All J.D. students must complete the following requirements to graduate:
- A minimum of six semesters in residence (see link for min/max hours per semester)
- 90 academic hours with at least a 2.0 or C average (see details below)
- Cultural Competence Requirement
- Satisfy all financial obligations to the Law School and the University
As part of the 90 academic hours needed to graduate, J.D. students must complete the following:
- All required courses as listed below
- Writing Requirement (2 hour requirement)
- Law and Poverty Requirement (2 hour requirement)
- Experiential Requirement (9 hours)
For a comprehensive list of courses to graduate, please visit the Academic Affairs website for graduation self-audit forms.
Full-Time Students
Students are cautioned to register for required courses in the years and semesters listed in this Bulletin. Failing to do so may create a scheduling conflict in a subsequent semester, possibly delaying graduation.
(1L) First Year (Required Classes in Bold)
|
Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
|
LCIV-L710 — Conventional Obligations I |
3 |
LCIV-L711 — Conventional Obligations II |
3 |
|
LAW-L705 — Torts I |
3 |
LCIV-L706 — Civil Law Property |
4 |
|
LAW-L725 — Civil Procedure I |
3 |
LAW-L730 — Civil Procedure II |
2 |
|
LAW-L715 — Lawyering I |
3 |
LAW-L765 — Lawyering II |
3 |
|
LAW-L735 — Criminal Law |
3 |
Elective ** |
2-3 |
|
Total Hours |
15 |
Total Hours |
14-15 |
** Those students in the bottom quarter (25%) of their class after the first semester, whether they have incompletes or not, are enrolled in LAW-L766 Principles of Legal Analysis instead of an elective. Those students in the bottom 26-33% will have the option of taking Principles of Legal Analysis as their elective. The 1L elective and Principles of Legal Analysis courses will not be counted toward the 1L class rank. The GPA will be included at the end of the 2L fall semester.
Civil Law
For those civil law students entering Loyola from the fall of 2021 onward and who are in the bottom quarter (25%) of their class after their first year, the following additional courses are required to be successfully completed:
LCIV-L935 Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure
LCIV-L940 Security Rights
Common Law
For those common law students entering Loyola from the fall of 2025 onward and who are in the bottom half (50%) of their class after their first year, must successfully complete two of the following courses below:
LAW-L823 First Amendment
LAW-L836 Real Estate Transactions
LAW-L955 Advanced Constitutional Law – 14th Amendment
LCOM-L715 Wills, Trusts, and Estates
LCOM-L800 Family Law
(2L) Second Year (Required Classes in Bold)
|
Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
|
LAW-L750 — Constitutional Law |
4 |
LAW-L740 — Constitutional |
3 |
|
LAW-L760 — Evidence |
3 |
LAW-L746 — Business Organizations I |
3 |
|
LCIV-L725 — Sales and Leases (civil) |
3 |
LAW-L770 — Lawyering III * |
3 |
|
Electives*** or Required Civil/Common "Pool Courses" |
4-6 |
Electives*** or Required Civil/Common "Pool Courses" |
5-7 |
|
Total Hours |
14-16 |
Total Hours |
14-16 |
* LAW-L770, Lawyering III, offered each year, must be completed by students before they can participate in clinic.
Those students entering Loyola from the fall of 2021 onward and who are in the bottom half (50%) of the class after their junior year, whether they have incompletes or not, must successfully complete LCIV-L949 Civil Law Bar Exam Preparation I (civil law students) or LCOM-L949 or LCOM-L950 Common Law Bar Exam Preparation I or II (common law students) in their senior year.
(3L) Third Year (Required Classes in Bold)
|
Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
|
LCIV-L715 – Successions and Donations (civil) |
3 |
LCIV-L920 – Probate and Trusts (civil) |
2 |
|
Electives*** or Civil/Common "Pool Courses" or Bar Prep if Required |
11-13 |
LAW-L710 – Torts II |
2 |
|
Electives*** or Civil/Common "Pool Courses" or Bar Prep if Required |
10-12 (civil) |
||
|
Total Hours |
14-16 |
Total Hours |
14-16 |
Civil law students must also successfully complete at least one of the four “pool” courses listed below.
|
Course |
Hours |
|
LCIV-L900 – Civil Law of Persons |
3 |
|
LCIV-L930 – Community Property |
3 |
|
LCIV-L935 – LA Code of Civil Procedure |
3 |
|
LCIV-L940 – Security Rights |
3 |
Common law students must also successfully complete at least one of the five “pool” courses listed below.
