Juris Doctor (JD) Degree

To be an effective advocate, a lawyer must have a broad range of knowledge of the law. He or she must also have excellent analytical, research, writing and advocacy skills. GW Law’s curriculum and diverse academic opportunities are designed to give students the skills they need to perform at their best in any setting be it a large or small firm, public interest organization, government agency, academia or the judiciary and in every capacity as counselor, litigator, mediator, negotiator, legislator or lobbyist. 

After the completion of the required curriculum, JD students have a vast domain of courses from which to choose in their remaining years of study. The extensive curriculum is intended to offer students substantial freedom to tailor their programs to their own interests and goals. In addition, some students choose to pursue a particular one of the many offered Areas of Study of the law in special depth. 

To broaden students’ experience beyond the traditional classroom setting, the law school offers a wide variety of clinical courses, simulation courses and outside placement options in which students have the opportunity to learn lawyering and other advocacy skills in several contexts. These courses permit students to complement the theoretical study of law with experience in interviewing clients, investigating facts, dealing with adverse parties, contacting government agencies, negotiating on behalf of clients and participating in real or hypothetical court and administrative proceedings.

Entrance Requirements

To be considered for admission as a candidate for the Juris Doctor degree, an applicant must have a bachelor’s degree awarded by a regionally accredited US college or university or equivalent degree from a recognized non-US institution and must have taken the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), Graduate Record Examination (GRE), or other graduate-level test within the past five years unless they are eligible for test-optional admission as described below. There are no inflexible standards for admission, nor are there minimum undergraduate grade-point averages or test scores. However, applicants whose undergraduate records and test scores indicate a high probability of success in law study are more likely to be admitted. Other factors in the admission decision include the applicant’s personal statement, undergraduate school attended, major and trend in grades, personal achievements and letters of recommendation. GW Law seeks academic, social, cultural, and geographical diversity in its student body.

Information concerning the LSAT may be obtained from the law school’s Admissions Office or from the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). Applicants applying through the Junior Early Action Program (GW undergraduate juniors) may submit SAT or ACT scores in lieu of a graduate-level test.

In 2024, GW Law received a variance from the American Bar Association which allows test-optional admission for certain JD candidates. Test-optional applicants must have significant experience through either 1) employment (at least 5 years), 2) military service, 3) patent bar passage, 4) doctoral programs, or 5) social entrepreneurship. Test-optional candidates must not have a reportable LSAT score. Candidates should contact the Admissions Office if they have questions about eligibility. 

Admissions Process

An applicant to the JD degree program may apply to attend as either a full-time or part-time student. Beginning JD degree students may matriculate only in the fall semester. Since admission decisions are made on a rolling basis, applicants are urged to submit application forms and complete credentials well in advance of the March 1 deadline.

Applicants should register with the Credential Assembly Service (CAS). A transcript from each college or university attended should then be sent directly to LSAC. Transcripts from U.S. institutions must be sent to LSAC, 662 Penn Street, Box 2000-M, Newtown, PA 18940. Transcripts from foreign institutions must be sent to LSAC, 662 Penn Street, Box 8502, Newtown, PA 18940. The CAS will analyze the transcript(s) and send a copy to all law schools to which an applicant has applied. Prior to enrollment, students must submit via LSAC a final official transcript showing evidence of the receipt of a bachelor’s degree.

Advanced Standing (Transfer Students)

Students may transfer to the law school after completing one year of legal studies at a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). The primary factor considered in an admission decision is the student’s first-year performance. No applicant will be accepted for transfer who is ineligible to return in good standing to a previously attended law school. Transfer students may apply for admission to the law school for either the fall or spring semester. The deadlines for submission of transfer applications are June 15 for the fall semester and November 15 for the spring semester.

Students may transfer a maximum of 31 credit hours from prior studies at an ABA-accredited law school; in order for a course to be eligible for transfer credit, a grade of C- or better (under the previous school’s grading system) must have been earned. Students who seek to transfer credits from an ABA-accredited law school are prohibited from seeking advanced standing for law studies outside the United States. All courses for which credit hours are transferred will be reflected on the law school transcript with grades of Transfer (TR). Transferred credit hours will have no effect on the law school grade-point average. Transfer students are eligible for all academic honors and awards conferred by GW Law.

All students are required to complete the required first-year curriculum. A transfer student who, upon matriculation, has not completed one or more of these courses at their prior law school must complete any required course the first time the class is offered for the student’s program. Transfer students must earn at least 45 graded credits at GW Law and can count no more than 8 Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) towards the 84-credit requirement.

