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 School of Law—Indianapolis 2002-2004 Academic Bulletin |
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Academic Information
Requirements for the Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) Degree
Requirements for the Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) Degree
General Requirements
All students who have received a baccalaureate degree from an approved college or university will be granted the Doctor of Jurisprudence degree upon completion of the school's degree requirements. Prior to matriculation, all entering students will receive the Student Handbook, which contains a detailed descrip-tion of degree requirements and academic regulations.
Students are required to complete a total of 90 credit hours for graduation. Other graduation requirements include the following:
Honors
Summa cum laude—no more than the top 5 percent of the class
Dean's List
Faculty Prize Return to Requirements for the Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) Degree
Upon completion of the degree requirements, students will be certified as eligible for the bar examination in the state in which they intend to practice. Applicants should be aware that the bar requirements of most states include character and fitness qualifications. Information supplied on law school applications is relevant to those qualifications and is considered by the law school in its certification of a candidate's eligibility for admission to the bar. If any doubt exists about meeting bar requirements, applicants should contact the board of bar examiners of the appropriate state for specific information.
Return to Requirements for the Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) Degree
The Indiana Bar Examination is given in February and July. Admission and Discipline Rule 13 of the Indiana Supreme Court requires applicants to complete at least
2 credit hours of law school course work in professional responsibility. Applicants are not required to take courses in other discrete subjects. The examination consists of
three parts:
The Indiana Essay Exam (IEE) is a written four-hour examination consisting of six essay questions. The subjects tested will come from the following nine areas (which the MBE does not cover): Administrative Law, Business Organizations, Commercial Law, Indiana Constitutional Law, Family Law, Pleading and Practice, Personal Property, Taxation and Wills, Trusts and Estates. The essay questions will be unlabeled, will not necessarily be limited to one subject matter, and will call for an answer based on the law of Indiana.
The Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) is an objective one-day examination consisting of 200 multiple-choice questions in the following areas: Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts.
Return to Requirements for the Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) Degree
Professional Responsibility Examination
The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) is given three times per year. The Professional Responsibility course, which is required for graduation, covers issues of professional responsibility and legal ethics. Admission and Discipline Rule 17 of the Indiana Supreme Court provides that an applicant must achieve a passing score on the MPRE within two years before or after the date the applicant successfully takes the Indiana bar examination.
Return to Requirements for the Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) Degree
Curricular Requirements Return to Requirements for the Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) Degree
In addition to the courses listed above, all students must complete an Advanced Research and Writing Requirement. This requirement may be satisfied by a paper written for the Advanced Research course, another course or seminar, the Indiana Law Review, or the Indiana International and Comparative Law Review. Details concerning the Advanced Research and Writing Requirement are described in the Student Handbook and are available in the Office of the Recorder.
Additionally, the following elective courses are especially recommended:
Full-time day students are required to register for the full load of 31 credit hours in their first two semesters and must complete all basic-level required courses before registering for advanced courses. Students enrolled in the part-time division and attending evening classes may, in their second year, take upper-level courses while completing the required first-year offerings.
Although there is no required sequencing of advanced-level courses, the above-listed elective courses are considered part of the law school core curriculum and should be taken at the earliest opportunity. Similarly, many advanced-level courses carry prerequisites, and students are encouraged to enroll in the prerequisite courses early to enhance scheduling opportunities.
Limits exist on the number of credits attainable in clinics, law reviews, and other activities. Students should consult the Student Handbook and the Office of Student Affairs for a complete list and explanation of these limits. See Clinical Programs and Moot Court Program in the courses section of this bulletin.
Each summer the faculty offer selected required and elective courses. Students who wish to accelerate their studies may do so by attending summer sessions. Students in the part-time division must attend three summer sessions in order to complete degree requirements in four calendar years. The school ordinarily matriculates first-year students in the fall semester only.
The faculty regularly offer a number of seminars, specialized courses that emphasize class discussion in a small group setting and provide the opportunity for independent research. These seminars typically culminate in the production of a written paper upon which at least a part of the grade is based.
