period, including scheduled deviation dates in case an exam must be rescheduled because of a weather-related or other emergency.

If a student is unavoidably detained and is late for an examination, he or she should contact the Registrar's Office immediately upon arrival on campus to make alternate arrangements.

All exams are either proctored or take-home.

• Proctored exams are limited to three hours in duration, include reading time. This limit applies regardless of the number of credit hours allocated to the course. Exceptions may be made only for international exchange and LL.M. students, and students with documented disabilities that require accommodation (see Additional Time for International Students and Disability Accommodations).
• Take-home exams are limited to eight hours in duration and by default are self-scheduled by the student anytime during the take-home exam period. In consultation with the Registrar and with the approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, a take-home exam may be scheduled for a date and time certain. 

Use of Laptops for Exams

At the discretion of the instructor, proctored exams may be taken on students' personal laptop computers or, subject to availability, Law School laptop computers. Students wishing to take exams on laptops will be required to download and test all necessary exam software prior to the examination. Failure to do so will require a student to hand-write the exam. Any laptop failure or malfunction during the exam will also require the student to hand-write the (remainder) of the exam.

Anonymity

Any timed and graded summative and/or formative assessment in the form of a quiz, test, or exam must be administered by the Registrar’s Office.¹

Students are provided with exam numbers for each exam. This is to provide for anonymous grading by the instructor. To maintain this anonymity, students should not include personally identifiable information on their exam materials. Students should also not contact the instructor to discuss any exam issue (prior to the release of student grades). Students are directed to contact the Registrar's Office with any technical, procedural or other exam issue. The Registrar will contact the instructor (as necessary) to resolve the issue using the student anonymous exam number. Multiple Choice (or any other non-subjective exam format) may be graded in a non-anonymous format.

¹

This section was approved by the Faculty on February 5, 2021. To clarify the impact of this proposed changed, it may be helpful to emphasize here what this rule will not change:

• Any graded exercises performed in class by individual students as part of a presentation or performance exercise – it is aimed only at general quiz-like testing that all students must take simultaneously.
• Any quiz-like exercise that is NOT graded.

Additional Time for International Students

Additional time on exams is afforded to any student whose primary language is not English and who was required to submit proof of English language proficiency as part of their admission process.

The additional time is given within a student’s first two regular (fall and spring) semesters only.

Students should contact the Registrar's Office in advance of the exam period to confirm whether they will be afforded additional time under this rule. The amount of additional time is as follows:

1. For proctored exams: one additional hour will be awarded. This is based on a three hour proctored exam and will be adjusted by the Registrar for exams or mid-terms that are scheduled less than three hours.
2. For take home exams: no additional time will be awarded for any exam greater than six hours in length. For any exam six hours or less, one additional hour per each three hours of exam will be awarded.
3. The additional time does not apply to U.S. Law and Legal Institutions or U.S. Law and Legal Research and Writing.

Disability Accommodations

Students with documented disabilities requiring accommodation in connection with exam-taking should request the same during the first two weeks of the semester, or as soon as possible thereafter, from the Dean of Students or their designee.

Exam Deviations

A student may apply to the Office of Student Affairs to take an examination at a time other than that for which it is regularly scheduled only when facing an unforeseeable hardship such as a medical problem, a death in the family, unavoidable employment conflict, etc. The exam schedule is posted at the time of course registration so students are aware of the date of their exam when selecting courses. As a result, exam deviations will not be granted for multiple exams in a single day, unless they are scheduled at the exact same time or within some other short period. Additionally, deviations will not be granted in cases of foreseeable familial, social, or travel obligations.

After the exam deviation request is approved, the Office of Student Affairs, in consultation with the Registrar’s Office, arranges the date and time the exam will be given and arranges with the instructor whether an alternate exam will be given.