GW Law publishes information to supplement the Bulletin that summarizes academic rules and regulations that apply to transfer students; all students who transfer to the law school are responsible for conforming to its requirements. The supplement is provided to students upon their admission.

Transfer Early Action

Applicants who apply for fall transfer admission by March 1 will automatically be considered through the law school’s Early Action Program and will be notified of a decision by early April.

An applicant must have three reported grades from the first semester on their official law school transcript. Second semester grades are not needed to apply through Early Action, though admission is contingent upon maintaining a B average for the remaining first-year courses. Admission through Early Action is non-binding.

Non-U.S. Law School Graduates

A limited number of graduates of non-U.S. law schools who wish to prepare for law practice in the United States may be admitted to the JD program. A student in this program who completes 28 credit hours of coursework at the law school with a grade-point average of 2.0 or above may petition the Academic Scholarship Committee to be granted up to 28 hours of advanced standing for law studies outside the U.S. and thereby earn the JD degree in two years.

Students who seek advanced standing for law studies outside the U.S. are prohibited from transferring credits from an ABA-accredited law school. Students granted advanced standing must earn at least 48 graded credits and can count no more than 8 Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) towards the 84-credit requirement.

The deadline for seeking advanced standing is June 1 after the student’s 1L year or within one month of completing the first-year curriculum.

Master of Laws–Juris Doctor Transfer Program

Non-U.S. law school graduates enrolled in the law school’s LLM program may apply for admission to the JD program for the year following completion of their LLM degree. A limited number of outstanding students will be offered admission each year. Students admitted through this program may begin JD studies in the fall semester of the year of their admission only.

To be considered for transfer admission applicants must do the following:

1. notify the JD Admissions Office ([email protected]) in writing of their interest by February 1 of their second semester of LLM enrollment;
2. successfully complete at least one course from the required JD curriculum during their first semester of LLM enrollment.

In addition, applicants must request that copies of all official records from prior academic institutions attended and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores be sent from the Graduate and International Programs Office to the JD Admissions Office; these documents and a completed JD transfer application with GW Law transcript, submitted via LSAC, are due in the JD Admissions Office by May 15. Please note that LLM-JD applicants are not required to submit an LSAT or other graduate-level test for transfer admission.​

Students admitted to the JD program will be treated as transfer students. Upon beginning the JD program, they will receive 28 credits of advanced standing for legal studies completed outside of the United States. Students can thus complete the LLM degree in one year and the JD degree in an additional two years. The law school is committed to providing administrative and other similar logistical support for LLM-JD transfer students.

Visiting (Unclassified) Students

A law student who is in good academic standing as a degree candidate at an ABA-approved law school may be admitted to GW Law as an unclassified student and earn credit for transfer to their law school. Students may apply for visiting student status during the fall, spring or summer semesters. Admission will be based on the availability of space.

The deadlines for application materials are June 15 for the fall semester, November 15 for the spring semester and May 1 for the summer session.

This Bulletin provides academic rules and regulations that apply to all students; all visiting students are responsible for conforming to its requirements.

Degree Requirements

To earn the Juris Doctor degree, students must satisfactorily meet the following academic requirements:

1. completion of 84 credit hours, 67 (45 for transfer students) of which must have been taken for a letter grade;
2. fulfillment of the enrollment unit requirement;
3. completion of each course in the required curriculum with a passing grade; and maintenance of the minimum grade-point average of 2.00.

A student may complete coursework in excess of these requirements during their final semester of enrollment, but may not register for additional credits in a subsequent semester as a Juris Doctor candidate without the prior approval of the Academic Scholarship Committee.

Timing for Completion of Degree

A student is permitted to complete the JD degree no earlier than 24 months and, except in extraordinary circumstances, no later than 84 months after a student has commenced law study at GW Law or at a law school from which GW Law has accepted transfer credit. Students seeking to demonstrate extraordinary circumstances under this rule will be required to petition the Academic Scholarship Committee.

Transfer Between the Full-Time and Part-Time (Evening) Programs

After the first semester, students may, with the permission of the Dean of Students Office, transfer from one program to another, but should be aware that there may be enrollment requirement consequences (see below). Transferring between programs will affect a student’s financial aid including automatic forfeiture of merit scholarships.

