Academic Policies

The Honor Code

All students who enter the Law College are governed by a Code of Academic Conduct which describes the rights and duties of law students and provides the procedures to be followed in case of an alleged violation. The College of Law and the University reserve the right to take other disciplinary action when required.

Degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence

The degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence will be conferred upon candidates who complete, with a grade point average of 2.0 or better, six semesters of resident law study and earn 89 semester hours of credit, including the required courses. The required average must be maintained on the work of all six semesters and also for the combined work of the grading periods in which the last 28 hours of credit are earned at the College. The normal maximum period for a full-time law student to complete requirements for the J.D. degree is five calendar years. Any exception to this rule must be approved by the Dean or the Dean's designee. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that all graduation requirements have been met. Additional information on requirements can be obtained from the Student Records Office.

In addition to other requirements for graduation, each student also must earn a grade of 2.0 in at least two-thirds of the required first-year courses. A student required to repeat course work pursuant to this policy shall repeat at the earliest possible time the course(s) in which he or she received the lowest grade or such other course(s) as may be approved by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The revised degree requirements for first-year students will apply to all students who enter the College of Law in 1996 or thereafter.

Academic Honors

The degree will be awarded with honors to all students who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and rank in the top 33 percent of their class, with high honors to all students who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.3 or better and rank in the top 15 percent of their class, and with highest honors to students who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better and rank in the top 5 percent of their class. These categories also shall be used to honor the College's best performing students each semester.

Residence Requirements

A student shall receive one semester of residence credit for any semester in which he or she is enrolled for at least 10 hours of course work and successfully completes at least nine hours. A student who successfully completes at least five hours of course work during the summer term shall receive one-half a semester of residence credit. A student will receive proportional residence credit for any semester in which fewer than 10 hours are carried, nine hours are passed, or for the summer term if fewer than five hours are passed. To be eligible to receive the JD degree, candidates must earn at least 58 hours in residence at the UT College of Law. Six residence terms are required for graduation.

Attendance Requirements

FULL-TIME STUDY OF LAW. All students are expected to be full-time students. A full-time student is one who devotes substantially all of his or her working hours to the study of law. A student may not work in excess of 20 hours per week while attending school on a full-time basis.

CLASS ATTENDANCE. Regular and punctual class attendance is an important part of the learning process and is expected. Students should be aware that an instructor may bar a student from taking an examination or may lower a student's grade because of excessive absences.

FIRST-YEAR COURSE LOAD. Full-time study and the regular sequence of required courses are ordinarily expected. The curriculum of the first three semesters of law school is designed to provide students with an integrated academic experience and a relatively uniform background for upper-class courses. Accordingly, all first-year students, except those participating in the first-year tutorial program, are required to take the prescribed full course load. Third and fourth semester students must take the required courses in those semesters or a previous summer term. Variances from the requirements will only be granted in unusual circumstances, as specified under the standards and procedures set forth below.

1. Prior to commencement of legal education, a variance from the first-year course load will be granted to an entering law student: by the Dean or the Dean's designee (a) upon determining that the student suffers from a handicap that makes full-time study impracticable, or (b) upon determining that a denial of a variance would result in substantial hardship to the student or his or her family.

2. After commencement of legal education, the Dean or the Dean's designee may grant a variance of the required course load or sequence to a student who has already matriculated at the College of Law if emergency, substantial hardship, or other unusual circumstances make a variance appropriate.

3. Hardship Factors -- Factors relevant to a determination of substantial hardship include (but are not limited to) the need to care for children or other family members, the effect that being a full-time student will have on family income and indebtedness, and the impact that being a full-time student will have on the student's long-term career objectives.

Procedures:

1. Petition for Variance -- Petitions for permission to vary the required program of the first three semesters should be submitted to the Student Records Office. When the petition is based on hardship, it must indicate what steps have been taken to alleviate the hardship and why other remedies are not reasonably feasible. In the event a variance is granted, the Dean or the Dean's designee will determine (subject to any requirement established by the Academic Standards Committee) the student's course load, the sequencing of required courses, and which, if any, upper-class courses may be taken before all first-year courses are completed.

2. Five-year Rule Applicable -- a student who is granted a variance is expected to comply with the ordinary rule requiring completion of requirements for the JD degree within a period of five years. Waivers of the five-year requirement may be granted only in accordance with procedures established under that rule.

