A. DOCTOR OF JURISPRUDENCE (J.D.)
- Curriculum Requirements
- First-Year Curriculum
- Required Courses after the First-Year Curriculum
- Upper-Level Electives
- Areas of Emphasis
- Part-Time Program
A. DOCTOR OF JURISPRUDENCE
- Curriculum Requirements
- First-Year Curriculum
- Required Courses after First-Year Curriculum
- Upper-Level Electives
- Areas of Emphasis
- Part-Time Program
A.1 Curriculum Requirements
Students at the West Virginia University College of Law must earn 91 credit hours with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.50 in order to graduate. Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.50 and meet other requirements to remain in good academic standing. The first-year curriculum is a fixed set of courses taken by all students. Students are largely free to shape their own courses of study during the last two years of law school, subject to a small number of upper-level requirements. If a student receives a failing grade in a course required for graduation, the student must repeat the course for a passing grade. That grade will be factored into the student's overall GPA and will not replace the 'F' the student received the first time he or she took the course.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum GPA of 2.50 | ||
| First-Year Required Courses | ||
| LAW 641 | Introduction to Legal Research | 1 |
| LAW 675 | Introduction to the Profession | 1 |
| LAW 700 | Legal Analysis, Research and Writing 1 | 3 |
| LAW 703 | Contracts 1 | 4 |
| LAW 705 | Criminal Law | 3 |
| LAW 707 | Property | 4 |
| LAW 709 | Torts 1 | 4 |
| LAW 711 | Legal Analysis, Research and Writing 2 | 2 |
| LAW 725 | Constitutional Law 1 | 4 |
| LAW 686 | Civil Procedure | 4 |
| Upper-Level Requirements | ||
| LAW 715 | Appellate Advocacy | 2 |
| LAW 742 | Professional Responsibility | 3 |
| LAW 764 | Administrative Law | 3 |
| Seminar (any 688, 689, or 796 course) | 2 | |
| Capstone | 4 | |
| Electives (credit may vary - used to reach the minimum of 91 hours for the degree) | 47 | |
| Total Hours | 91 | |
A.2 First-Year Curriculum
The first-year curriculum is a required set of courses designed by the faculty to give new law students an introduction to the fundamentals of legal practice. You will be assigned to a section of each required course. The first-year curriculum covers three areas:
Private Law governs the legal relationships and the resolution of disputes among private persons and entities. The private law courses you will take are Torts (civil wrongs), Contracts, and Property.
Public Law concerns governmental regulation of private persons and entities. The public law courses you will take are Criminal Law and Constitutional Law.
Practice courses teach procedural law, the skills of legal research, analysis, and writing, and an introduction to the practice of law. The practice courses you will take are Civil Procedure, two semesters of Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing, Introduction to Legal Research, and Introduction to the Profession.
Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing (five credits). First-year students must pass both LARW I (3 credits) and LARW II (2 credits) with an average grade of C (2.0) or better over the two semesters in order to satisfy the Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing (LARW) course requirement. The vast majority of students will satisfy the requirement by making grades of C or better in both semesters of LARW. However, a student who makes a C- in one semester must make a C+ or better in the other semester to obtain a C average; a student who makes a D+ in one semester must make a B- or better in the other semester to obtain a C average; a student who makes a D in one semester must make a B or better in the other semester to obtain a C average. A student who earns a grade of F for one semester of LARW must at least repeat that course and must repeat both semesters if they do not obtain the required average of C over both classes.
Students who fail to obtain an average of C or better in the first-year LARW program have a second opportunity to satisfy the LARW requirement in a second taking of the two-semester, first-year sequence of LARW I and LARW II. (In some years, a one-semester LARW class may be offered in the fall semester for such students to take in lieu of retaking LARW I and II.) Students who fail to make a C or better in their second attempt to satisfy the LARW requirement will be permanently dismissed from the College of Law. For students who make a C or better on the second attempt, both grades will count in the student's law school GPA, but the student will receive only four total hours of credit toward law school graduation.
No student will be allowed to drop the required first-year LARW course. Students needing to decelerate by taking less than the full 1L curriculum during the first year of law school must drop another required course. There is one possible exception to this policy: if a student receives an F in LARW I and wishes to decelerate, the student may drop LARW II. Part-time students must take LARW I and II during their first year of law school.
Successful completion (an average grade of C or better) of the first-year LARW program is a prerequisite for taking Appellate Advocacy, any seminar, or any clinic. This prerequisite may not be waived. Students will receive a detailed policy handbook at the beginning of the LARW course; all policies will be in effect for the duration of the course.