Students initially enrolled in the part-time (evening) program may, with the permission of the Dean of Students Office, transfer to the full-time program as early as their second semester. Students who are permitted to pursue this option after completion of the first semester must take all required first-year curriculum courses in the evening. In addition, such students must make up 3 or more credit hours during summer sessions in order to fulfill enrollment and other degree requirements and be eligible to graduate in three years.

See Enrollment Requirement, Required Curriculum and Academic Workload, below, for regulations governing the full-time and part-time (evening) programs and the full- time/part-time option. Additional information is available from the Dean of Students Office.

Enrollment Requirement

Candidates for the Juris Doctor degree must complete 6 enrollment units in order to graduate.

A student who is enrolled full-time during the entire course of their program of study will accumulate 6 enrollment units in 6 semesters. A student who is enrolled part-time during the entire course of their program of study and who has paid the equivalent of 84 or more credit hours of tuition will be deemed to have satisfied the enrollment requirement for graduation. Students who switch between full- and part-time status will accumulate enrollment units based on the number of credit hours taken each semester or summer session.

Students should seek the advice of the Dean of Students Office concerning fulfillment of this requirement, especially if they plan to participate in an exchange program or enroll as a visiting student at another law school.

Credit hours are equivalent to enrollment units as follows:

Full-Time Status

12+ credits = 1 unit

Part-Time Status

11 credits = .8 units

10 credits = .7 units

9 credits = .65 units

8 credits = .6 units

7 credits = .5 units

6 credits = .4 units

5 credits = .35 units

4 credits = .3 units

3 credits = .2 units

2 credits = .15 units

1 credit = .075 units

Required Curriculum

Full-Time Day Program

Full-time students in the day program must take the following schedule in their first year:

• fall semester—Contracts, Torts, Civil Procedure and Fundamentals of Lawyering I;
• spring semester— Property, Legislation and Regulation, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law I and Fundamentals of Lawyering II.

During the second or third year of study, all full-time program students must take Law 6218, Professional Responsibility and Ethics and fulfill the legal writing requirement and the experiential learning requirement. Students must enroll in coursework to fulfill these three requirements for a letter grade, except when journal participation is used to satisfy the legal writing requirement or a clinical course offered only on a non-letter grade basis is used to satisfy the experiential learning requirement.

Part-Time (Evening) Program

Part-time (evening) program students must take the following schedule in their first and second years:

• first year, fall semester—Torts, Civil Procedure and Fundamentals of Lawyering I;
• first year, spring semester—Contracts, Criminal Law and Fundamentals of Lawyering II;
• second year, fall semester—Property, Legislation and Regulation and Constitutional Law I;
• second year, spring semester—electives.

Some required and elective courses may meet on Friday evenings or on weekend days in the fall and spring semesters.

During their second, third or fourth year of study, all part-time (evening) program students are required to take Law 6218, Professional Responsibility and Ethics, and fulfill the legal writing requirement and the experiential learning requirement. Students must enroll in coursework to fulfill these three requirements for a letter grade, except when journal participation is used to satisfy the legal writing requirement or a clinical course offered only on a non-letter grade basis is used to satisfy the experiential requirement. In no case may a student fulfill both the legal writing requirement and the experiential learning requirement through the same course.

Legal Writing Requirement

Completion of a 2-credit course that is graded on the basis of a research paper (not examination) is required for the Juris Doctor degree. To satisfy the legal writing requirement, the written work must be based on sound legal research, consist of a single paper of no less than 8,000 words including footnotes, conform to the legal citation rules recognized and adopted by the law school and receive a grade of B- or better. All drafts and the final paper must conform to legal citation rules and all rules outlined in the law school publication Citing Responsibly (PDF). Failure to adhere to such rules may result in a violation of the Academic Integrity Code.

Subject to the foregoing rules and the rules that follow, the legal writing requirement may be met by:

1. satisfactory completion of Law 6656, Independent Legal Writing;
2. satisfactory completion of a qualifying 2-credit seminar or other 2-credit course that requires or permits a research paper; or
3. satisfactory service on the Law Review, International Law Review, American Intellectual Property Law Association Quarterly Journal, Journal of Energy and Environmental Law, Federal Circuit Bar Journal, Public Contract Law Journal, International Law in Domestic Courts, Federal Communications Law Journal or Business and Finance Law Review.

To meet the legal writing requirement through Law 6656, Independent Legal Writing, the following additional rules apply. The course must be taken for 2 credits, work in the course must be supervised by a full-time or part-time member of the faculty and the student must submit the following for approval by the instructor by specified dates:

1. the intended topic, the intended length of the paper and an outline and
2. one or more drafts of the paper.