UPPER CLASS COURSE LOAD. In order to complete the JD degree in six semesters the normal upper-class load is 14 or 15 hours per semester. To be eligible to receive College of Law scholarships students must carry at least 12 hours. To receive residence credit for an academic term a student must carry at least 10 hours and successfully complete at least nine hours. Hour requirements for veterans and other benefits may vary. Students should check with individual agencies.

MAXIMUM COURSE LOAD. The maximum course load for a law student is eighteen (18) hours in any one semester. During the summer term, the maximum course load is eight (8) hours.

Grading Policy

For the College of Law grade policy, click here.

Temporary Grades

When, for good cause shown (such as serious illness or other disability), a student fails to complete all requirements for a course in which he or she is enrolled, the course instructor may assign the student a temporary grade of "I" (incomplete).

A student receiving this grade should arrange with the instructor to take whatever action is needed to remove the grade at the earliest possible date, and, in any event, within one year after the course was attempted. A grade of "I" which is not removed within the succeeding year in which the student is enrolled will revert to "F." However, a student need not be formally enrolled at the College of Law to remove a temporary grade by examination.

Repeating Courses

A student may repeat a course which he or she has completed, provided that no course may be repeated in which the student has earned a C or better on a graded basis or a Satisfactory on an S/NC basis. The course must be repeated on the same grade basis (either numerical or S/NC) as originally taken. A student repeating a course in which credit was earned will receive no additional credit toward graduation. Both grades, however, will appear on the transcript, except for S/NC grades, and both grades will be used when determining cumulative average. A student who repeats a course in which an NC was originally received will not be deemed to be using one of his or her two S/NC opportunities.

Auditing Courses

Space permitting, a student otherwise regularly enrolled may audit a course with the permission of the instructor.

Academic Support Program

Academic support activities are provided for first-year students throughout the year. During the fall semester the faculty coordinates a series of lectures focusing on law school survival skills. Topics covered in these sessions may include time and stress management, a synthesis of law materials, note taking, outlining, and examination skills.

During the spring semester, any first-year student whose first semester grade point average fell below 2.0 or who can demonstrate exceptional need for academic support is eligible to participate in small group tutorials in Contracts, Torts, and Civil Procedure. Tutorial sessions focus on both legal doctrine and skills. Students who participate in the spring tutorial sessions are permitted, but not required, to drop one course with the permission of the Dean or the Dean's designee.

Maintenance of Satisfactory Record

Students in the College of Law must maintain a satisfactory academic record. The following rules apply to probation and academic ineligibility.

EXCLUSION OF FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS

No first-year student will be excluded from the College of Law for academic reasons prior to the completion of two semesters of academic study. A student who fails to achieve an overall average of at least 2.0 upon completion (receipt of grade) of the first two semesters of academic study shall be excluded. Such exclusion shall occur regardless of whether the student has obtained permission to vary the first-year full course load.

PROBATION AND EXCLUSION OF UPPER-CLASS STUDENTS

To remain in good standing, a student must maintain at least a 2.0 average on the work of any one semester and overall. For any grading period other than a student's first semester, a student who receives a grade point average of below 2.0 for a grading period or who fails to maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 shall be placed on academic probation for his or her next grading period. If a student receives a grade point average below 2.0 for a grading period in which the student is on academic probation, the student shall be excluded from the College of Law.

No student on academic probation may register for courses without a written certification from a member of the faculty and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (or his or her designee) that the student has consulted with them about the courses for which he or she will register.

A student placed on probation should withdraw from all extracurricular activity at the University and, if employed, should curtail or eliminate his or her employment or reduce his or her other academic load proportionately. Students on probation may not hold office in any professional or social fraternity, in the Student Bar Association, or in any similar organization or activity.

Readmission of Academically Ineligible Students

A student who was excluded from the law school because of poor academic performance may petition for readmission and may be readmitted on a satisfactory showing that he or she (1) is capable of performing academically at the level required for graduation, (2) has identified the problems that led to his or her exclusion, and (3) has taken sufficient steps to prevent those or similar problems from interfering with his or her performance in subsequent semesters.

No first-year student who has become academically ineligible at the end of the spring term shall be readmitted for the summer term.

A student who has been excluded once may be readmitted by the vote of the law faculty or a student-faculty committee. A student who has been excluded more than once may be readmitted only by a vote of the faculty.

Readmission may be granted upon such terms and conditions as the faculty in its discretion shall deem appropriate. However, a student who is readmitted following academic exclusion shall resume his or her studies on academic probation for the grading period for which readmission is granted.

