Juris Doctor (JD) Requirements     

Course Requirements

All JD students are required to take the following courses.

1. The first-year curriculum in its entirety (Rule 3.01):

Fall Semester (15 total credits)
Law 711: Contracts (4 cr)
Law 714: Civil Procedure (4 cr)
Law 726: Criminal Law & Procedure (4 cr)
Law 722: Legal Analysis, Advocacy, & Writing I (3 cr)

Spring Semester (15 total credits)
Law 715: Torts (4 cr)
Law 724: Property (4 cr)
Law 731: Constitutional Law (4 cr)
Law 723: Legal Analysis, Advocacy, & Writing II (3 cr)

  2. One Professional Responsibilities course (Rule 3.12):

Law 850: Professional Responsibilities (3 credits) OR
Law 798: Professional Responsibility and Criminal Practice (2 credits)

Note: Students may not use a Professional Responsibilities course to meet the Upper-Level Writing or Experiential Learning Requirement in the same semester.

  3. One course that meets Rule 3.03: According to ABA Standard 303(c), “A law school shall provide education to law students on  bias, cross-cultural competency, and racism”.

Each semester, approved courses meeting this requirement will be indicated in the online Course Schedule. An approved clinical experience fulfilling Rule 3.03 may count toward the Experiential Learning requirement as well.

 4. 6 credits of Experiential Learning (Rule 3.07)

Students may complete this requirement through any combination of simulation courses (eg. Negotiations, Contract Drafting, or Lawyering Skills), clinical courses (Law 854 courses), or externships (Law 855 courses).

Note: Students may not use an Experiential Learning course to meet the Upper-Level Writing or Professional Responsibility Requirement in the same semester.

  5. Upper-Level Writing Requirement (Rule 3.11.1) – do NOT leave this requirement to your final semester

Completion of a rigorous, faculty-supervised writing experience subsequent to the completion of the 1L curriculum, to include:

• • • • • At least 20 pages (double-spaced) of written work
        • Timely submission of a draft of the paper to the faculty supervisor who will provide feedback on the writing
        • Timely submission of a final version of the paper to the faculty supervisor incorporating the feedback

Students may meet this requirement through one of the following:

• • • • • Enrolling in a course listed as “LW eligible” on the online Course Schedule. Note: students must check with the instructor on the first day of class to ensure they understand any requirements and/or deadlines necessary for satisfactory completion, OR
        • Working directly with a faculty member who has agreed to supervise the work either through an approved Directed Research project, appropriate journal material, or ad hoc.   

Approval & Completion Process

Students who have turned final versions of their papers in to their faculty supervisors, should complete the Upper-Level Writing Requirement form found in their My Student Info portal on the Law School website.  The form is then routed to the faculty supervisor for their approval and then to the Registrar, who will email the student directly to confirm the requirement is complete.

Note: Students may not use an Experiential Learning course or Professional Responsibilities course to meet the Upper-Level Writing Requirement in the same semester.

Credit Requirements

To earn a JD from the University of Wisconsin Law School, students must complete 90 total credits. Of these, 64 credits must be comprised of courses with regularly scheduled class sessions or direct faculty instruction ABA Standard 311(a).

Examples of law courses that do not count toward the “64-credit rule” include law journals, externships, directed research/reading, and most Moot and Mock Trial experiences. 

Consult the online Course Schedule to confirm individual course credit totals.

Grade Point Average Requirement

No less than a 2.0 cumulative grade point average is required in order to graduate. On the Law School’s grading scale, a 2.0 translates to a C average. A student’s grade point is calculated at the conclusion of each semester and appears on the unofficial Law School transcript accessible through My Student Info. 

The full grading scale is as follows:

Grade	GPA
A+	4.3
A	4.0
A-	3.7
B+	3.3
B	3.0
B-	2.7
C+	2.3
C	2.0
C-	1.7
D+	1.3
D	1.0
D-	0.7
F	0

Note: Coursework transferred in from other law schools or completed through a study abroad program, an approved non-law course, or as part of a dual degree program does not count in a student’s Law School grade point average.