The draft requirement is meant to provide the student an opportunity to improve the paper. The faculty member may require or permit a revised draft.

To meet the legal writing requirement through a 2-credit seminar or other 2-credit course that requires or permits a research paper, the following additional rules apply:

1. If the instructor of the course requires fewer than 8,000 words for completion of course requirements, the instructor may choose to allow the student to write a longer paper that meets the 8,000-word requirement;
2. submission of two or more shorter papers does not meet the requirement, nor is the requirement satisfied if the student earns more than 2 credits for the course even if there are course requirements in addition to the research paper.

Law 6656 or a 2-credit seminar or other 2-credit course intended to fulfill the legal writing requirement may be graded on a Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) basis only if the student, under extraordinary circumstances, is granted permission by the Dean of Students Office to take the course under the CR/NC option or if the student is granted an extension beyond the deadline by the instructor. In either case, the student must receive a grade of B- or better for the work product in order to fulfill the legal writing requirement. The letter grade of B- or better will then be recorded as CR on the transcript.

To meet the legal writing requirement through journal participation, the work must be completed in coordination with the satisfactory completion of Law 6657, Scholarly Writing. The student must receive a grade of Honors (H) or Pass (P) for the work to fulfill the requirement.

Experiential Learning Requirement

All Juris Doctor degree students are required to complete 6 credits in courses that require students to learn and develop practical legal skills and strategic thinking through actual legal work or simulated lawyering exercises. The requirement has been established to ensure that all students develop and refine practical legal skills that include one or more of the following: problem solving, factual investigation, communication, counseling, negotiation, litigation, non-litigation advocacy, alternative dispute resolution and drafting of legal documents such as contracts, estate plans and briefs.

The requirement may be met by satisfactory completion of any course identified by the designation “Experiential” or “(E)” following the course description; should the chosen course not be devoted entirely to the skill or skills concerned, the student also must satisfactorily complete any assignments that are outside the experiential component of the course. These courses include Clinics, Field Placement, and other courses that have a significant practical component in courses designated "Experiential" or "(E)." These courses must be taken for a letter grade unless the course or courses are offered only on a Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) basis.

Bias, Cross-Cultural Competency, and Racism Education Requirement (added 4-11-2024)

For students entering law school in 2023 or later, ABA Standard 303(c) requires that all Juris Doctor degree students:

“complete education on bias, cross-cultural competency, and racism (1) at the start of the program of legal education, and (2) at least once again before graduation. For students engaged in law clinics or field placements, the second educational occasion will take place before, concurrently with, or as part of their enrollment in clinical or field placement courses.” 

The requirement has been established to reinforce the skill of cultural competency and your obligation as future lawyers to work to eliminate racism in the legal profession.  

The first requirement is completed as part of JD orientation. To fulfill the second requirement, all Juris Doctor degree students who have not enrolled in a clinic or field placement course must complete at least one course designated “(BCR).” These courses may be taken for a letter grade or on a Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) basis.

Academic Regulations

Academic Workload

Juris Doctor candidates must maintain a schedule of at least 12 credit hours per semester to be considered full-time. Candidates without substantial outside employment (no more than 20 hours per week) may take a program of study of 16 credit hours per semester.

The Dean of Students Office is authorized to approve programs of study of more than 15 credit hours in exceptional cases; however, no program will be approved that would permit the student to complete requirements for the degree in less than 28 months after beginning the first year of law study. Students with more than 20 total hours per week of outside employment take a limited program of study not exceeding 11 credit hours; the minimum load is 8 credit hours, except in special cases when fewer hours may be approved by the Dean of Students Office for a limited time.

Juris Doctor students may take a maximum of 9 credit hours in a summer session. Of those credit hours, no more than a total of 6 may be earned at other law schools’ summer programs. See Summer School Credit from Other Law Schools. In exceptional cases, the Dean of Students Office is authorized to approve summer programs of study of more than 9 credit hours.

Credit Hour Definition

A “credit hour” is an amount of work that reasonably approximates at least fifty-five (55) minutes of classroom or direct faculty instruction and one hundred thirty-eight and a half (138.5) minutes of out-of-class student work per week for thirteen (13) weeks or the equivalent amount of work over a shorter period of time. A course also must have an examination at least thirty-five (35) minutes in duration (or require equivalent work) per credit hour.