|
Course |
Hours |
|
LAW-L823 First Amendment |
3 |
|
LAW-L836 Real Estate Transactions |
3 |
|
LAW-L955 Advanced Constitutional Law – 14th Amendment |
3 |
|
LCOM-L715 Wills, Trusts, and Estates |
3 |
|
LCOM-L800 Family Law |
3 |
*** CHOOSING ELECTIVES:
(1) students must earn at least nine (9) hours of credit from any combination of experiential courses;
(2) students must earn at least two (2) hours of course credit in a course designated to satisfy the Law and Poverty requirement;
(3) students must submit a piece of legal writing in which the student exhibits the ability to perform legal analysis at the upper-class level to satisfy their writing requirement, only if their paper receives a grade of C or higher. Students may satisfy this requirement through a minimum 2-hour credit designated course or as an Independent Study Research Paper (LAW-L898), with a minimum 2-hour credit.
Part-Time Students (Day)
Students are cautioned to register for required courses in the years and semesters listed in this Bulletin. Failing to do so may create a scheduling conflict in a subsequent semester, possibly delaying graduation.
(1L) First Year (Required Classes in Bold)
|
Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
|
LAW-L725 - Civil Procedure I |
3 |
LAW-L730 - Civil Procedure II |
2 |
|
LAW-L705 - Torts I |
3 |
LCIV-L706 - Civil Law Property or LCOM-L705 - Common Law Property |
4 |
|
LAW-L735 - Criminal Law |
3 |
LAW-L765 - Lawyering II |
3 |
|
LAW-L715 - Lawyering I |
3 |
Elective ** |
2-3 |
|
Total Hours: |
12 |
Total Hours: |
11-12 |
** Those students in the bottom quarter (25%) of their class after the first semester, whether they have incompletes or not, are enrolled in LAW-L766 Principles of Legal Analysis instead of an elective. Those students in the bottom 26-33% will have the option of taking Principles of Legal Analysis as their elective. The 1L elective and Principles of Legal Analysis courses will not be counted toward the 1L class rank. The GPA will be included at the end of the 2L fall semester.
Civil Law
For those civil law students entering Loyola from the fall of 2021 onward and who are in the bottom quarter (25%) of their class after their first year, the following additional courses are required to be successfully completed:
LCIV-L935 Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure
LCIV-L940 Security Rights
Common Law
For those common law students entering Loyola from the fall of 2025 onward and who are in the bottom half (50%) of their class after their first year, must successfully complete two of the following courses below:
LAW-L823 First Amendment
LAW-L836 Real Estate Transactions
LAW-L955 Advanced Constitutional Law – 14th Amendment
LCOM-L715 Wills, Trusts, and Estates
LCOM-L800 Family Law
(2L) Second Year (Required Classes in Bold)
|
Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
|
LAW-L750 — Constitutional Law |
4 |
LAW-L740 — Constitutional |
3 |
|
LAW-L760 — Evidence |
3 |
LAW-L746 — Business Organizations I |
3 |
|
Elective*** (2 hours) |
2 |
LAW-L770 — Lawyering III * |
3 |
|
LCIV-L710 - Conventional Obligations I LCOM-L700 - Contracts I |
3 |
LCIV-L711 - Conventional Obligations II LCOM-L701 - Contracts II |
3 |
|
Total Hours |
12 |
Total Hours |
12 |
* LAW-L770, Lawyering III, offered each year, must be completed by students before they can participate in clinic.
(3L) Third Year (Required Classes in Bold)
|
Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
|
LCIV-L725 — Sales and Leases (civil) |
3 |
Civil Law (LCIV) or Common Law (LCOM) Elective |
3 |
|
Electives*** or Required Civil/Common "Pool Courses" |
7-9 |
Electives*** or Required Civil/Common "Pool Courses" |
7-9 |
|
Total Hours |
10-12 |
Total Hours |
10-12 |
Those students entering Loyola from the fall of 2021 onward and who are in the bottom half (50%) of the class after their junior year, whether they have incompletes or not, must enroll in LCIV L949 Civil Law Bar Exam Preparation I (civil law students) or LCOM-L949 or LCOM-L950 Common Law Bar Exam Preparation I or II (common law students) in their senior year.