A.3 Required Courses After the First-Year Curriculum
After successfully completing their first year of law school, students are able to choose among a wide range of upper-level electives to complete 91 credits for graduation, including doctrinal courses, skills courses, and experiential learning courses (an externship or clinic, for example). Students must satisfy a relatively small number of upper-level requirements:
Required Courses During the 2L Year:
Administrative Law. Students must take Administrative Law (LAW 746) or an approved alternative upper-level elective that the College of Law has determined teaches significant administrative law concepts during their second year (or as soon as possible as determined by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for transfer or part-time students).
Professional Responsibility. Students must take Professional Responsibility (LAW 742) during their second year (or as soon as possible as determined by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for transfer or part-time students).
Required Courses that May be Taken in Either the 2L or 3L Year
Appellate Advocacy. Students must take Appellate Advocacy and receive a C or higher in the course to graduate.
Seminar Requirement. (two-three credits, depending on length of class meetings and paper length) from a menu of seminars. Seminars are specifically noted by the letters “Sem or Seminar” in the course title and are numbered as LAW 688, 689, or 796. Seminars have a common structure: small-class discussions geared toward the production of a substantial (i.e., at least 8,000 words which is approximately twenty-five pages) written product supported by extensive research. Typically, the research seminar aims at the production of a law-review style research paper of publishable quality. Seminars may aim at other written products, such as draft legislation or jury instructions, so long as these products are accompanied by papers urging their adoption by the appropriate lawmakers. Enrollment is limited to fifteen students in each seminar. Two-hour seminar courses must meet as a group for no less than 10 weeks and no less than 110 minutes per week. Three-hour seminar courses must meet as a group for no less than 10 weeks and no less than 165 minutes per week. Students must obtain a grade of C or better to satisfy the seminar requirement. Independent studies and externships do not satisfy the seminar requirement.
Perspective Requirement. The Perspective requirement applies only for students who began their studies at the College of Law starting in Fall 2022 or earlier. The requirement does not apply for students who began their studies or were re-admitted to the College of Law starting in or after Fall 2023.
The perspective requirement reflects the College of Law’s conviction that legal education should expand students’ horizons by connecting their studies to the traditions of the liberal arts (i.e., the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences). Perspective courses examine law and lawyers primarily from points of view that are significantly different from the doctrinal and policy analysis taught in standard upper-level courses on various areas of practice. Perspective courses look across doctrinal boundaries and engage students in conversations about the relationships between law and other disciplines; explore the nature of the American legal system by contrasting it with other legal systems; and discuss the ways in which law and lawyers both shape and are shaped by the liberal arts and broader cultural forces.
Students must take one perspective course in order to graduate. Some seminars satisfy the perspective requirement, but students cannot count one perspective seminar as simultaneously satisfying both the perspective and seminar requirements. (In other words, there is no "double-dipping" on the perspective and seminar requirements.) This means that a student can satisfy the perspective and seminar requirements by
(a) taking one perspective class and one research seminar (which may or may not be a perspective), or
(b) taking two research seminars, at least one of which is also a perspective.
In addition, students who complete either the joint M.B.A. or joint M.P.A. program at the time of earning the J.D. are deemed to have satisfied the perspective requirement.
The following courses satisfy the perspective requirement:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LAW 616 | Cultural Property | 3 |
| LAW 621 | Lawyers as Leaders | 2 to 3 |
| LAW 633 | International Business Transactions | 3 |
| LAW 663 | Renewable Energy & Alternative Fuels | 3 |
| LAW 688A | Seminar in American Constitutional History | 2 |
| LAW 688I | Seminar in Sexuality and the Law | 2 |
| LAW 688K | Seminar in Schools, Race, & Money | 2 to 3 |
| LAW 689H | Seminar: Bioethics and the Law | 2 |
| LAW 689I | Seminar: Environmental Justice | 2 |
| LAW 689K | Seminar: Civil Disobedience | 2 |
| LAW 689M | Seminar: Race/Racism and American Law | 2 |
| LAW 689P | Seminar: Gender and Law | 2 |
| LAW 689S | Seminar: Law and Socioeconomic | 2 |
| LAW 689T | Seminar:Comparative and International Workplace Law | 2 |
| LAW 689Y | Seminar in Sustainable Development | 2 |
| LAW 701 | International Human Rights | 3 |
| LAW 712 | Analytical Methods for Lawyers | 3 |
| LAW 739 | American Legal History | 3 |
| LAW 744 | Law and Economics | 3 |
| LAW 745 | Artificial Intelligence and the Law | 2 or 3 |
| LAW 746 | Lawyers and Literature | 3 |
| LAW 752 | Jurisprudence | 3 |
| LAW 768 | International Law | 3 |
Capstone Requirement. Capstone courses provide students with opportunities to synthesize critically and apply knowledge and skills they have developed during law school. The following course(s) satisfy the capstone requirement:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LAW 627 & LAW 628 | Land Use/Sustainable Development Clinic 1 and Land Use/Sustainable Development Clinic 2 | 14 |
| LAW 655 & LAW 656 | Law and Public Service Full-Time and Law and Public Service Externship Full-Time | 13 |
| LAW 677 & LAW 678 | United States Supreme Court Clinic 1 and United States Supreme Court Clinic 2 | 8 |
| LAW 756 | Trial Advocacy | 4 |
| LAW 779 | Business Transactions Drafting | 4 |
| LAW 780 & 780A | Federal Judicial Externship 1 and Federal Judicial Externship 2 | 13 |
| LAW 782 & LAW 783 | Legal Clinic 1 and Legal Clinic 2 | 14 |
| LAW 730 & LAW 731 | Immigration Law Clinic 1 and Immigration Law Clinic 2 | 14 |
| LAW 781 & 781A | Child and Family Advocacy Clinic 1 and Child and Family Advocacy Clinic 2 | 14 |
Students fulfilling the Capstone requirement though the clinic must take both semesters of Clinic unless waived by the Academic Standards Committee and the faculty member supervising the Clinic for due cause due to a situation that occurred that was outside of the control of the student (by way of example, due to the second semester of clinic not being offered due to personnel changes).
