Degree Requirements

The University of Dayton School of Law offers a full-time program to earn your Juris Doctor degree. You must complete a minimum of 90 credit hours to obtain a J.D. You can complete the program in either five or six semesters, and can begin classes in either the summer or fall semester. 

• The following overview of our curriculum applies to students who began their legal studies in May 2011 or after
• The following overview our of curriculum applies to students who are currently enrolled and began their legal studies in August 2010 or before

The following overview of our curriculum applies to students who began their legal studies in May 2011 or after

First Semester

• Civil Practice and Procedure (4 credits)
• Contracts I (2 credits)
• Legal Profession I (3 credits)
• Real Property I (4 credits)
• Torts I (3 credits)

Second Semester

• Constitutional Law (4 credits)
• Contracts II (3 credits)
• Criminal Law (3 credits)
• Legal Profession II (3 credits)
• Torts II (2 credits)

Third Semester

• Legislation (3 credits)

Upper-Level Writing Requirement

Students must take one of the following courses:

• Appellate Practice & Procedure (2 credits)
• Transactional Drafting (2 credits)

Additional Upper-Level Requirement

• Externship or Law Clinic Intern (4 credits) - required coursework after the second year.
• Fundamentals of Evidence (3 credits)
• Professional Responsibility (2 credits) - required coursework after the second year.
• Capstone (3 or 4 credits) - required coursework after the second year.

ADR Requirement

Students must take one of the following courses:

• ADR for the Litigator (3 credits) or Conflict Management and ADR (3 credits)
• Interviewing, Counseling, Negotiations (3 credits)

The following overview our of curriculum applies to students who are currently enrolled and began their legal studies in August 2010 or before

Students must complete 18 required courses, including an orientation, an externship, a capstone course or clinical experience, and 15 other core courses.

Prior to Beginning Classes

Introduction to Legal Studies and Professionalism - Orientation

FIRST YEAR - FIRST SEMESTER

• Civil Practice and Procedure
• Criminal Law
• Legal Profession I
• Real Property I
• Torts I

FIRST YEAR - SECOND SEMESTER

• Contracts I
• Criminal Procedure Investigative
• Legal Profession II
• Legislation
• Torts II

UPPER LEVEL

• Capstone Course OR Clinical Experience
• Constitutional Law
• Contracts II
• Externship
• Evidence for the Litigator (Advocacy and Dispute Resolution concentration) OR Fundamentals of Evidence (Personal and Transactional Law concentration and Intellectual Property, Cyberlaw and Creativity concentration)
• Professional Responsibility
• Real Property II

ADR Requirement

Students must take one of the following courses:

• ADR for the Litigator (3 credits) or Conflict Management and ADR (3 credits)
• Interviewing, Counseling, Negotiations (3 credits)

Program Maps

• Entering Class of Summer 2010 (PDF)
• Entering Class of Fall 2010 (PDF)