Curriculum

The curriculum that follows is required of all law students. All students must complete a total of 90 hours for graduation.

Core J.D. requirements

First-Year Courses – Building a solid foundation

Fall Semester (15 hours)  Spring Semester (15 hours)
  • Civil Procedure I
  • Contracts I
  • Criminal Law
  • Legal Research and Writing I
  • Property I
  • Torts I
  • Civil Procedure II
  • Contracts II
  • Constitutional Law I
  • Legal Research and Writing II
  • Property II
  • Torts II 

Required upper-level courses

  • Advanced Legal Writing
  • Business Organizations
  • Constitutional Law II
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Evidence
  • Jurisprudence Requirement
  • Planning Requirement
  • Professional Responsibility and Ethics
  • Rigorous Writing Experience Requirement*
  • Sales and Leases
  • Secured Transactions
  • Trial Advocacy
  • Wills and Trusts

Note: Students may enroll in upper-level required courses any time after the first year, subject to prerequisites.

* The RWE Guidelines and RWE Form are available at the law school’s “KivNet”intranet website under the Academic Resources/Registrar tabs.

Jurisprudence requirement

Fulfilled by successful completion of one of the following courses:

  • Christian Perspectives on Legal Thought
  • Introduction to Legal Theory: Ancient to Modern
  • Twentieth Century Legal Theory

Planning requirement

Students must take, in addition to the required courses, one of the following planning courses:

  • Advanced Trial and Appellate Advocacy (Part II) (beginning Spring 2016)
  • Business Planning
  • Contract Planning
  • Corporations: From Formation to Major Transactions I
  • Elder Law Planning
  • Entertainment Law
  • Estate Planning
  • Family Law Planning
  • Federal Criminal Law Planning (formerly Federal Criminal Defense Planning)
  • Homeowners Association Law and Planning
  • Land Use Regulation (beginning Summer 2015)
  • Patent Preparation and Prosecution
  • Real Property Planning