In addition to the above-listed capstone courses, students may also fulfill the capstone requirement by completing the following:
·When available; writing a Law School faculty-supervised brief and making an oral argument before the U.S. Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia as an independent study project (two credits)
·An interdisciplinary project supervised by a law faculty member and a university faculty member who is not a law faculty member, which must be approved in advance by the Academic Standards Committee
Prerequisite Requirement for Some Capstone Courses. The course in Evidence is a prerequisite to taking Trial Advocacy, any Clinical Law Program that requires a Rule 10 admission to practice, or a Federal Judicial Externship. (There is no requirement that the student attain a particular grade in Evidence prior to taking the other courses.)
Requirement Waiver. Except as otherwise noted in the catalog, the Academic Standards Committee may exempt a student from taking a required course, approve an alternate course, or permit a student to take a course out of sequence only in exceptionally rare circumstances. This rule, however, is not intended to negate or limit the authority of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to make equivalency decisions regarding required classes for students transferring to WVU after completing their 1L year at another law school.
Apart from the small number of upper-level requirements already described, students choose from a wide variety of upper-level electives to create their courses of study over the final two years of law school. A list of all the permanent law school courses with their descriptions can be found elsewhere in this academic catalog. (See "Courses.") The law school also offers additional courses on a temporary basis that are not included in this catalog. Students should note that not all listed courses are offered every year.
With so many choices, students may wish for guidance about how to choose the courses best suited to their goals and interests. Toward that end, each spring the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs meets with rising 2L students and provides information about the upper-level curriculum and courses planned for the next academic year. To view the presentation and documents shared at this meeting, go to the "Course Schedules and Student Resources" link on the College of Law homepage. Students with questions about choosing courses that are not addressed in the meeting materials should consult faculty in their areas of interest and/or the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
In addition, the College of Law website contains a "Course Classifieds" page where professors may post information about courses to be offered in the next semester. Typically, "course classifieds" listings for a given semester begin to appear a few weeks before registration for that semester.
A.5 Areas of Emphasis
An Area of Emphasis (also informally called a "Concentration") is a course of study that enables students to develop skills and competency in a particular area of the law. A student who satisfies the requirement of an Area of Emphasis will have that Area of Emphasis listed on the official transcript. The College of Law has four Areas of Emphasis: (1) Energy and Sustainable Development Law, (2) International Law, (3) Labor and Employment Law, and (4) Public Interest Law. Adding an Area of Emphasis must be requested, declared, and processed prior to the first day of classes of the student's graduating semester. A student will not be permitted to add an Area of Emphasis at any point during their graduating semester.
Energy and Sustainable Development Law Area of Emphasis
The Energy and Sustainable Development Law Area of Emphasis is intended to educate the next generation of lawyers who will work in and shape the fields of energy, environmental, and sustainable development law, by providing an opportunity to learn the applicable laws and regulations in this area, consider policy issues through written work, and obtain practical skills applicable in this area through an experiential learning requirement.
