Academic Period Course Load

The number of credits you are taking is important when it comes to your course load, which can impact your financial aid.

Course Loads

Law JD Day/Hybrid

Law JD Day must be enrolled in at least 10 credits per academic period to be considered full-time, between 6 - 9 credits per academic period to be considered three-quarter time, and at least 5 credits per academic period to be considered half-time.

Law JD Day students must enroll in a minimum of 27 credits per year; and may enroll in up to 15 credits in Fall and Spring. Enrollment in more than 27 credits in Year Two will not reduce Year Three's 27-credit requirement.

Law JD Day students may take a maximum of 6 credits during an entire summer academic period.

Law JD Day Accelerated

Law JD Day Accelerated must be enrolled in at least 10 credits per academic period to be considered full-time, between 7.5 - 9 credits per academic period to be considered three-quarter time, and at least 5 credits per academic period to be considered half-time.

Law JD Day Accelerated students must enroll in a minimum of 27 credits per year; and may enroll in up to 16 credits in Fall and Spring.

Law JD Day Accelerated students may take a maximum of 16 credits during an entire summer academic period.

Law JD Evening/Hybrid

Law JD Evening must be enrolled in at least 7 credits per academic period to be considered full-time, between 5.25 - 6 credits per academic period to be considered three-quarter time, and at least 3.5 credits per academic period to be considered half-time.

Law JD Evening students must enroll in a minimum of 21 credits per year; and may enroll in up to 12 credits in Fall and Spring. Enrollment in more than 21 credits in Year Two/Three will not reduce Year Four's 21-credit requirement.

Law JD Day students may take a maximum of 6 credits during an entire summer academic period.

Law JD Evening Accelerated

Law JD Evening Accelerated must be enrolled in at least 7 credits per academic period to be considered full-time, between 5.25 - 6 credits per academic period to be considered three-quarter time, and at least 3.5 credits per academic period to be considered half-time.

Law JD Evening Accelerated students must enroll in a minimum of 21 credits per year; and may enroll in up to 14 credits in Fall and Spring.

Law JD Evening Accelerated students may take a maximum of 12 credits during an entire summer academic period.

Law LLM, LLMG, LLMT, SJD

Law LLM, LLMG, LLMT, SJD students must be enrolled in at least 9 credits per academic period to be considered full-time, between 6.75 - 8 credits per academic period to be considered three-quarter time, and at least 4.5 credits per academic period to be considered half-time.

Law LLM, LLMG, LLMT students may enroll in up to 14 credits in Fall and Spring. Law SJD students may enroll in up to 12 credits in Fall and Spring.

Law LLM, LLMG, LLMT students may take a maximum of 6 credits during an entire summer academic period.

Law MSLL

Law MSLL students must be enrolled in at least 12 credits per academic period to be considered full-time, between 9 - 11 credits per academic period to be considered three-quarter time, and at least 6 credits per academic period to be considered half-time.

Law MSLL students may enroll in up to 15 credits in Fall and Spring.

Law MSLL students may take a maximum of 6 credits during an entire summer academic period.

Dual Degree

Students enrolled in dual-degree programs are held to the same standard as day and evening students regarding credits whether enrolled in the Law School, the College of Arts & Sciences or Sawyer Business School, or both schools in an academic period

International Students

All international students are required to enroll in at least 12 credits per academic period in residence.

Credit for Clinical and Other Non-Classroom Activities

No more than 16 credits of ungraded non-classroom work and clinical fieldwork may be counted toward the degree. Of the 16-credit limit, no more than 12 credits from clinical or internship fieldwork may be counted toward the degree.

No student may receive more than two units of credit in an academic period for ungraded non-classroom activities other than regularly scheduled courses or clinical programs. Examples of non-classroom activities include directed study, Law Review, Moot Court, a Moot Court team, research assistant, Transnational Law Review, Journal of Health and Biomedical Law, Journal of High Technology Law, and directed study or thesis. [Example: You can take a clinical program for five credits and receive two additional credits for a research assistantship or other non-classroom activity in the same academic period. You cannot receive two credits for a research assistantship and two more for being on a law review or journal in a single academic period.]

Tuition Information

For a current listing of full-time, part-time, and excess tuition rates, please visit Student Accounts Services.