Graduate Professional Degree

Juris Doctor

Admission

Admission to the J.D. program is based on the following:

1. applicant's academic record;
2. applicant's Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score;
3. applicant's professional accomplishments; and
4. recommendations from persons with knowledge of the applicant’s capability to participate in a rigorous professional-level academic program.

The admissions process identifies individuals who have the potential to excel in their legal studies and the practice of law. In order to be considered for fall-term admission, an applicant must:

1. possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university prior to enrollment;
2. create an account with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), register for and complete the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), and sign up for the Credential Assembly Service;
3. provide an official transcript to the LSAC for each undergraduate and graduate institution attended;
4. submit two letters of recommendation or evaluations to the LSAC (up to four letters/evaluations will be accepted);
5. submit an application fee (contact the Michigan State University College of Law Office of Admissions to request a fee waiver if you are unable, for financial reasons, to provide this fee;
6. submit a resume of up to two pages;
7. submit a personal statement of up to three pages;
8. submit a supplemental statement if you respond in the affirmative to any questions in the Character and Fitness section of the application.

An applicant file will not be reviewed until all materials are received by the Michigan State University College of Law Office of Admissions and are reviewed on a “rolling” basis.

Of the 88 credit hours needed to graduate with a Juris Doctor (JD) degree, required courses consist of the following:

1.	All of the following courses:
	LAW	500F	Criminal Law								3
	LAW	500Q	Professional Responsibility								3
	LAW	500G	Property								4
	LAW	500R	Torts I								4
	LAW	530A	Civil Procedure								4
	LAW	530B	Contracts								4
	LAW	530J	Advocacy								2
	LAW	530K	Foundations of Law								0
	LAW	530S	Constitutional Law and the Regulatory State								4
2.	One of the following courses:
	LAW	530D	Research, Writing and Analysis								3
	LAW	530E	Research, Writing and Analysis: Intellectual Property Perspective								3
	LAW	530N	Research, Writing, and Analysis: Criminal Law Perspective								3
	LAW	530Q	Research, Writing and Analysis: Social Justice Perspectives								3
3.	At least five of the following courses:
	LAW	500M	Business Enterprises								3 or 4
	LAW	500N	Constitutional Law II								4
	LAW	500P	Evidence								3 or 4
	LAW	501K	Basic Income Taxation								2
	LAW	501D	Trusts and Estates								3 to 4
	LAW	501E	Secured Transactions								2
	LAW	501F	Sales and Leases								3
	LAW	501J	Secured Transactions and Practice								3
	LAW	501M	Commercial Transactions Survey								3
	LAW	525	Torts II								2 or 3
	LAW	532	Administrative Law								2 or 3
	LAW	550A	Topics in Conflict of Laws								3
	LAW	593D	Remedies								2 to 3
	LAW	616B	Criminal Procedure: Investigation								3
	LAW	616C	Criminal Procedure: Adjudication								3

A student who completed the first-year curriculum with a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.50 may apply to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for a waiver of this requirement. The student must submit the application prior to completing 60 credits. In addition to the required courses, students must complete at least 6 credits in an experiential course and a paper that satisfies an upper-level writing requirement. A minimum 2.0 cumulative grade-point average must be earned to satisfy degree requirements.

Students take elective courses to gain a more generalized legal education, which may be used to fulfill the requirements for a certificate or concentration program. Complete information about concentrations can be found by visiting www.law.msu.edu. The following concentrations are available:

Indigenous Law
(1)	The following course:
	LAW	635B	Federal Law and Indian Tribes				3
(2)	Two of the following courses (4 or 5 credits):
	LAW	635A	Advanced Topics in Indian Law				2
	LAW	635D	American Indian Children and the Law				2
	LAW	635E	Tribal Law				3
	LAW	635F	Gaming Law				2
	LAW	635G	Global Perspectives on Indigenous People				2
	Additional courses may be used to fulfill this requirement with prior approval by the Director of the Indigenous Law and Policy Center
(3)	Two of the following courses (5 to 7 credits):
	LAW	501D	Trusts and Estates				3 or 4
	LAW	532	Administrative Law				3
	LAW	541F	Family Law: Child, Family and the State				3
	LAW	566A	Environmental Law				3
	LAW	566C	Natural Resource Law				2
	LAW	579G	Federal Jurisdiction				3
	LAW	616B	Criminal Procedure: Investigation				3
(4)	Complete the Indian Law Clinic I (LAW 631J) course or an externship with a tribal government (legal department, court or government office), state or federal  government unit that focuses on Indian Law issues, or a non-profit or non-governmental organization involved in Indian law issues. The externship must be approved by the Associate Dean of Experiential Education and the Director of the Indigenous Law and Policy Center.
(5)	Complete a substantial research paper on a topic relating to Indigenous law issues. The paper must meet the law school’s ULWR, whether or not it is actually used to satisfy the ULWR. This requirement can be satisfied through the following:
	(a)	Course from the list of Indigenous Law Certificate Program required courses listed on the course schedule with a "U" for ULWR, or
	(b)	Directed Study (LAW 624), or paper for another course with the approval of the Director of the Indigenous Law and Policy Center following the supervising professor’s approval for the Directed Study course or paper.

Trial Practice
One of the following courses:
LAW	616B	Criminal Procedure: Investigation					3
LAW	616C	Criminal Procedure: Adjudication					3
All of the following courses:
LAW	500P	Evidence					3
LAW	623B	Trial Practice Institute: Pretrial I					3
LAW	623C	Trial Practice Institute : Pretrial II					2
LAW	623D	Trial Practice Institute : Trial I					3
LAW	623E	Trial Practice Institute : Trial II					3
LAW	623M	Trial Practice Institute: Trial Presentation					2
LAW	623N	Trial Practice Institute: Scientific Evidence and Legal Technology					3
Students in the Trial Practice concentration may not receive credit towards the requirements of the Juris Doctor degree for the following courses: Law 587B, 587C, 590A, 591A, 617A, and 617B. The content of these courses are duplicate of the content of courses required for the Trial Practice concentration.