Course Requirements. In order to satisfy the requirements of this Area of Emphasis, a student must have (1) all required first-year courses; (2) all required core courses; and (3) seventeen (17) total credit hours from a combination of the required courses, designated elective courses, and the experiential learning course (see below). Note: No more than five credits of the 17 credits can come from clinic or an externship.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | 9 | |
| Energy Law | ||
| Administrative Law | ||
| Law of Environmental Protection | ||
or LAW 674 | Environmental Law - Pollution | |
| Elective Courses | 5 | |
| Natural Resources | ||
| Agriculture & Food Law | ||
| International Environmental Law | ||
| Land Use/Sustainable Development Clinic 1 | ||
| Energy Reg, Markets and Environ | ||
| Land Use and Resilience Law | ||
| Energy Siting & Permitting | ||
| Water Law | ||
| Nuclear Law & Policy | ||
| Energy Business/Law & Strategy | ||
| Science & Technology of Energy | ||
| Administrative Energy Law and Practice | ||
| Law of Coal | ||
| Mine Safety & Health Law | ||
| Renewable Energy & Alternative Fuels | ||
| Seminar in Human Rights & the Environment | ||
| Seminar in Hydraulic Fracturing | ||
| Seminar: Environmental Justice | ||
| Seminar:Issues in Energy Law | ||
| Coal/Oil and Gas | ||
LAW 793 | Hazardous Waste | |
LAW 793 | Sem: Environmental Litigation | |
LAW 793 | Environmental Law Pollution | |
LAW 793 | Trends in Env & Energy Law | |
| Writing Requirement | ||
| Experiential Learning | 3 | |
| Extra/Co-Curricular Activities | ||
| Total Hours | 17 | |
Writing Requirement. Students must produce a written paper or court document of no less than 25 pages on a topic related to energy, environmental, and/or sustainable development law. A student may fulfill this requirement through any of the following methods:
- Law review note, with approval of the Area of Emphasis administrator and with a faculty member as advisor.
- A court document, e.g. Amicus Brief or Memorandum of Law (real or moot), with the approval of the Area of Emphasis administrator and with a faculty member as advisor.
- Independent study overseen by an Area of Emphasis faculty member.
- Qualifying paper in any elective course listed above.
The writing requirement requires input and approval from a faculty member and the Area of Emphasis administrator, even if the writing was completed outside a formal class or independent study arrangement. A student may fulfill the writing requirement through an alternative method with the consent of the Area of Emphasis administrator.
Experiential Learning. Students must meet the following experiential learning requirement of no less than 3 credits (no more than 5 credits from participation in a clinic or externship count toward the 17 credit requirement). A student may fulfill this requirement through any of the following methods:
- Land Use and Sustainable Development Clinic
- Externship approved per catalog, with approval of the Area of Emphasis administrator
- Other clinic or simulation course, with approval of the Area of Emphasis administrator
Note: Any externship placements for the Energy & Sustainable Development Area of Emphasis must comply with the general rules of the externship program.
A student may fulfill the experiential learning requirement through an alternative method with the consent of the Area of Emphasis administrator.
Extra Curricular or Co-Curricular Activity Requirement. Students must also meet the following requirement:
Ten hours of related extracurricular or co-curricular activities, such as active participation in the Energy Law Society or Environmental Law Society, attending relevant meetings, hearings or speakers, administrative or other active participation in related events (e.g., moot court, symposia).
INTERNATIONAL LAW AREA OF EMPHASIS
The International Law Area of Emphasis educates the next generation of lawyers who will work in careers related to international law and its many sub-specialties in both public international law and private international law. The Area of Emphasis provides students with robust and varied opportunities to learn and develop skills in international law-related practice areas.
Course Requirements. In order to satisfy the requirements of this Area of Emphasis, a student must have (1) all mandatory first-year requirements; (2) all required core courses; and (3) seventeen (17) total credit hours from a combination of the required courses, designated elective courses, and the experiential learning course (see below). Note: No more than five (5) credits of the seventeen (17) credits can come from clinic or an externship.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | 12 | |
| Geneva Study Abroad | ||
or LAW 708 | Uganda Study Abroad | |
| International Trade Law | ||
or LAW 633 | International Business Transactions | |
| International Human Rights | ||
| International Law | ||
| Elective Courses | 3 | |
| International Environmental Law | ||
| International Trade Law | ||
| International Business Transactions | ||
| Seminar:Comparative and International Workplace Law | ||
| Seminar: National Security Law | ||
| Seminar in Sustainable Development | ||
| Immigration Law | ||
| Administrative Law | ||
LAW 793 | SPTP: Intrntl Enrgy/Climate Law | |
LAW 793 | SPTP: Internatnl Criminal Law | |
LAW 793 | SPTP: Jewish/Islamic Comp Law | |
| Writing | ||
| Experiential Learning | 2 | |
| Extra/Co-Curricular Activities | ||
| Total Hours | 17 | |
Additional courses may be added with the consent of the Area of Emphasis administrator.
A student may fulfill the study abroad requirement through an alternative method with the consent of the Area of Emphasis administrator. If exceptional national or global circumstances prohibit or effectively preclude international travel during the student's term of study, the Area of Emphasis administrator will have the discretion to waive the study abroad requirement.