Withdrawal from Courses

A student's freedom to withdraw from courses for which he or she has registered, the procedures required for withdrawal, and how a withdrawal will be recorded on the student's permanent record depend on the type of courses for which the student has registered and the timing of withdrawal.

Students may not withdraw from required courses without securing the permission of the Dean or the Dean's designee.

Students may withdraw from any elective course prior to the withdrawal deadline for that course by executing a change of registration form and submitting it to the Student Records Office at the College of Law. The signature of the Dean or the Dean's designee is required. A change of registration form processed through other offices of the University will not be recognized. The withdrawal deadline for oversubscribed courses and other courses designated by the Dean or the Dean's designee as a limited withdrawal course is 5 p.m. on the 6th calendar day after the beginning of classes. A list of the courses subject to this early withdrawal deadline will be maintained in the Student Records Office. The withdrawal deadline is 5 p.m. on the 29th calendar day after the beginning of classes. If a student withdraws from an elective course prior to the withdrawal deadline for the course, the course will not be shown on the student's permanent record.

Students may withdraw from required courses or from elective courses after the withdrawal deadline only for good cause shown to the Dean or the Dean's designee. To be granted permission to withdraw, the student must clearly demonstrate that one of the following conditions exist:

a) illness or injury as verified by the student health service or private physician;

b) serious personal or family problems as verified by the student's family minister, physician, etc.:

c) necessary change in work schedule as verified by the student's employer;

d) financial inability to continue at the University; or

e) call to active military service.

If a student is granted permission to withdraw from a required course or from an elective course after the withdrawal deadline, the grade of "W" will be entered on the student's permanent record.

A student will not be permitted to withdraw from a course simply to avoid a low grade in the course. A student who fails to complete the requirements for a course from which the student has not withdrawn in accordance with the above rule will be assigned a grade of 0.0.

A student wishing to withdraw from the College of Law must present the request to the Dean of the College of Law or the Dean's designee. If the request is approved, the Student Records Office will enter the appropriate change on the student's permanent record and provide written notification to the course instructor(s) and the student's advisor. To complete official withdrawals from the College, the student must also report to the Withdrawal Office, 212 Student Services Building, to be cleared through the Treasurer's Office, University Housing, and other University service centers.

Re-Enrollment of Students Who Voluntarily Withdraw

Any student who enrolls in the College of Law and voluntarily withdraws shall be re-enrolled as a matter of right provided he or she has completed at least one full semester of study and was eligible to continue at the time of withdrawal. The student must re-enroll within one year of withdrawal and give the College of Law at least one semester's notice of intention to re-enroll. A student who withdraws prior to the completion of all courses that are required to be taken in a specified semester may only re-enroll in a semester in which the uncompleted courses are offered and such courses shall be taken. In addition, the faculty shall have the same power to determine what upper-division courses such a student may take as it possessed when the variance was granted.

Students who voluntarily withdraw from the College of Law who have not completed one semester of work or who do not seek to re-enroll within one year shall be considered for readmission with regard to presently prevailing admission standards, reasons for withdrawal, law school records, and all other relevant factors.

Non-law Elective Courses

Eligible law students may receive credit toward the JD degree for acceptable performance in a maximum of six semester hours in upper-level courses taken in other departments at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville which materially contribute to the study of law. Course selection and registration are subject to guidelines approved by the law faculty. These guidelines include the requirement that any such course be acceptable for credit towards a graduate degree in the department offering the course. Courses in which the primary content consists of substantive law will not be accepted for JD credit under this option. 

Non-law courses will be credited on a Satisfactory/No Credit basis and a grade of B or better is required in order to receive a Satisfactory. Students enrolled in the J.D.-M.B.A. degree program and the J.D.-M.P.A. program may not receive credit toward the JD degree for courses taken in other departments of the University except for those taken in conjunction with the dual degree.

Foreign Study

Second- or third-year students who desire to take law courses abroad during the summer for transfer credit at the UT College of Law may do so provided the program and courses they plan to take are approved in advance. The summer program must be sponsored by an approved American law school using, in substantial part, law professors from the United States. No more than eight semester hours may be earned for transfer credit at the UT College of Law. Grades received in summer foreign programs will not be transferred. 

Brochures describing opportunities for summer foreign law study are posted on bulletin boards near the student lounge as they become available.

Complaint Procedures

Students' concerns, suggestions and complaints regarding matters of curriculum, instruction, academic policy and extracurricular activities should be addressed to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Referrals will be made to other offices of the College as appropriate.