In addition to courses dealing with substantive fields of law, the faculty offer courses in comparative law, jurisprudence, legal history, legal process, sociology of law, legislation, law and literature, and other areas that invite students to approach law and legal institutions from special perspectives. Broad and evaluative in content, these perspective courses are predominantly about rather than in law. These offerings are sometimes designed to help students develop and maintain an appreciation of the legal system from the layperson's point of view; at other times, to recognize and articulate moral and ethical considerations in law and legal work; and at still other times to consider initiating and accommodating legal change. Students are encouraged to enroll in at least one perspective course before graduation.
Return to Requirements for the Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) Degree
In cooperation with Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs, School of Medicine, and Kelley School of Business, the School of Law—Indianapolis offers four joint degree programs that allow our students to integrate their diverse interests. The joint degree programs include:
Combined Doctor of Jurisprudence/Master of Business Administration
Combined Doctor of Jurisprudence/Master of Business Administration (J.D./M.B.A.)
The joint J.D./M.B.A. degree synthesizes legal and business issues for students who want to practice law involving business clients, work in a corporate law department, or work in a government agency regulating business. Candidates usually spend the first year in law school and then take graduate business courses and law courses concurrently for the remainder of the program.
Requirements: 80 credit hours of law courses; 39 credit hours of business courses.
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Combined Doctor of Jurisprudence/Master of Science In Health Administration (J.D./M.H.A.)
The joint J.D./M.H.A. degree prepares students to become health lawyers or health care administrators—professionals who understand the legal and administrative structures of health services. Students are required to attain a specialization and complete a research paper on a topic in both areas of study, supervised by faculty advisors from both schools. Candidates usually complete the first 31 credits in the law school and divide remaining coursework between the two schools.
Requirements: 82 credit hours of law courses; 48 credit hours of SPEA courses; research paper.
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Combined Doctor of Jurisprudence/Master of Public Affairs (J.D./M.P.A.)
The joint J.D./M.P.A. degree prepares students for understanding and dealing with the legal and managerial frameworks of public service, nonprofit, and quasi-governmental institutions. In the final year of the program, a research paper on a topic in both areas of study is supervised by faculty advisors from both schools.
Requirements: 84 credit hours of law courses; 34 credit hours of SPEA courses; research paper.
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Combined Doctor of Jurisprudence/Master of Public Health (J.D./M.P.H.)
The joint J.D./M.P.H. degree is designed for students who want to understand and shape the role of the law in promoting public health or in regulating the financing and delivery of health care services. Professional opportunities include government health or environmental agencies, private firms, and universities. Candidates will study law courses their first year, mostly public health courses their second year, and primarily law courses in their third and fourth years, including internships in health or environmental law. Students are required to complete a research paper on a topic that addresses both law and health; this paper satisfies both the Advanced Research and Writing Requirement in the School of Law and the concentration project in the Department of Public Health.
Requirements: 82 credit hours of law courses; 37 credit hours of public health courses; research paper.
Return to Joint Degree Programs
For application materials and additional information, contact the admissions office of the IU School of Law—Indianapolis at (317) 274-2459, or:
J.D/M.B.A.
J.D./M.P.A. and J.D./M.H.A.
J.D./M.P.H. Return to Joint Degree Programs
Concentration in Advocacy Skills
Students may pursue a Concentration in Advocacy Skills by satisfying the curricular requirements outlined in this section. The concentration would follow one of two tracks: the Civil Practice Track or the Criminal Practice Track. The curriculum for the concentration consists of three required core classes shared by both tracks, a variety of advanced courses common to both tracks, and advanced elective courses specific to each track. A student would complete a minimum of 24 hours to achieve the Advocacy Skills Concentration.
Students must receive a "satisfactory" completion of any clinical course requirement in the concentration. They also must complete the concentration with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA in all of the graded courses in the concentration and must attain a grade of B- in each course counted toward the concentration. A student who receives a grade below B- in one of the elective courses cannot count that elective toward the concentration requirements, but may enroll in an additional course from the list of elective courses within the concentration to satisfy the requirement.
