IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law
Degree Programs
Student Learning Outcomes
STATEMENT OF EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES FOR THE J.D. PROGRAM
A McKinney graduate will be prepared to:
- Build upon an existing base of legal knowledge and skills to succeed in the graduate’s chosen career path;
- Exercise sound professional judgment and fulfill ethical responsibilities;
- Exhibit a high degree of competence in legal analysis, reasoning, research, and writing;
- Demonstrate acumen in oral communication in the legal context;
- Serve as a leader or contributing team member in professional settings;
- Transition readily to law practice or other government, non-profit, or private sector employment;
- Leverage a network of professional relationships; and
- Appreciate that excellence as a lawyer requires individual, life-long effort.
STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES FOR THE IU MCKINNEY MASTERS OF LAW (LL.M.) PROGRAM
- to give currently practicing U.S. lawyers a place to hone their skills and deepen their knowledge base on a specific subject
- to help licensed lawyers from other countries get to know American law
- to provide a focused curriculum for legal scholars who are interested in advancing their knowledge in a specific area of law in order to prepare for the S.J.D./Ph.D. in law and an academic career.
STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES FOR THE IU MCKINNEY DOCTOR OF JURIDICAL SCIENCE (S.J.D.) PROGRAM
The Doctor of Juridical Science is the terminal degree in law, designed for individuals interested in academia. S.J.D. graduates will:
- engage in original research
- prepare and present scholarship in scholarly colloquium and conference settings
- develop collaborations with scholars in the graduate’s field
- have opportunities to develop experience in teaching.
STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES FOR THE IU MCKINNEY MASTER OF JURISPRUDENCE (M.J.) PROGRAM
The Master of Jurisprudence is designed for individuals interested in developing a better understanding of the law, but not wishing to practice law or to earn a J.D. degree. Graduates will:
- Develop an ability to recognize and demonstrate an understanding of the US legal system and its governing bodies and agencies that regulate or otherwise affect that MJ graduate’s job or career.
- Acquire fluency in advanced legal terminology through a plethora of substantive legal texts, cases, statutes, and memoranda while enrolled in courses at IU McKinney.
- Successfully demonstrate a capacity to read and understand legal documents, including judicial opinions, statutes, regulations, executive orders, and legislative commentaries.
- Acquire the ability to assess more effectively situations they encounter on the job that may require or justify the engagement of legal professionals.
- Acquire the ability to communicate more effectively with those legal professionals when those professionals identify a range of options that are appropriate to the circumstance at hand and the MJ graduate will have a better understanding of those range of options.
- And finally, hone their critical and analytical thinking skills while at IU McKinney and will be able to communicate those thoughts in a clear, precise, and concise way.
CERTIFICATE OBJECTIVES
Advocacy Skills Graduate Certificate
- The Graduate Certificate in Advocacy Skills promotes the demonstration of practice-ready competencies. Graduates earning the certificate will demonstrate a high level of achievement in
- organizing and managing legal work,
- problem-solving,
- developing professional relationships and identity, and
- independent learning in an ethical practice setting.
Civil and Human Rights Law Graduate Certificate
- The Graduate Certificate in Civil and Human Rights helps IU McKinney students prepare to become leaders in the ongoing historic struggle to advance civil and human rights.
Corporate and Commercial Law Graduate Certficate
- The Corporate and Commercial Law Graduate Certificate prepares graduates to excel as lawyers representing individuals, business organizations, non-profits, or government entities in the economic marketplace.
Criminal Law Graduate Certificate
- The Certificate prepares graduates to practice in the criminal law field, including work as a public prosecutor, public defender, private criminal defense attorney, government agency counsel, as well as counsel to nonprofit institutions involved in criminal law.
Environmental and Natural Resources Law Graduate Certificate
- The Graduate Certificate in Environmental, Energy and Natural Resources Law prepares graduates to work as environmental or natural resource lawyers or leaders, representing the government, private business, nonprofits organizations, or individuals.
Health Law Graduate Certificate
- The Hall Center's Graduate Certificate in Health Law enables JD students to focus their professional careers on health law and policy.
Intellectual Property Law Graduate Certificate
- The Center for Intellectual Property and Innovation’s Certificate in Intellectual Property Law prepares graduates to focus their professional careers on patent, trademark, and copyright law, policy, and practice, as well as related intellectual property fields.
International and Comparative Law Graduate Certificate
- The Certificate prepares graduates to work in international and comparative law, including diverse fields such as international human rights, international economic law, international environmental law, international health law, and international intellectual property law, among others.
