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University of Wyoming

Academic Regulations

Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.)

The Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree is awarded by the College of Law faculty to candidates who meet the following requirements:

The student must successfully complete (grade of D- or better for courses taken at this school, grade of C or better for courses taken elsewhere) 88 semester hours in accordance with the official curriculum as adopted by the College of Law faculty. At least 76 of the 88 hours required for graduation must be in graded (A-F) courses. Courses taken for S-U grades count toward the 88 hours required for the J.D. degree if the course is offered for the S-U grade only.

Second and third year students may take up to 6 of the 88 hours required for graduation in non-law school graduate level courses. In order to receive law school credit for the non-law school course, a student will be required to earn a grade of “B” or better in the non-law school course. The grade will not count, however, toward the student’s law school GPA. (The course will be counted as a “satisfactory” grade for purposes of the student’s law school GPA.) Students who wish to enroll in a non-law school graduate course on this basis must secure the prior approval of the course professor and of the Associate Dean of the College of Law. Approval will be based on the student’s submission of a brief written statement explaining how the proposed coursework relates to and enhances the student’s legal education. Students should be aware that non-law school graduate courses completed on this basis will not count toward the 76 hours that students must complete in graded courses as a requirement for graduation. The non-law school coursework will instead be counted as some of the 12 (of 88) credits that law students are permitted to take on an S-U basis.

The student must complete three academic years of resident study, consisting of the equivalent of six semesters of not less than 12 credit hours, at an American Bar Association-approved law school. No more than one semester of residency credit can be earned in a single academic semester regardless of the number of credit hours earned. Fractional residency credit is awarded for a semester in which less than 12 credit hours are earned. At least four of these semesters in resident study and a minimum of 58 credit hours must be completed at this College. Students who wish to attend another American Bar Association-approved law school for part of their law study must secure prior approval from the Associate Dean of their proposed course of study at the other law school.

The student must earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 for all courses taken at the College of Law. If a course is repeated, both grades shall be included in computing the average.

The student (except a special student) must have a baccalaureate degree.

Candidates who meet these requirements are eligible for graduation at the end of any semester.

 

Graduation with Honor

The degree of Juris Doctor is awarded with honor if the student achieves a grade point average of 3.4 or better on all resident credit in the UW College of Law.

 

Grading

Grades are assigned on a plus/minus system. Grades of X, incomplete, and W, withdrawn, are disregarded. A required course in which a grade of F or W is received must be repeated. A course cannot otherwise be repeated without the consent of the faculty. If a course is repeated, both grades are included in computing the student’s grade point average.

A = 4.00

B+ = 3.33

C+ = 2.33

D+ = 1.33

F = 0.00

A- = 3.67

B = 3.00

C = 2.00

D = 1.00

WF = 0.00

B- = 2.67

C- = 1.67

D- = 0.67

The grade of S, satisfactory, or U, unsatisfactory, may be granted if the student so requests at the time of registration. Professional degree candidates in the College of Law may not, however, count courses taken for S-U grades as part of the 88 hours required for the J.D. degree unless the course is offered for the S-U grade only or unless it is a non-law graduate course as explained above. Students from other colleges who are permitted to take professional courses in the College of Law must take them for S-U credit.

 

Academic Standing

The following requirements apply to students’ coursework at the College of Law. Courses that law students may complete outside of the College of Law do not count in calculation of the required College of Law grade point average.

In the first year, a student who fails to make a 1.8 grade point average after the first semester, or fails to make a 1.9 cumulative grade point average overall in the first year’s work, shall be excluded from the College. A student who at any time fails to make a passing grade in two of the courses for which the student is registered for any semester shall be excluded from the College.

A student who enters the second year with a grade point average lower than 2.0 but at 1.9 or above, or who fails to maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average after the first year, shall be placed on probation. A student on probation who does not attain an overall grade point average of 2.0 within one semester shall be excluded.

A student excluded from the College may petition the faculty of the College of Law for reinstatement. The faculty may, in its discretion, reinstate the student upon receipt of satisfactory evidence of extenuating circumstances or marked improvement in grades and study habits. Reinstatement may be subject to conditions, including the repeating of any or all courses, as the faculty may decide.

 

Honor Roll

Students enrolled in a minimum of 13 semester hours of law courses carrying ABCD grades, and who have no semester grades of X, are eligible for the President’s Honor Roll and the Dean’s Honor Roll.

Students with a semester average of 4.0 will be named to the President’s Honor Roll.

First-year students with a semester average of 3.25 or better and second- and third-year students with a semester average of 3.40 or better will be named to the Dean’s Honor Roll.

 

Minimum Hours

The College of Law does not permit students to attend on a part-time basis. Students are required to take the full load of required courses during their first two semesters and to carry at least 12 hours in each of the remaining four semesters. A student will be allowed to carry fewer than 12 hours only when (i) he or she has earned course credit at another American Bar Association-approved law school, and the hours of credit for some or all of that work, when added to the enrolled credit hours in the semester at issue, will equal at least 12 hours, or (ii) in rare cases, where extenuating circumstances are present. In any event, a student must satisfy all residency requirements.

 

Class Ranking

Students are ranked by class at the end of each of the fall and spring semesters, following the posting of grades. The letter states your rank and GPA for that semester only. Class rankings will be available in the Front Office. Students can choose to have their spring class ranking letter mailed to them if they provide the Front Office with a self addressed, stamped envelope.

 

Honor Code System

Students enrolled in the College of Law are engaged in a course of study leading to membership in the legal profession. The profession requires adherence to high ethical standards and the assumption by its members of responsibility for the maintenance of those standards. Accordingly, the student body of the College of Law, with the approval of the faculty, has adopted an Honor Code addressing misrepresentations, theft, the use of library materials, the preparation of course work, and the conduct of examinations, along with procedures for alleged violations. A copy of the Honor Code is given to each new student who enters the College. All students are governed by the Honor Code and are required to sign a pledge to abide by and be subject to the provisions of the code.