Students wishing to pursue the concentration must complete an "Intent to Concentrate Form," from the Recorder. For students who complete the Concentration in Advocacy Skills, documentation of their concentration will be included on their official law school transcript.
Required Core Courses for Both Tracks
Advanced Elective Courses for Both Tracks
Civil Advocacy Track Required Courses
Civil Advocacy Track Elective Courses
Criminal Advocacy Track Required Courses
Criminal Advocacy Track Elective Courses
Concentration in Health Care Law
Students can graduate with a Concentration in Health Care Law by satisfying the following curricular requirements and completing a substantial research and writing component (which is satisfied through the Seminar in Law and Medicine). Students must complete the concentration with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA in all of the courses in the concentration and must attain at least a grade of B- in each course counted toward the concentration. A student who enrolls in more than the required number of courses need not include the extra courses in the minimum GPA calculation. Upon a showing of good cause, a student who earns a C+ in either Administrative Law or Business Associations, but not both, may petition the Student Affairs Committee for a waiver of the B- requirement for that single course. A student who receives a grade below B- in one of the elective courses cannot count that elective toward the concentration requirements but may enroll in an additional course from the list of elective courses within the concentration to satisfy the requirements.
Required Core Courses
Advanced Courses (4 required)
Research and Writing (required)
Master of Laws (LL.M.) in American Law for Foreign Lawyers
This graduate degree program was implemented in the fall semester of 2002. The program imparts practical and theoretical knowledge in selected areas of American law, together with the skills of legal research, analysis, and communication. It provides graduates with enhanced opportunities for law-related employment, including diversification of existing law practices. It also enriches the legal education of the law school's J.D. students through their contacts and interactions with foreign law graduates and lawyers. The associate dean for graduate studies, with the assistance of the program coordinator, oversees the program.
To be eligible for admission, an applicant must hold an academic degree in law from an educational institution in a foreign country or be licensed to practice law in a foreign jurisdiction. A successful applicant must document academic achievement and professional accomplishment. In addition, an eligible applicant for whom English is a second language must achieve a score of 550 or better on the paper-based TOEFL (or the computer-based equivalent) or a comparable IELTS score. English language competency must also be demonstrated by satisfactory performance on an ESL placement test administered on the IUPUI campus; where necessary, ESL course work at IUPUI will be required as a condition of enrollment.
To qualify for the LL.M. degree, a student must successfully complete a total of 24 credit hours, including 6 credit hours in three required courses and 18 credit hours in elective courses selected from the J.D. curriculum, including basic courses, advanced courses, and credit-bearing internships. The required courses are Introduction to the American Legal System (2 cr., fall term) and Legal Analysis, Research, and Communication for LL.M. Students (2 cr., fall term/2 cr. spring term). An LL.M. thesis is not required. However, upon successful completion of a 4 credit research paper in the elective course, Advanced Research, and upon recommendation of the supervising faculty member, the paper may be denominated an "LL.M. thesis." A student mentor from the J.D. program is assigned to each LL.M. student.
Students are expected to complete the program in one academic year. In the summer following completion of LL.M. course work, students are invited to participate in a three-week Judicial Observation Internship or a Law Firm Observation Internship.
Required Courses for the LL.M. are:
Introduction to the American Legal System (2 cr.) DN500 will familiarize LL.M. students with the judicial function in tripartite government (separation of powers, judicial independence, and judicial review of legislative and executive authority), the structure of American judicial systems (organization and functions of trial and appellate courts), the role of federal courts in the federal system (subject matter jurisdiction and allocation of power), the basics of legal methodology, and the work of lawyers in an adversary system.
Legal Analysis, Research, and Communication for LL.M. Students I and II (2-2 cr.) DN 520-DN521 will inculcate the skills needed to analyze and apply American law, to access the law through techniques of legal research, and to communicate effectively with legal audiences.
For more information, contact:
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