Failure to take a regularly scheduled examination or one arranged during a deviated time results in a grade of "F" ("Failure") unless the associate dean for academic affairs finds that grave cause prevented the taking of the examination. No such cause will be considered sufficient which might have been the subject of an application for rescheduling as described above. Students must contact the associate dean for academic affairs immediately upon the discovery that an exam has been missed. A claim that illness prevented completion of an examination or impaired a student's performance is treated in the same manner as a claim that grave cause prevented the taking of the examination.

Lost or Misplaced Exams

A student whose final examination books have been lost or misplaced after receipt by the proctor or instructor may elect to take a grade of "P" (Pass) for the course or to take a make-up examination. A student whose midterm examination books have been lost or misplaced after receipt by the proctor or instructor may elect to have that midterm not be included in the calculation of his/her final grade or to take a make-up examination. Any examination that was submitted in electronic format and can be reproduced is not considered a lost or misplaced exam for purposes of this policy. In all other circumstances involving lost or misplaced examinations, the student should secure the consent of the instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to take a make-up examination in order to receive credit for the course.

Exam Retention

Written or electronically recorded work product that is factored into the student’s grade for a law school course shall be maintained by the instructor for a period of one year. Copies may be returned to the student only with permission of the instructor.

Extension of Clinical Work and Paper Deadlines

This section refers to extensions requests for clinical work and for papers written for a course; see the section on “Alternatives to Courses and Seminars” for information regarding extension of Special Research Projects.

For papers that will not be used to satisfy the JD Upper-Level/LLM writing requirement:

The instructor in any course or seminar in which a paper is allowed or required sets and announces a stated deadline for the handing in of papers. This date may be no later than the last day of examinations (in the applicable division) for the semester in which the course or seminar is offered. Prior to the stated deadline, for good cause, the instructor may (in writing, with a copy to the Registrar) grant a single extension of time for handing in the paper; but no extended deadline may be more than two weeks beyond the last day of examinations (in the applicable division) for the semester in which the seminar or course is offered. No extended deadline may be later than the student's anticipated date of graduation.

Prior to the deadline as extended by the instructor, a student may make application to the associate dean for academic affairs for a further extension upon showing that unavoidable circumstances make completion of the work by the deadline impossible. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may set an extended deadline after consultation with the instructor, but no extension can be granted which is later than the student's anticipated date of graduation. However, a student may request to change the date of the degree conferral (ex. May to July) if necessary.

For papers that will be used to satisfy the JD Upper-Level/ LLM writing requirement:

If a paper written in connection with a course or seminar is to be used to satisfy the upper-level writing requirement, the student must file a completed online request form. The form must be signed by the instructor and submitted to the Office of the Registrar by the end of the fourth week of classes (or by the date of the fourth class in any summer term course). Due dates for a first draft and final submission must be specified. The deadline for final submission shall be no later than the last day of examinations of the next regular semester following the semester or term of the course (i.e., the spring semester after a fall term course; the fall semester after a spring or summer term course). Prior to the stated deadline for final submission, the instructor may grant a single extension of time for handing in the paper. This extension may not extend the deadline, however, beyond the last day of examinations of the next regular semester following the semester or term of the course, as specified above.

Prior to the deadline as extended by the instructor, a student may make application to the associate dean for academic affairs for a further extension upon showing that unavoidable circumstances make completion of the work by the extended deadline impossible. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may set a further extended deadline after consultation with the instructor. No extension may be granted that is later than the student's anticipated date of graduation. However, a student may request to change the date of the degree conferral (ex. May to July) if necessary.

For all papers written for courses or seminars:

Failure to submit a paper by the appropriate deadline results in a failing grade for the paper, unless the associate dean for academic affairs finds that grave cause prevented the timely submission of the paper. No such cause is considered sufficient if it could have been the subject of an application for extension as described above. Where failure to submit a paper is excused as above, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, in consultation with the instructor, sets a further extended deadline.

Notwithstanding the above rules, if a student scheduled for graduation at the close of the semester would have sufficient credits for graduation without the course or seminar in which the paper was required, and the basis for an extension of time is shown, the instructor or the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may direct that the student be withdrawn from the course or seminar.