Out-of-class student work may include reading and preparation for class, work on class-related exercises, observations, assignments and projects and preparation for quizzes or examinations. In addition to the out-of-class student work while classes are in session, a significant amount of additional out-of-class student work may be required to prepare for a final examination, or for the research, writing and editing associated with the preparation of a substantial paper.

Although there is no minimum amount of in-class instruction required for simulation, field placement, clinical courses, journals and co-curricular activities, independent writing and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours, at least an equivalent amount of work as that described in the definition above is required for those activities per credit hour.

Student Employment

A student taking more than 11 hours of course work must limit outside employment to not more than 20 total hours per week. All full-time students are urged to refrain from engaging in outside employment during their first year, and the law school will not employ first-year students.

Although work may contribute to the learning and experience of the student, as a general rule it will compete with the time needed for adequate study and preparation, which are at the heart of a good legal education.

Academic Evaluation

Grades

Letter Grades are given with numerical equivalents as follows.

A+ = 4.33

A = 4.0

A− = 3.66

B+ = 3.33

B = 3.0

B− = 2.66

C+ = 2.33

C = 2.0

C− = 1.66

D = 1.0

F = 0

Credit toward the JD degree is given for all grades between D and A+ (inclusive). A JD candidate who receives a grade of F or No Credit (NC) in a required course must retake that course from the same or a different instructor. Any student who retakes a required course and receives a grade of F or NC will be excluded from further study and may not graduate unless the student petitions for and receives the permission of the Academic Scholarship Committee. A JD candidate who receives a grade of F or NC in a non-required course may retake the course once, from the same or a different instructor. All failing and NC grades remain on the record. The cumulative average of a student includes all grades earned in courses evaluated on a letter-grade basis and taken at the law school while a candidate for the degree.

The majority of courses are graded on a letter-grade basis, but for some courses (primarily those that are clinical or skills-oriented), the grade of Credit (CR) or No Credit (NC) is given or the following grading scale is used: Honors (H), Pass (P), Low Pass (LP) and No Credit (NC). For Honors, a student must do work of excellent quality, and no more than 25 percent of the class may earn this grade. For courses graded on a Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) or Honors, Pass, Low Pass or No Credit (H/P/LP/NC) basis, NC is given for work that would receive a grade below C- were evaluation to be made using the letter grade scale.

In the event of any inconsistency between statements by a course instructor or in an individual course syllabus, the deadlines, rules and statements set forth in this Bulletin will govern.

No grade may be changed by an instructor after it has been posted or disclosed to a student unless there has been an arithmetic or administrative error that has been certified in writing as such by the instructor.

A student has the right of faculty peer review of complaints of “prejudiced or capricious academic evaluation” under the regulations outlined in The George Washington University Guide to Students’ Rights and Responsibilities. To be considered for review, the student has the burden of making a prima facie case that the grade was a result of prejudiced or capricious evaluation. The student must demonstrate (with appropriate evidence) that there is no plausible relation between the grade given and the student’s performance in the class and that a reasonable person could not find that the grade was deserved. Mere disagreement with the grade is not a sufficient basis for initiating a faculty peer review. To request such a review, the student must submit a letter and supporting documentation to the Dean of Students Office by the last day of classes of the semester following the semester or summer session in which the grade for an examination, paper or other work product was awarded.

Method of Evaluation

The method of evaluation is indicated at the end of each course description in this Bulletin, and a student’s grade in the course will be determined in large part on that basis. In most courses, a final examination is held during the examination period. These courses are marked “examination.” Additional written work requirements are indicated by notations such as “drafting assignments” or “problem assignments.” Some courses are marked “take-home examination,” indicating that the instructor will determine the method by which the examination is administered outside of the classroom.

Courses that require the preparation of a major research paper in lieu of an examination are marked “research paper.” The satisfactory completion of such a paper by a student individually may satisfy the legal writing requirement for the JD degree, if the student obtains the permission of the instructor to utilize the paper for this purpose, and the paper complies in all respects with the requirements set forth by the instructor and under the Legal Writing Requirement section of this Bulletin.

Experiential Learning courses are usually graded on the basis of simulation, role-playing and/or some form of written assignment and may be marked, for example, “drafting assignments” or “simulation and paper.” In clinical courses, no method of evaluation is indicated. In such courses it is the student’s performance in both fulfilling the requirements of the academic component of the clinic and in carrying out their case work responsibilities that forms the basis for the grade.