Writing Requirement. Students must produce a written paper or court document of no less than 25 pages on a topic related to international law. A student may fulfill this requirement through any of the following methods:
- Qualifying paper in any designated elective course or seminar.
- Independent Study approved per WVU College of Law catalog and overseen by an Area of Emphasis faculty member.
- Law Review Note, with approval of the Area of Emphasis administrator and with a faculty member as advisor.
- A Court Document, e.g. Amicus Brief or Memorandum of Law (real or moot) with the approval of the Area of Emphasis administrator and with a faculty member as advisor.
The writing requirement requires input and approval from a faculty member and the Area of Emphasis administrator, even if the writing was completed outside a formal class or independent study arrangement. A student may fulfill the writing requirement through an alternative method with the consent of the Area of Emphasis administrator.
Experiential Learning Requirement. Student must meet the following experiential learning requirement of no less than two (2) credits, with no more than five (5) credits from a clinic counting towards the seventeen (17) credit requirement. A student may fulfill this requirement through any of the following methods:
- Participation in at least one year of the College of Law's Jessup International Moot Court team (LAW 652)
- International Organization Externship (full- or part-time)
- Government Agency Externship (full- or part-time - must be related to an area of international, comparative, or transnational law)
- Immigration Clinic
Note: Any externship placements for the International Law and Practice Area of Emphasis must comply with the general rules of the externship program.
A student may fulfill this Area of Emphasis requirement through an alternative method with the consent of the Area of Emphasis administrator.
Extra Curricular or Co-Curricular Activity Requirement.
Students must also engage in ten hours of related extracurricular or co-curricular activities, such as active participation in the International Law Students Association, by attending relevant meetings, hearings or speakers, administrative or other active participation in the international law-related events (e.g., symposia).
Foreign Language
Students are strongly encouraged to gain competency in a foreign language in conjunction with pursuing this Area of Emphasis.
LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW AREA OF EMPHASIS
The Labor and Employment Law Area of Emphasis educates the next generation of lawyers in West Virginia and beyond who will work in and shape the fields of labor and employment law by providing an opportunity to learn the applicable laws and regulations in the area, consider policy issues through a written work, and obtain practical skills applicable in the area through an experiential learning requirement.
Course Requirements. In order to satisfy the requirements of this Area of Emphasis, a student must have (1) all required first-year courses; (2) all mandatory core courses; and (3) seventeen (17) total credit hours from mandatory core courses, designated elective courses, and an experiential learning course (described below). Note: No more than five (5) credits of the seventeen (17) credits can come from clinic or an externship.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | 9 | |
| Employment Law | ||
| Employment Discrimination | ||
| Labor Law | ||
| Elective Courses | 5 | |
| Advanced Labor Law | ||
| Mine Safety & Health Law | ||
| Seminar: Law and Socioeconomic | ||
| Seminar:Comparative and International Workplace Law | ||
| International Human Rights | ||
| Entertainment Law | ||
| Sports Law | ||
| Immigration Law | ||
| Constitutional Law 2 | ||
| Alternative Dispute Resolution | ||
| Administrative Law | ||
LAW 793 | ERISA | |
| Writing | ||
| Experiential Learning | 3 | |
| Extra/Co-Curricular Activities | ||
| Total Hours | 17 | |
Writing Requirement. Students must produce a written paper or court document of no less than 25 pages on a topic related to labor law, employment law, employment discrimination law, benefits law, and/or comparative/international work law. A student may fulfill this requirement through any of the following methods:
- Qualifying paper in any designated elective course.
- Independent Study approved per WVU College of Law catalog and overseen by an Area of Emphasis faculty member.
- Law Review Note, with approval of the Area of Emphasis administrator and with a faculty member as advisor.
- A Court Document, e.g. Amicus Brief or Memorandum of Law (real or moot) with the approval of the Area of Emphasis administrator and with a faculty member as advisor. For example, a student may fulfill this requirement by participating in New York Law School's Wagner Moot Court Competition as part of the Moot Court Team.
Experiential Learning Requirement. Student must meet the following experiential learning requirement of no less than three (3) credits (no more than five (5) credits from participation in a clinic count toward the seventeen (17) credit requirement.) A student may fulfill this requirement through any of the following methods:
- Externship in a labor/employment practice setting approved by the Area of Emphasis administrator and complying with the general rules and policies governing externships
- Entrepreneurship Clinic (LAW 650 & LAW 651)
- Other clinic or simulation course, with approval of the Area of Emphasis administrator
Area of Emphasis students in the Entrepreneurship Clinic or any other clinic approved by the Area of Emphasis administrator shall make every effort to work on labor and employment matters within these clinic placements.
A student may fulfill the experiential learning requirement through an alternative method with the consent of the Area of Emphasis administrator.
Extra Curricular or Co-Curricular Activity Requirement.