It is the responsibility of the student to have available an extra copy of their paper for use in grading should it become necessary. In the event the original paper was submitted but lost and the student does not have an extra copy, the student has the option of submitting another paper within a reasonable time or receiving no credit for the course.

To allow a student to complete an alternate writing requirement or paper, the option of changing their graduation date in order to complete the requirements for the degree is offered. The graduation dates are: January 31, Commencement Day in May and July 10. There are no additional graduation dates.

Students with F-1/J-1 visas are reminded that that they must also contact UConn’s Immigration Services to extend their Form I-20/DS-2019 to correspond with extended deadlines.

Extension of Clinical Work

A clinic instructor may provide one extension to complete clinical work for a given semester. This date may be no later than the day before grades are due for the semester in which the clinic is offered. The Associate Dean for Experiential Education may, after consultation with the instructor, set an extended deadline, but no extension can be granted which is later than the student’s anticipated date of graduation.

To comply with the academic regulation on simultaneous enrollment in more than one clinic or field placement course, no student may enroll in an additional clinic if the student will be continuing work for another clinic in that semester, except as allowed by that regulation.

Pace of Study

In keeping with the requirements for pace of study, students must complete 75% of their cumulative attempted credits hours. Incomplete credits, such as those that may result after an extension is granted, will be reflected as attempted credits, not completed credits.

Grades

Letter Grades

Law - Course Grades

Final Grade	Grade Points
A	4.00
A-	3.70
B+	3.30
B	3.00
B-	2.70
C+	2.30
C	2.00
C-	1.70
D+	1.30
D	1.00
D-	0.70
F	0.00

 Non-Letter Grades

These grades have no numerical value and are not included in the student's grade point average.

Graduate - Course Grades

Explanation	Final Grade	Grade Points
Pass	P	N/A
High Pass	HP	N/A
Low Pass	LP	N/A
No Grade Submitted	N	N/A
Incomplete	I	N/A

Calculating the Grade Point Average

To determine grade point average (GPA), multiply the number of points assigned to the grade in each course by the number of credits in the respective courses. The total number of points should be divided by the total number of credits to obtain the grade point average as illustrated in the example.

Pass/Fail Grading

The Law School has a modified form of pass/fail grading. Under this system the grade of "Pass" indicates that a student receiving it has performed at a level equivalent to a C or higher on an A-F scale. Thus, in effect, the system is a Pass/C-/D+/D/D-/Fail grading scale. A grade of C or better is recorded as a grade of "Pass" and is not used in the computation of the student's grade point average. A grade of C- or lower is used in the computation. Student transcripts contain the legend that any course in which a grade of "Pass" was awarded did not enter into the computation of the student's grade point average, class rank, and eligibility for honors.

A secondary form of pass/fail grading may be used in the 1L Legal Practice course. In this course, students may be awarded a High Pass (HP), Pass (P), Low Pass (LP), or Fail (F). The pass grades do not enter into the computation of student grade point averages and thus do not affect class rank.

All required courses at the law school must be taken on the A-F basis with the exception of Legal Practice.

All Juris Doctor Students must complete at least 74 of the required 86 semester hours of course credit for graduation graded on the traditional A-F scale. Thus, twelve semester hours of non-required courses taken at the Law School may be taken under the pass/fail grading option for students graduating with exactly 86 credits. However, students must complete a minimum of two graded courses per semester.

An LL.M. student can take no more than three credits on a pass/fail basis without the director of the LL.M. program.

