Baylor Law School - Academics

Academics

Unlike the rest of Baylor's programs, the Baylor Law School operates on a quarter system; a student may begin classes in either February (spring quarter), May (summer quarter), or August (fall quarter). The Law School also has four graduating classes per year (coinciding with the end of each quarter including the winter quarter). Each matriculate class has a separate application pool, and applicants are required to apply to the quarter in which they would like to begin (if a student wants to be considered for admission in different quarters a separate application package is required for each).

Each year consists of three quarters, with students taking off the fourth quarter between years (or using it to make up any classes).

First-year students are required to take 13 mandatory courses (42 hours) with no electives. In addition to a one hour introductory class to law and the legal profession, the courses are in criminal law; civil procedure, criminal procedure; legislation, administrative power and procedure (LAPP); contracts (I and II); torts (I and II); property (I and II); and legal analysis, research and communication (LARC, I and II).

The second-year program consists of a mix of mandatory and elective courses. The five mandatory classes (which must be taken in the student's fourth and fifth quarters) are basic tax and accounting, constitutional law, remedies, business organization (I), and trust and estates (I). At this point students can choose to concentrate in one of seven areas (administrative practice, business litigation, business transactions, criminal practice, estate planning, intellectual property, and general civil litigation), though a concentration is not required for graduation.

The third-year program consists primarily of four mandatory "Practice Court" classes. The classes (taught at Baylor since 1922) are designed for law students who will practice law before the courts, but are mandatory for all law students. The first three classes (Professional Responsibility and Practice Court I and II) must be taken as a package (and students cannot be enrolled in any other courses during that period); Practice Court III must be taken immediately thereafter in the following quarter (and though students may take electives, any elective cannot be in a class scheduled after 2:15 PM).

In addition to the standard Juris Doctor degree, Baylor Law students can obtain a combined JD with either the Master of Business Administration, Master of Taxation, or Master of Public Policy and Administration degree.

For more information see the Baylor Law School catalog .