Student must engage in ten hours of related extracurricular or co-curricular activities, such as active participation in the Labor Law Society or ADR Society, attending relevant meetings, hearings or speakers, administrative or other active participation in the work-law related events (e.g., moot court, symposia).
PUBLIC INTEREST LAW AREA OF EMPHASIS
The Area of Emphasis in Public Interest Law prepares students to work to advance the common good of the general public using the legal process through the representation of individuals and organizations who might otherwise be unrepresented.
Course Requirements. In order to satisfy the requirements of this Area of Emphasis, a student must have (1) one required course; and (2) seventeen (17) total credit hours from one required course, designated elective courses, and the credits allowed for the experiential learning course (see below).
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses (choose one) | 3 | |
| Alternative Dispute Resolution | ||
or LAW 756 | Trial Advocacy | |
or LAW 788 | Interviewing, Counseling, and Negotiation | |
| Elective Courses | 11 | |
| Natural Resources | ||
| Post-Conviction Remedies | ||
| Child Protection and the Law | ||
| Agriculture & Food Law | ||
| Elder Law | ||
| Nonprofit Organizations | ||
| Advanced Family Law Advocacy | ||
| Parent, Child, and State | ||
| Seminar in Schools, Race, & Money | ||
| Seminar in Disability and the Law | ||
| Seminar: Lawyers and Legislation | ||
| Seminar: Environmental Justice | ||
| Seminar: Civil Disobedience | ||
| Domestic Violence and The Law | ||
| Immigration Law | ||
| Constitutional Law 2 | ||
| Civil Rights | ||
| Employment Discrimination | ||
| Family Law | ||
| Labor Law | ||
| Law of Environmental Protection | ||
LAW 793 | Intro to Consumer Law | |
| Writing Requirement | ||
| Experiential Learning | 3 | |
| Pro-Bono Requirement | ||
| Total Hours | 17 | |
Writing Requirement. Students must produce a written paper document of no less than 25 pages on a topic related to public interest law. A student may fulfill this requirement through any of the following methods:
- Law Review Note, with approval of the Area of Emphasis administrator and with a faculty member as advisor.
- Qualifying paper in any elective course listed above.
- Qualifying paper in a non-designated elective course if the topic involves matters of public interest, with the advance approval of the Area of Emphasis administrator.
- Independent study approved per the catalog and with the advanced approval of the AOE administrator.
- Qualifying alternative approved by AOE administrator.
Experiential Learning. Students must meet the following experiential learning requirement of no less than three (3) credits. No more than seven (7) credits from participation in a clinic shall count toward the 17 credit hour requirement for the concentration. A student may fulfill this requirement through any of the following methods:
- Any West Virginia University College of Law clinic; provided, however, that any student in clinic shall make every effort to work on matters that further the common good using the legal process through the representation of individuals and organizations who might otherwise be unrepresented.
- Externship approved per the catalog and approved by the Area of Emphasis administrator.
Note: Any externship placements for the Public Interest Law Area of Emphasis must comply with the general rules of the externship program.
Pro-Bono Requirement.
Students must also engage in twenty-five pro-bono hours over the student's three years at the College of Law (which may include, but is not limited to, participation in Public Interest Advocates).
A.6 Part-Time Program
Full-time students average just over fifteen (15) hours per semester in order to amass ninety-one (91) credits in six (6) semesters. Students taking significantly fewer hours per semester will take longer to finish their degrees and are considered part-time students at the College of Law. (Note, however University graduate or professional students taking nine hours or more are charged full tuition and fees. Thus, some “part- time” students will still pay the same tuition and fees each semester as their full-time colleagues.)
Part-time students are subject to the same graduation requirements in terms of total credit hours (ninety-one credits), cumulative grade point average (2.50), and specific required courses. Per ABA requirements, part-time students must complete all graduation requirements within seven years from the date of initial enrollment.
Students Who Wish to Begin Law School as Part-Time Students. The Enrollment Management Committee selects first-year part-time students from students already admitted to the Law School. The total size of the entering class is not increased. A student requesting for part-time status must submit a written request to the Enrollment Management Committee on objective indicators of the need to attend on a part-time basis. Students who wish to become part-time students after starting law school but before completing the first-year curriculum must consult with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs as indicated in this catalog's section on Academic Policies and Procedures. Students who have completed the first-year curriculum (see "First-Year Curriculum" above) may request to become part-time students by consulting the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of that intention at the beginning of the semester.
First-Year Curriculum. Part-time students must take both semesters of LRRW and Introduction to Legal Research course in their first year of law school. Typically, part- time students take two courses in addition to LRRW/Legal Research in each semester of the first year, then take the rest of the first-year curriculum in their second year of studies. As a general rule, part-time students may not enroll in upper-level courses until they have completed the entire first-year curriculum. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may grant exceptions to this rule for good cause.