Pass/fail credits for individual field placements, field placement courses, Teaching Assistantships, Moot Court Competition, Mock Trial Competition, Bar Exam Preparation, and Legal Editorship credits are included in the number of pass/fail credits allowed; credits for Legal Practice are not. Legal Practice credits are considered graded credits. Pass/Fail credit awarded as advanced standing credits in the LL.M. program counts toward the pass/fail credits allowed. Courses that appear on the transcript with a grade of T (Transfer), are not counted as pass/fail credits. This includes dual degree, certificate and study abroad course work. Pass grades received as a result of course work completed outside the Law School are not included in the number of hours of pass/fail which are allowed. This assumes that the work successfully completed outside the school of law was taken on a graded basis (A-F).

Each faculty member reserves the option to deny students the right to take their classes under the pass/fail option or to limit by any reasonable method the percentage of students taking any course on a pass/fail basis.

During the fifth and sixth weeks of each semester, during the second week of classes in the June and July sessions, and by the 3rd class meeting of winter term courses, students must make a decision as to whether or not they are taking any course so available on a pass/fail basis. Once chosen, or once the pass/fail registration period has completed, students may not modify their pass/fail selection.

Due Dates for Grade Submission

The deadlines for submitting grades to the Registrar's Office are as follows:

• Fall Semester: January 10th
• Spring Semester: Two weeks after the last day of exams
• June and July Sessions: Four weeks after the last day of exams
• Winter Term: Four weeks after the last day of exams

It shall be the policy of the Registrar's Office to enter a student's grade within 24 hours of receipt of the grade unless instructed otherwise by the instructor.

Anonymous Grading Processing

Exam grading is done on a modified anonymous basis. Upon request, the Registrar's Office provides members of the faculty with an initial numerical grade roster that does not reveal either the name or the grading basis of a particular student. Faculty members provide a letter grade for each exam. Grades, at this stage, do not have to comply with final grade distribution requirements. In return, the Registrar’s Office provides the faculty member with the list of student names that correspond to exam numbers. The faculty member is then free to adjust student grades, taking into account other factors which may impact the student’s final grade. This set of grades, to be returned to the Registrar’s Office, must be comply with all final grade distribution requirements. The Registrar’s Office will then post the final grades for student view and upon request, will notify faculty members of the list of students who have elected for pass/fail grading.

Grade Changes

Students with questions about how their grade was determined are encouraged to seek feedback from their instructor. Grades can be changed only in cases of calculation error by the instructor. Grades are not appealable, but concerns about grades may be discussed with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Grade Distribution Requirements

(a) The following grade distribution shall be applied to all required 1L courses[1] with the exception of Legal Practice:

• A (= 10-15%)
• A- (= 15-20%)
• B+ (= 25-30%) (the total number of grades of B+ and above must be between 55-60%)
• B (= 25-30%)
• B- (= 10-15%)
• C+ and below (= 0-5%)

(b) In elective courses with 19 or more JD students, Legal Profession, and the fall and spring Legal Practice courses, between 55% and 60% of students must receive a grade of B+ or higher, and between 40% and 45% must receive a grade of B or lower. In courses with a pass/fail option, the distribution requirement applies to the grades that the instructor submits to the registrar, regardless of any subsequent conversion of grades to pass/fail.

Non-JD students are not counted when determining whether a course is subject to the required grade distribution. However, once it is determined that a course is subject to the required grade distribution, all student grades in the course must conform with the requirement.

(c) The grade distribution in subsection (a) is suggested for courses subject to subsection (b).

(d) When a faculty member is required to post grades before all students in a class have taken the examination, and under other similar circumstances, the required distribution of subsection (a) and the required distribution of subsection (b) is understood to except grades that should be posted late and cannot reasonably be taken into account in calculating the median curve or median for a class.

¹

LL.M. students participating in any 1L required course will be subject to the 1L grade distribution rules. 1L classes include the following: Civil Procedure (Civil Procedure I/II), Contracts (Contracts I/II), Property (Property I/II), Constitutional Law (Constitutional Law I/II) Torts, and Criminal Law.

