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    Mar 29, 2024  
2021-2022 Law School Student Handbook 
    
2021-2022 Law School Student Handbook [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Juris Doctor (Trial and Evidence Program - 1st STEP), JD


Students must complete 88 units to graduate. In addition to the requirements listed here, students will complete approximately 23 units of electives. Electives include additional units from the lists below and other classes on a variety of subjects listed in the course schedules each term.

Required Courses - 43 units


The following 43 units are used to calculate a students’ required course GPAs for purposes of academic standing  and merit scholarship eligibility:

Additional Requirements & Elective Courses - 45 units


Complete a minimum of 45 units from LAW or LLM prefix/subject courses, including the units used to satisfy the California Bar Exam Subject, Experiential Learning, and Upper-Division Writing course requirements below. Note: Although students are required to complete the requirements listed below, these units are not included in calculating their required courses GPAs for Academic Standing  purposes.

STEP Additional Required Courses


STEP program students are required to complete the following courses during their first summer session in addition to one required course (LAW 804 Evidence ), but they are not included in the calculation of their required courses GPAs. Only the 43 units of required courses that are applicable to all JD students are included in students’ required courses GPAs.

Upper Division Writing Courses - At least 4 units


To satisfy the Upper Division Writing Requirement, all students entering in or after Fall 2019 must complete at least 4 units from a number of upper division courses which have been certified as meeting the requirement.

  • Students must complete at least 2 units of their upper division writing requirement from practice-based courses in the Upper Division Legal Writing Program (UDLWP) listed below.

Courses in the UDLWP are those where students engage in practice-based writing involving independent research and an oral presentation, culminating in work product totaling 20 pages (approximately 5,000 words) for which students are assessed through written feedback from a faculty member and where students engage in a rewrite of a draft implementing feedback from at least one conference with a faculty member.

  • Students may satisfy up to 2 units of their upper division writing requirement through scholarly writing courses listed below.

Practice-based Courses (Upper Division Legal Writing Program)


Scholarly Writing Courses


(No more than 2 units will count towards the requirement)

Upper Division Experiential Courses - At least 6 units


  • All students are required to complete at least 6 units of Upper Division Experiential Coursework. Students graduating in the full-time day program must complete at least 3 of these units through a clinic, externship or field placement (“Non-Simulation Courses”) listed below.
  • Students graduating in the part-time program may complete all 6 units of this requirement with Simulation Courses, but are strongly encouraged to complete at least 3 units through Non-Simulation Courses.

Non-Simulation Courses


Simulation Courses


Course Schedule and Advising Appointments


Course schedule information may be found on the Law School’s Course Offerings web page. All students are encouraged to schedule academic advising appointments with Law Student Support by emailing lawstudentsupport@ggu.edu or by calling 415-442-6615.