A tool for calculating grade point

Residency Requirement

According to Law School Rule 9.01(1)(c), a "minimum of 50 credits must be earned as a JD candidate in this Law School for a student to be entitled to receive a JD from Wisconsin." Students transferring to Wisconsin with a significant number of credits earned previously may need more than 90 credits total to earn a JD from Wisconsin. 

Credits that are part of a Law School study abroad exchange program are considered "in residence."

Time Limitation

According to Law School Rule 7.06, students must complete all JD degree requirements within six years from the commencement of law studies – whether at Wisconsin or another institution. Transfer students needing to complete at least 50 credits to meet the residency requirement should be aware of this limitation and plan accordingly. Extensions of time may be granted by the Retentions Committee.

Military service does not typically count against this time period.

Students who complete 90 total credits and fulfill all other JD degree requirements may be graduated, regardless of any remaining requirements needed to complete Diploma Privilege.

Distance Education 

Law students are not permitted to earn more than one-third of the credits required for the JD degree through distance education courses (that is, no more than 30 credits of 90 credit total). Per ABA Standards, a 'distance education course' is one in which "students are separated from the faculty member or each other for more than one-third of the instruction and the instruction involves the use of technology to support regular and substantive interaction among the students and between the students and the faculty member, either synchronously or asynchronously." 

Currently, the Law School does not offer sufficient distance education courses for a student to exceed 30 credits; however, students who study as a 'visitor' at another law school --or who take non-law distance education courses elsewhere on campus-- should be aware of this 30-credit limitation, as it could prevent credits from being applied toward the JD degree.

Wisconsin Diploma Privilege Requirements

Diploma Privilege is unique to Wisconsin and allows students to practice without taking a bar exam if they successfully complete the following requirements:

1.      Earn the JD.
   
   
2.       Complete Law 801: Evidence and Law 734: Trusts & Estates.
   
   
3. Meet the 60-credit rule: Of the 90 credits required for the JD, 60 credits must be met by taking courses that qualify under Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule  40.03, requiring that students complete“…regular law school courses having as their primary and direct purpose the study of rules and principles of substantive and procedural law as they may arise in the courts and administrative agencies of the United States and this state.” These determinations are made by the Dean for Academic Affairs.
   
   
4.      Maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average in both the Mandatory Subject Matter courses and courses taken to count toward the 60-credit rule. On the Law School’s grading scale, a 2.0 translates to a C average.   

• • • • Mandatory Subject Matter courses are: Contracts, Civil Procedure, Criminal Law & Procedure, Torts, Property, Constitutional Law, Professional Responsibilities, Evidence, and Trusts & Estates.

Exceptions to the 60-credit rule
Certain courses are capped at a maximum number of credits that can be counted toward the 60-credit rule. The exceptions are as follows:

Course	Credits to 90-credit rule	Credits to 64-credit rule	Credits to 60-credit rule	Credits to Experiential Learning
Clinics & Externships	All	Depends on the clinic or externship	5	All
Professional Responsibilities	All	All	1	0
Trial Advocacy	All	Instructor-led classes count; competitions do not	4	All

Alternative Ways to Earn Credit

Non-law coursework

Study Abroad

Students interested in study abroad should consult with the Registrar to ensure they can meet all the necessary degree requirements before committing to any program. It is not recommended for students to study abroad their final semester.

Prior to departure, it is important to provide course descriptions and syllabi to the Registrar for review. The Dean of Academic Affairs will assess courses for transfer credit so that students can better prepare for the remainder of their academic requirements upon returning.

Students are responsible for ensuring their transcript from the host school is sent to the Registrar. A grade of C or better is required in order to earn credit for each course. However, all grades will appear as either S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory) on both the campus and law school transcripts. These courses are not factored into the Law School grade point average.

For specific program details, visit the Study Abroad website.

Semester at another law school

Students interested in studying law at another ABA-approved U.S. law school should consult with the Registrar to ensure they can meet all the necessary degree requirements before committing to any program. It is not recommended for students to spend their final semester at another law school.

