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Academics


Academics

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.