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Policy 6-219: Graduate Studies and Degrees, Juris Doctor

Revision 0. Effective date: June 10, 1980

  1. Purpose and Scope
    1. (Reserved)
  2. Definitions
    1. (Reserved)
  3. Policy: Requirements for the Degree of Juris Doctor
    1. The College of Law may offer courses of study leading to the degree Juris Doctor (J.D.) and may award diplomas and certificates evidencing the successful completion of the law degree programs.
    2. The minimum qualifications required for admission to the College of Law shall include, but need not be limited to, the following:
      1. attainment of at least the age of nineteen years;
      2. the completion of secondary or high school work requisite for regular matriculation in the university;
      3. either -
        1. satisfactory completion of at least 92 semester hours of substantive-theoretic, undergraduate course work with an acceptable honors points to credit hours ration (cumulative) average in an in-residence, academic, course of study at an accredited college or university;
          1. or
        2. successful completion of a baccalaureate degree program and receipt of that degree with an acceptable honors points to credit hours ratio (cumulative) average in an in- residence, academic, course of study at an accredited college or university;
      4. satisfactory completion of at least the subject and group requirements of the general education program of the University of Utah or its equivalent requirements of the college or university last attended by the candidate.
        1. Proficiency examinations for which credit is awarded may be accepted toward fulfillment of subject or group requirements of the general education program; however, such credit shall not be accepted as in-residence, academic, course work toward the minimum undergraduate credit requirements for admission to the College of Law.
    3. Nontheory courses in military science, hygiene, domestic and industrial arts, physical education, recreation, vocal or instrumental music, practice teaching, teaching method and techniques, and such other courses determined by the law faculty to be of similar nontheory content are not acceptable in fulfilling admission requirements; provided, however, that nontheory course work required in college or university degree-conferring programs may be accepted in an amount not to exceed ten percent of the total substantive- theoretic course work credits acceptable in fulfilling admission requirements.
    4. Any applicant for admission, who has attained at least the age of twenty-three, but who cannot otherwise meet the requirements for regular admission, may be admitted as a special, nonmatriculated student whenever:
      1. the law faculty determines that the experience and training of the candidate has specially equipped the candidate to engage successfully in the study of law;
      2. by the special qualifications being evaluated, the candidate for special admission is determined by the law faculty to have qualifications of distinction substantially equivalent to the background and academic achievement profiles of candidates admitted for the regular admission to the College of Law in the particular entering class for which admission is being sought;
      3. the law faculty determines that under the circumstances, the enrollment and attendance of such special students would not otherwise preclude admission to the College of Law of a candidate for admission in the degree conferring programs; and
      4. upon recommendation of the admissions committee and the law faculty, the candidate is approved by the president for admission. Students gaining a special admission to the College of Law shall in no case be or become candidate for a degree in law unless subsequently qualified and admitted in the degree-conferring programs.
    5. Students matriculated and registered in other colleges of the university must meet the requirements for admission and be admitted to the College of Law in order to register for any law courses.
    6. A candidate for admission to the College of Law seeking advanced standing may be admitted whenever the candidate otherwise qualifies for admission in the degree conferring-programs and meets the standards and qualifications for the transfer of law credits as prescribed and administered by the law faculty; provided, however, no credit awarded by any other accredited college or school of law shall be transferable when the grade-mark received in the course or courses involved is below 2.00 ("C") honor points to credit hours ratio, or its equivalent, pursuant to grade-mark standards and practices of the College of Law.
    7. Academic and professional standards for retention in the various law programs may be prescribed and administered by the law faculty as it may determine; provided, however, that no student shall be graduated or conferred a law degree who fails to attain at least a 2.00 or ("C") honor points to credit hours ratio (cumulative) average in all law course work pursuant to regulations and grade-mark practices pertaining to the College of Law.
    8. Candidate for the J.D. degree must have satisfied the following minimum requirements subsequent to being admitted to the College of Law in the degree conferring programs:
      1. satisfactory completion of at least 90 full weeks of an in-residence course of study under a three- year professional law curriculum;
      2. satisfactory completion of at least 110 semester credit (88 law) hours in a course of study of professional law work approved by the law faculty;
      3. satisfactory completion of all mandatory course work as determined by the law faculty; and
      4. attainment of at least a 2.00 (or "C") honor points to credit hours ratio (cumulative) average in all law course work pursuant to the regulations and grade-mark practice pertaining to the College of Law.
    9. Graduate of the College of Law who previously qualified for and received the degree of Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) may be awarded the degree of Juris Doctor (J.D.) at such times and under such administrative conditions as may be prescribed by the faculty of the College of Law.
    10. The faculty of the College of Law shall prescribe and administer such rules, regulations, policies, and practices effecting, clarifying, defining or qualifying the above stated faculty regulations to conform with the standards of the American Bar Association, or of the Association of American Law Schools, and otherwise as it may determine in the best interests of the College of Law to effect a liberal construction of the tenor and spirit of these regulations in providing high quality, professional legal education.
  4. Rules, Procedures, Guidelines, Forms and other related resources
    1. Rules
    2. Procedures
    3. Guidelines
    4. Forms
    5. Other related resource materials
  5. References:
    1. (Reserved)
  6. Contacts:
    1. The designated contact officials for this Regulation are

    2. Policy Owners (primary contact person for questions and advice): Dean of the College of Law.
    3. Policy Officers: Sr. Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Sr. Vice President for Health Sciences
    4. See University Rule 1-001 for information about the roles and authority of policy owners and policy officers. 

    5. History:
    1. Approved: University Senate 3/3/80
    2. Approved: Institutional Council 3/10/80
    3. Editorially revised to remove gendered language on April 1, 2022.




Policy: 6-219 Rev:0
Date: June 10, 1980

Last Updated: 4/4/22