Prior to departure, it is important to provide course descriptions and syllabi to the Registrar for review. The Dean of Academic Affairs will assess courses for transfer credit so that students can better prepare for the remainder of their academic requirements upon returning.

Students are responsible for ensuring their transcript from the host school is sent to the Registrar. A grade of C or better is required in order to earn credit for each course. However, all grades will appear as either S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory) on both the campus and law school transcripts. These courses are not factored into the Law School grade point average. 

Applying for Diploma Privilege 

The Wisconsin Board of Bar Examiners (BBE) is tasked with certifying all qualified candidates for practice. Application instructions and materials are found here. The application opens in early October for the following year. 

•  Review the application deadlines carefully to avoid paying a higher fee to apply.
   
  

  Month of Graduation	Reduced fee deadline	Final deadline
  May	mid-December	Beginning of July
  August	mid-March	Beginning of October
  December	mid-July	Beginning of February

• Note that if the final deadline is missed, students forfeit the opportunity to apply for Diploma Privilege and will have to sit for the bar to practice in Wisconsin.

The application process will take time, so begin as soon as possible. Applicants are asked to provide character references, employment verification, driving abstracts, and criminal history; follow-up items may be requested as well, depending on where a person has lived or worked. Be especially vigilant in checking email for any required follow-up.

• Applicants request their official transcripts following these instructions. These are NOT provided by the Law School.
• The Registrar will arrange for and provide the Dean's Certificate. 

Staff from the BBE visit each fall to answer questions and provide guidance, so reviewing the required material before this visit is essential.

Swearing-In Before the Wisconsin Supreme Court

All candidates for Diploma Privilege who have been vetted and approved by the BBE must be formally admitted to the State Bar of Wisconsin. To faciliate this process, the Law School arranges for a group swearing-in ceremony held at the end of May for May graduates and in January for December graduates. Due to the small number of August graduates, there is no group swearing-in ceremony but arrangements are made directly with the court.

Instructions for this event will be provided by the BBE in conjunction with the Law School and communicated to all eligible candidates.

Any candidate who is unable to attend a group ceremony will be contacted by the BBE and provided information about alternative dates.

Federal Courts of Wisconsin

Wisconsin has two federal district courts: the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts. Note that candidates for Diploma Privilege are not required to apply to practice in federal court.

Consult the relevant website below to learn more about these courts and the application process:

U.S. District Courts for the Eastern District website

• Application instructions

U.S. District Courts for the Western District website

• Application instructions
• A group swearing-in ceremony for qualified candidates is held each May on the same day as the swearing-in ceremony for the Wisconsin bar. Instructions for this event will be provided by the court in conjunction with the Law School and communicated to all eligible candidates. This event is not required - the oath can be taken without an in-person appearance. 

Bar Admission in States Other than Wisconsin 

Anyone intending to practice in another state should review the relevant state bar website for deadlines and instructions. A comprehensive guide is found here.

Many states require two items from the Registrar: character and fitness confirmation and JD certification. Be on the lookout for any forms (e.g. Illinois), letters (e.g. Michigan), or electronic requests (e.g. Colorado) that must be routed to the Registrar for completion and submission to that state's bar. 

If an official transcript is required, it must be requested following these instructions.

Graduation Information

The Law School "Hooding Ceremony" is held specifically for Law students and takes place the second Friday in May at the Monona Terrace. Information and updates can be found on the Law School’s Commencement page. Although this event is held in May, students graduating in December, May, or August may participate.

Students are also welcome to participate in one of the campus commencement ceremonies held in December or May. Note that these events are open to the entirety of campus. Details can be found on the UW Commencement website.

Checklist specific to Law students:

• Eligibility to graduate: be on the lookout for personalized email from the Registrar with updates on progress to degree; communicate any schedule changes that may impact eligibility
  
  
• Complete the graduation survey: sent by the Registrar in September; questions pertain to graduation plans, upper level writing completion, and Diploma Privilege requirements.
  
  
• Apply to graduate: review and update name to be listed on diploma and mailing address
  
  
• Apply for Diploma Privilege, federal district court(s), and/or other state bars
  
  
• View the UW's Graduation Checklist for all UW students.