Scheduling of Classes. Part-time students must consult the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in scheduling.
Probation and Dismissal. Except as specifically noted to the contrary, students entering the part-time program during the first-year curriculum are subject to the probation and dismissal rules applicable to full-time students who have completed the first-year curriculum only when the part-time students have completed the entire first-year curriculum. Part-time students do not receive a class rank until they have completed the entire first-year curriculum. In all other respects, part-time students and full-time students attending more than six semesters are subject to probation and dismissal rules substantially equivalent to those applicable to full-time students.
Dual Degrees
Doctor of Jurisprudence/Master of Social Work
- Admission. Students seeking to enter the Program must apply separately and be admitted independently to the College of Law's JD and Eberly's MSW program in accordance with each college's standard admission procedure.
- For additional details and requirements for each program, please visit the Law page or the Social Work page.
- Students will develop a combined plan of study with their graduate advisers in Social Work and in the College of Law.
- Only courses included in an approved plan of study will satisfy graduation requirements.
- Students admitted to an approved dual degree program should plan to have their two degrees conferred simultaneously upon completion of all requirements for both degrees.
- Students must meet the academic standards of both degree programs.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Master of Social Work Regular Standing | ||
| SOWK Coursework | 54 | |
| Research Methods | ||
| Human Behavior in the Social Environment | ||
| Professional Identity and Social Justice | ||
| Social Welfare Policy and Programs | ||
| Generalist Practice 1: Individuals, Families, and Groups | ||
| Generalist Practice 2: Rural Community Macro Practice | ||
| Generalist Field Experience | ||
| Evaluation Research in Social Work | ||
| Social Policy Analysis, Advocacy, and Deliberation | ||
| Assessment and Diagnosis | ||
| Practice with Individuals | ||
| Practice with Families and Groups | ||
| Organizational Administration and Leadership | ||
| Financial Management and Grant Writing | ||
| Advanced Field Experience | ||
| LAW Electives (share 6 credits) | ||
| Jurisprudence Doctorate | ||
| LAW Coursework | 38 | |
| Introduction to Legal Research | ||
| Legal Analysis, Research and Writing 1 | ||
| Contracts 1 | ||
| Criminal Law | ||
| Property | ||
| Torts 1 | ||
| Legal Analysis, Research and Writing 2 | ||
| Constitutional Law 1 | ||
LAW 793 Civil Procedure | ||
| LAW 793 Introduction to the Profession | ||
| LAW 793 Legal Writing Intensive | ||
| Appellate Advocacy | ||
| Professional Responsibility | ||
| Seminar | 2 | |
| Administrative Law Requirement | 3 | |
| Perspective | 2 | |
| Capstone | 4 | |
| Electives | 39 | |
| SOWK Electives (share 6 credits) | ||
| Child Mental Health: Promotion, Prevention, and Treatment | ||
| Clinical Practice in Integrated Healthcare | ||
| Addiction and Social Work Practice | ||
| Child Welfare Continuum | ||
| Fundamentals of Gerontology | ||
| Rural Gerontology | ||
| Total Hours | 142 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Master of Social Work Advanced Standing | ||
| SOWK Coursework | 30 | |
| Evaluation Research in Social Work | ||
| Social Policy Analysis, Advocacy, and Deliberation | ||
| Assessment and Diagnosis | ||
| Practice with Individuals | ||
| Practice with Families and Groups | ||
| Organizational Administration and Leadership | ||
| Financial Management and Grant Writing | ||
| Advanced Field Experience | ||
| LAW Electives (share 6 credits) | ||
| Jurisprudence Doctorate | ||
| LAW Coursework | 38 | |
| Introduction to Legal Research | ||
| Legal Analysis, Research and Writing 1 | ||
| Contracts 1 | ||
| Criminal Law | ||
| Property | ||
| Torts 1 | ||
| Legal Analysis, Research and Writing 2 | ||
| Constitutional Law 1 | ||
| LAW 793 Civil Procedure | ||
| LAW 793 Introduction to the Profession | ||
| LAW 793 Legal Writing Intensive | ||
| Appellate Advocacy | ||
| Professional Responsibility | ||
| Seminar (any LAW 688, 689, or 796 course) | 2 | |
| Administrative Law Requirement | 3 | |
| Perspective | 2 | |
| Capstone | 4 | |
| Electives | 39 | |
| SOWK Electives (share 6 credits) | ||
| Child Mental Health: Promotion, Prevention, and Treatment | ||