Release of Grades

Students may access their grades and transcripts via the PeopleSoft Student Administration system. Grade summaries for each course by section are compiled by the Registrar's Office at the end of each term. These summaries are available to assist the faculty in normalization of grades and to disclose to students the distribution of grades in each course. It shall be the policy of the Registrar’s Office to enter a student’s grade within 24 hours of receipt of the grade unless instructed otherwise by the instructor; the latest release date being no later than the grade due date for the term.

Written Work of High Excellence

Papers of high excellence submitted in satisfaction of the requirements of any course or seminar or independent study project, with the permission of the student (as granted by signed release), upon approval by the dean, are deposited in the Law Library and with the University’s Digital Commons. Such papers may be approved by the dean for deposit in the Law Library as an "Honor Paper" upon certification by the faculty member grading it that the paper both is of high excellence and makes a substantial contribution to its field which will be of value to others thereafter working in the field and also is free from serious defects of organization and workmanship and appropriate to serve as a model for students writing similar papers in the future.

Papers approved by the dean for deposit in the Law Library are bound, indexed, and shelved as a special reference collection. Subject to the right of the Law Library to make the manuscript available to readers and to make single photocopies, the literary rights of the manuscript are reserved to the author, who is free to publish the manuscript and to take steps to secure a statutory copyright thereon.

Ranking/Degree Honors/Degree Conferral and Commencement

Juris Doctor Class Rank

Juris Doctor Students are ranked at the end of each spring semester, except for graduating students who are ranked upon receipt of all grades, including those completing studies in July.

Students in the top quintile are ranked numerically by cumulative grade point average. All other students are ranked by quintiles only. Grades or grade corrections received after the completion of ranking will not change the student's class rank for the year. Students are ranked by year and division.

Mid-Year Graduation: Students who graduate in January are not ranked at that time. While their studies have been completed, so as to be able to provide a rank that comprises the entire graduating class, January graduates’ transcripts are updated at the end of the June Term to reflect their final rank.

Additional Rank: In order to more accurately reflect student rank as a result of student attrition, rank will be re-calculated for 1L day division students in advance of their second fall term.

Juris Doctor Degree Honors

Honors will be granted to graduating students using the percentage system as follows. If necessary, the percentages will be rounded as follows: .5% will be rounded up and .49% will be rounded down

1. Highest Honors: Top 1% of the graduating class
2. High Honors: Next 5% of the graduating class
3. Honors: Next 24% of the graduating class

For purposes of determining honors, all graduating students (both from the Day and the Evening Division) are considered as one group, despite the fact that the Day and Evening Divisions are ranked separately.

LL.M Degree Honors

An LL.M. student who earns a grade point average of 3.7 or above is eligible to graduate with Honors.

LL.M Thesis Honors

An LL.M. student may graduate with thesis honors under the following conditions:

• Obtain a minimum 3.3 grade point average, and
• Obtain a grade of A- or above as determined by the faculty advisor on a thesis of no fewer than 50 pages, and
• Obtain qualification of the thesis through an additional faculty reader chosen by the faculty advisor and the director of the LL.M. program. The additional faculty reader would not alter the faculty advisor’s grade, but would with the faculty advisor and the director of the LL.M. program make the final determination whether the thesis was of honors quality. The additional faculty reader and the director of the LL.M. programs serve as a screening process to help ensure a level of uniformity in determining what constitutes an honors thesis.

Degree Conferral and Commencement

The Law School confers degrees three times during the year. The conferral dates are January 31, July 10, and Commencement Day in May. There is only one commencement ceremony each year, and all students planning to graduate in a given year are encouraged to participate in the ceremony. All course work must be completed before the conferral date. Any student who does not complete the coursework by the conferral date must wait until the next conferral date for the award of the degree. No exceptions will be considered. Diplomas are mailed to May/July graduates at the end of the summer. Diplomas are mailed to January graduates in mid-spring.

LL.M. Students who have received an academic warning (who have a GPA of less than 2.3) shall be able to take part in commencement exercises when they have satisfactorily completed all graduation requirements or with permission of the director of the LL.M. program or their designee.