(4L) Fourth Year (Required Classes in Bold)
|
Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
|
LCIV-L715 – Successions and Donations (civil) or Common Law Pool Course (common) |
3 |
LCIV-L920 – Probate and Trusts (civil) |
2 |
|
Electives*** or Civil/Common "Pool Courses" or Bar Prep if Required |
7-9 |
LAW-L710 – Torts II |
2 |
|
Electives*** or Civil/Common "Pool Courses" or Bar Prep if Required |
6-8 (civil) |
||
|
Total Hours |
10-12 |
Total Hours |
10-12 |
Civil law students must also successfully complete at least one of the four “pool” courses listed below.
|
Course |
Hours |
|
LCIV-L900 – Civil Law of Persons |
3 |
|
LCIV-L930 – Community Property |
3 |
|
LCIV-L935 – LA Code of Civil Procedure |
3 |
|
LCIV-L940 – Security Rights |
3 |
Common law students must also successfully complete at least one of the five “pool” courses listed below.
|
Course |
Hours |
|
LAW-L823 First Amendment |
3 |
|
LAW-L836 Real Estate Transactions |
3 |
|
LAW-L955 Advanced Constitutional Law – 14th Amendment |
3 |
|
LCOM-L715 Wills, Trusts, and Estates |
3 |
|
LCOM-L800 Family Law |
3 |
*** CHOOSING ELECTIVES:
(1) students must earn at least nine (9) hours of credit from any combination of experiential courses;
(2) students must earn at least two (2) hours of course credit in a course designated to satisfy the Law and Poverty requirement;
(3) students must submit a piece of legal writing in which the student exhibits the ability to perform legal analysis at the upper-class level to satisfy their writing requirement, only if their paper receives a grade of C or higher. Students may satisfy this requirement through a minimum 2-hour credit designated course or as an Independent Study Research Paper (LAW-L898), with a minimum 2-hour credit.
Part-Time Students (Evening)
Students are cautioned to register for required courses in the years and semesters listed in this Bulletin. Failing to do so may create a scheduling conflict in a subsequent semester, possibly delaying graduation.
(1L) First Year
|
Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
|
LAW-L725 - Civil Procedure I |
3 |
LAW-L730 - Civil Procedure II |
2 |
|
LAW-L705 - Torts I |
3 |
LCIV-L706 - Civil Law Property |
4 |
|
LAW-L715 - Lawyering I |
3 |
LAW-L765 - Lawyering II |
3 |
|
Total Hours: |
9 |
Total Hours: |
9 |
(1L) First Year Summer Semester
|
LAW-L770 — Lawyering III |
3 |
Elective*** |
3 |
(2L) Second Year (add to rotating year)
|
Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
|
LCIV-L710 - Conventional Obligations I |
3 |
LCIV-L711 - Conventional Obligations II |
3 |
(3L) Third Year (add to rotating year)
|
Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
|
LCIV-L725 — Sales and Leases |
3 |
LAW-L746 — Business Organizations I |
3 |
(2L) Second Year and (3L) Third Year Rotating (Odd/Even)
|
Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
|
LAW-L750 — Constitutional Law |
4 |
LAW-L740 — Constitutional |
3 |
|
LAW-L735 - Criminal Law |
3 |
Elective*** or Scholarly Writing (2L) |
3 |
|
Total Fall Hours Combined: |
10 |
Total Spring Hours Combined: |
9 |
(2L) Second Year and (3L) Third Year Rotating (Even/Odd)
|
Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
|
LCIV-L715 – Successions and Donations |
3 |
LCIV-L920 – Probate and Trusts |
2 |
|
Elective*** |
3 |
Elective*** or Scholarly Writing (2L) |
3 |
|
Total Fall Hours Combined: |
9 |
Total Spring Hours Combined: |
8 |
(2L) Second Year Summer Semester
|
LAW-L760 — Evidence |
3 |
Elective*** |
3 |
(3L) Third Year Summer Semester
|
LCIV-L935 — LA Code of Civil Procedure |
3 |
Elective*** |
3 |
(4L) Fourth Year
|
Fall Semester |
Hours |
Spring Semester |
Hours |
|
LCIV-L949 - Civil Law Bar Prep I |
3 |
LCIV-L950 - Civil Law Bar Prep II |
3 |
|
LCIV-L940 - Security Rights |
3 |
LAW-L710 - Torts II |
2 |
|
Elective*** |
3 |
Elective*** |
3 |
|
Total Hours: |
9 |
Total Hours: |
8 |
Students may be enrolled in Independent study credit LAW-L898 / LAW-L899 and Externship credit LAW-L900 to supplement credit hours and ensure progress to 90 credit hours.
*** CHOOSING ELECTIVES:
(1) students must earn at least nine (9) hours of credit from any combination of experiential courses;
(2) students must earn at least two (2) hours of course credit in a course designated to satisfy the Law and Poverty requirement;
(3) students must submit a piece of legal writing in which the student exhibits the ability to perform legal analysis at the upper-class level to satisfy their writing requirement, only if their paper receives a grade of C or higher. Students may satisfy this requirement through a minimum 2-hour credit designated course or as an Independent Study Research Paper (LAW-L898), with a minimum 2-hour credit.