| Clinical Practice in Integrated Healthcare | ||
| Addiction and Social Work Practice | ||
| Child Welfare Continuum | ||
| Fundamentals of Gerontology | ||
| Rural Gerontology | ||
| Total Hours | 118 | |
Degree Requirements
To qualify for the Bachelor of Science in Economics and Doctor of Jurisprudence joint program, you must meet the following criteria:
- Have a 3.0 after your freshman year,
- Have a 3.2 after your sophomore year,
- Have a 3.4 after the first semester of your junior year,
- Take the LSAT in October of your junior year,
- Complete the first three years as outlined in the plan of study, and
- Apply to and be accepted by the Law School. Those who apply by January 15th of their junior year with LSAT scores of 158 or higher and an undergraduate GPA of 3.7 or higher will be admitted to the College of Law. Students with a GPA of 3.4-3.69 and an LSAT less than 158 will have their application considered alongside the general Law School applicant pool.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| University Requirements | 17 | |
| Program Requirements | 23 | |
| Economics Major Requirements | 51 | |
| Doctor of Jurisprudence Requirements | 32 | |
| Total Hours | 123 | |
University Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
| Outstanding GEF Requirements 2, 5, 6, and 7 | 13 | |
| BCOR 191 | First-Year Seminar | 1 |
| General Electives | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 17 | |
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 201 | Principles of Accounting 1 | 3 |
| BCOR 121 | Introduction to Business Applications | 2 |
| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics (GEF 4) | 3 |
| ECON 202 | Principles of Macroeconomics (GEF 8) | 3 |
| Select one of the following (GEF 8): | 3 | |
| Elementary Business and Economics Statistics | ||
| Elementary Statistical Inference | ||
| Select one of the following (Minimum Grade of C-; may fulfill GEF 1): | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
| Accelerated Academic Writing | ||
| Select one of the following; minimum grade of C- in MATH 150 or D- in MATH 154 or higher: | 3-8 | |
| Algebra with Applications and Applied Calculus | ||
| Pre-Calculus Mathematics and Calculus 1 | ||
| Applied Calculus | ||
| Calculus 1a with Precalculus and Calculus 1b with Precalculus | ||
| Calculus 1 | ||
| Total Hours | 23 | |
Economics Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BCOR 199 | Introduction to Business | 3 |
| BCOR 299 | Business Communication | 3 |
| ECON 301 | Intermediate Micro-Economic Theory | 3 |
| ECON 302 | Intermediate Macro-Economic Theory | 3 |
| ECON 425 | Introductory Econometrics | 3 |
| ECON 441 | Public Economics | 3 |
| ECON 443 | Law and Economics | 3 |
| ECON 445 | Government and Business | 3 |
| ECON 465 | Health Economics | 3 |
| ECON 482 | Applied Economic Research | 3 |
| Chambers Elective (300 or higher B&E elective towards a minor) | 21 | |
| Total Hours | 51 | |
Doctor of Jurisprudence Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LAW 641 | Introduction to Legal Research | 1 |
| LAW 675 | Introduction to the Profession | 1 |
| LAW 686 | Civil Procedure | 4 |
| LAW 700 | Legal Analysis, Research and Writing 1 | 3 |
| LAW 703 | Contracts 1 | 4 |
| LAW 705 | Criminal Law | 3 |
| LAW 707 | Property | 4 |
| LAW 709 | Torts 1 | 4 |
| LAW 711 | Legal Analysis, Research and Writing 2 | 2 |
| LAW 725 | Constitutional Law 1 | 4 |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| BCOR 191 | 1 | ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 |
| BCOR 199 | 3 | ECON 202 (GEF 8) | 3 |
| BCOR 121 | 2 | ACCT 201 | 3 |
| Select one of the following (GEF 3): | 3-4 | Select one of the following: | 3-4 |
| GEF (Choose from F2B, F5, F6 or F7) | 3 | ||
| ECON 201 (GEF 4) | 3 | ||
| GEF (Choose from F2B, F5, F6 or F7) | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | BCOR 299 | 3 |
| ECON 225 (GEF 8) | 3 | ECON 302 | 3 |
| ECON 301 | 3 | ECON 425 | 3 |
| ECON 443 | 3 | ECON 445 | 3 |
| GEF (Choose from F2B, F5, F6 or F7) | 3 | ECON 465 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ECON 441 | 3 | ECON 482 | 3 |
| Chambers Elective | 3 | Chambers Elective | 3 |
| Chambers Elective | 3 | Chambers Elective | 3 |
| Chambers Elective | 3 | Chambers Elective | 3 |
| GEF (Choose from F2B, F5, F6 or F7) | 3 | Chambers Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| LAW 641 | 1 | LAW 675 | 1 |
| LAW 686 | 4 | LAW 703 | 4 |
| LAW 700 | 3 | LAW 707 | 4 |
| LAW 705 | 3 | LAW 711 | 2 |
| LAW 709 | 4 | LAW 725 | 4 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total credit hours: 120 | |||