ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS – J.D

To receive the J.D. degree students must complete a minimum of 91 semester hours of course work, and have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher.
Dual Degree Students are required to complete a minimum of 82 hours in the School of Law, and have a cumulative J.D. grade point average of 2.0 or higher.  The cumulative J.D. grade point average is computed by adding the quality points awarded for each letter grade and dividing by the hours of credit. The unit of credit is the semester hour. Grades in courses taken outside the School of Law are not included in computing the G.P.A. Passing grades (P) awarded in some law courses and grades received in courses designated with (*) have no effect on the G.P.A.

GENERAL CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS: 
The following courses are required of all J.D. students:

The Humanities requirement may be satisfied by enrolling in a course which is designated by an (H) in the registration materials or in a seminar designated as 86H. A course which satisfies the humanities requirement is a "perspective" course in which the student studies a particular area of law from the perspective of such disciplines as philosophy, history, or literature. Examples of humanities courses include American Legal History, English Legal History, Jurisprudence, and Comparative Law. Ordinarily, this course must be taken within the School of Law. However, students in dual degree programs in the School of Public Health fulfill the humanities requirement through Health Care Ethics in a Pluralistic Society (HS-C542), if they write a paper integrating concepts of legal ethics. In extraordinary circumstances, this requirement may be fulfilled through a qualifying Directed Research project.

Seminars involve a small group of students who engage in extensive research, writing, and discussion. Seminars which are designated as “86H” satisfy both the seminar and humanities requirements.

Legal Profession is offered every year in the full-time program and part-time program. Generally, elective courses which are tested on the Missouri bar exam are also offered every year. Other elective courses may be offered annually or in alternating years.

Effective with the Fall 2006 entering class, each student shall complete (with a passing grade) an upper level course in Professional Skills as a condition of graduation. Courses meeting this requirement are designated with a (PS) in the course descriptions. The Professional Skills requirement is an ABA requirement that cannot be satisfied with course offerings that meet the seminar or humanities requirements.

MINIMUM/MAXIMUM COURSE LOAD - REQUEST TO TAKE 17 HOURS

Generally, 16 hours for full-time students and 11 hours for part-time students is the maximum course load in any regular semester. Students wanting to enroll for additional hours must obtain written permission from the Dean of Students or Dean of Academic Programs, except that full-time students with a cumulative grade point average of 3.3 or higher may enroll in a maximum of 17 hours without special permission of the Dean of Students after all first year requirements are met.

No full-time student may register for less than twelve hours in any semester nor may a part-time student register for less than eight hours without the written permission of the Dean of Students or Dean of Academic Programs. Permission to take a reduced schedule will be granted only under extraordinary circumstances.

LIMITATION ON CURRICULUM FOR STUDENTS WITH CGPA BETWEEN 2.0 AND 2.25

Students whose cumulative grade point average at the end of any academic year is at least 2.0 but less than 2.25 are eligible to enroll during the next academic year only in those courses in which the major element in grading is a final examination, except that during each semester while a student is in this category, a student may take one of the following: a clinical course offering, Trial Advocacy I, Trial Advocacy II, Civil Practice, Directed Research, or a seminar.

Topics Tested on the Missouri and Illinois Bar Exams

The Missouri and Illinois bar exams consist of three sections:  a 200-question multiple choice section, an essay section and a performance section.  The subject matter tested is listed below.

• Multi-State Section
  -- Contracts/Sales
  -- Torts
  -- Evidence
  -- Real Property (including Real Estate Transactions)
  -- Criminal Law/Procedure (Criminal Procedure I)
  -- Constitutional Law (including Equal Protection, Due Process (Constitutional Law I) and First Amendment)
  
  
• State Essay Section
  -- The Essay portion of the Missouri Bar examination consists of four essays administered during a two-hour morning session, and six essays administered during a three-hour afternoon session.
  
  Beginning with the July 2007 examination, the Missouri Bar Examination Essay topics will include:  nine or fewer questions selected from nine distributed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners.  Six of the offered questions will cover traditional subjects of Agency and Partnership, Corporations and LLCs (Business Associations), Conflicts of Law, Estates, Family Law, Federal Civil Procedure, Trusts and Future Interests, Sales, Commercial Paper, and Secured Transactions.  Three will cover subjects previously tested on the MBE (Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts).
  
  Missouri Civil Procedure, Administrative Law, and Remedies will continue to be possible essay subjects and, if tested, will be written by the Missouri Board of Bar Examiners rather than the NCBA.  The Board may also write essay questions on any of the sixteen Multi-state essay subjects.

1. The Essay portion of the Missouri Bar examination consists of four essays administered during a two-hour morning session, and six essays administered during a three-hour afternoon session.
2. Beginning with the July 2007 examination, the Missouri Bar Examination Essay topics will include:  nine or fewer questions selected from nine distributed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners.  Six of the offered questions will cover traditional subjects of Agency and Partnership, Corporations and LLCs (Business Associations), Conflicts of Law, Estates, Family Law, Federal Civil Procedure, Trusts and Future Interests, Sales, Commercial Paper, and Secured Transactions.  Three will cover subjects previously tested on the MBE (Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts).
3. Missouri Civil Procedure, Administrative Law, and Remedies will continue to be possible essay subjects and, if tested, will be written by the Missouri Board of Bar Examiners rather than the NCBA.  The Board may also write essay questions on any of the sixteen Multi-state essay subjects.

• Illinois essay questions can cover the following topics:
  -- Administrative Law
  -- Agency and Business Organizations (including corporations and limited liability companies)
  -- Commercial Paper (Commercial Transactions)
  -- Conflict of Laws
  -- Contracts
  -- Criminal Law and Procedure (Criminal Procedure I)
  -- Equity (Remedies)
  -- Evidence
  -- Family Law
  -- Federal and State Constitutional Law
  -- Federal Jurisdiction & Procedure
  -- Federal Taxation
  -- Illinois Civil Procedure
  -- Personal Property (including sales and bailments)

-- Real Property
-- Secured Transactions
-- Suretyship
-- Torts
-- Trusts and Future Interests
-- Wills and Decedents’ Estates

Some questions may include issues from more than one area of law

In addition, the vast majority of jurisdictions require the successful completion of the Multi-state Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) prior to being licensed to practice law.  Some states may require applicants to take and pass the MPRE prior to sitting for the bar examination.  The MPRE is administered in March, August and November of each year.  Information and application forms are available in the Office of Student Services and on-line on the School’s web site under Bar Exam information on the Current Student web page.

Spring 2008 Semester Guide