Participation

Once a student has been evaluated in a course using the method indicated in the course description, the instructor may raise or lower the student’s grade on the basis of class participation. For courses in which the sole method of evaluation listed in this Bulletin is an examination (whether in-class or take-home), a student’s grade may be raised or lowered for class participation by only one grade step, e.g., from B to B+, or B to B-, provided that the instructor so notifies the students in the syllabus. For other courses, instructors intending to consider class participation in the final grade determination should state in the syllabus the weight it will be accorded.

Academic Recognition

The distinction of “George Washington Scholar” is indicated for those students whose cumulative grade-point average at the end of any semester places them among the top 15 percent of their class. The distinction of “Thurgood Marshall Scholar” is indicated for those students whose cumulative grade-point average at the end of the semester places them between the top 15 and 35 percent of their class. A notation of these distinctions is entered onto students’ transcripts each semester after all grades have been reported in all courses.

JD Concentrations

JD students may earn a concentration in certain substantive fields. Recognition requires students to complete a minimum number of credit hours in the concentration area, after completion of the required first-year curriculum. Specific requirements are administered by the concentration directors and coordinators. Students who wish to receive a concentration are required to declare that intention with the concentration director prior to their final semester in law school, but preferably by the end of their second year.

The concentration directors will advise interested students on the concentration area, program requirements and course options. When a student completes the required concentration courses, the student will submit to the concentration director a form that lists the concentration courses and semester taken, with a copy of their transcript. A student may earn only one concentration and that will be noted on their transcript upon successful completion of requirements. See the Practice Areas section of the Programs of Instruction page for information on requirements.

The Concentration Directors and Coordinators are as follow for the academic year:

• Business and Finance Law, Professor Dalia Tsuk Mitchell
• Energy Law, Assistant Dean Donna Attanasio
• Environmental Law, Assistant Dean Randall Abate
• Family Law, Associate Dean Laurie Kohn
• Government Procurement Law, Associate Dean Jessica Tillipman
• Health Law, Professor Sonia Suter
• Intellectual Property Law, Associate Dean John Whealan
• International and Comparative Law, Associate Dean Rosa Celorio
• International Business Law, Associate Dean Rosa Celorio and Professor Dalia Tsuk Mitchell
• National Security and Cybersecurity Law, Associate Dean Lisa Schenck
• National Security and U.S. Foreign Relations Law, Associate Dean Lisa Schenck

Honors

The degree of Juris Doctor “With Highest Honors” is awarded to those students, not exceeding three percent of the graduating class, who have obtained the highest cumulative averages of at least 3.67.

The degree of Juris Doctor “With High Honors” is awarded to those students with the highest cumulative averages of 3.33 or better. The number of students receiving degrees “With High Honors,” when added to the total number of students receiving degrees “With Highest Honors,” may not exceed 10 percent of the graduating class.

The degree of Juris Doctor “With Honors” is awarded to those students with the highest cumulative averages of 3.0 or better. The number of students receiving degrees “With Honors,” when added to the total number of students receiving degrees “With High Honors” and “With Highest Honors,” may not exceed 40 percent of the graduating class.

For students who receive their degrees in September and January, eligibility for honors will be determined based upon the student’s grade-point average in comparison with those students who graduated the previous May.

Order of the Coif

The Order of the Coif, a national legal honor society, aims “to foster a spirit of careful study and to mark in a fitting manner those who have attained a high grade of scholarship.” The George Washington University chapter was established in 1926. Members are elected each year from the highest-ranking 10 percent of the graduating Juris Doctor candidates.

Credit/No Credit Limit and Credit/No Credit Option

A number of the law school’s elective courses are graded on a Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) basis or an Honors/Pass/Low Pass/No Credit (H/P/LP/NC) basis. After the first year of study, students may take up to a total of 17 credit hours of courses graded on a CR/NC or H/P/LP/NC basis. See below for information on transfer student use of CR/NC.

The CR/NC option allows JD candidates who are not transfer students to convert up to 6 credit hours of non-required law courses that are regularly graded on a letter-grade basis on a CR/NC basis. Course credit earned under the CR/NC option counts toward the 17-hour limit. In courses where the CR/NC option has been elected, the following rules apply:

1. the option may be elected for only one course during a semester or summer session;
2. the final day for an election of CR/NC in a regularly graded course will be the Monday of the third week of a semester or second week of a summer session;
3. the decision to exercise the CR/NC option is irrevocable after the final day of the CR/NC election period;
4. a student must earn a grade of C- or better to earn a grade of CR; if a student earns less than a C- in a course in which the option is exercised, a grade of NC will appear on the student’s transcript;
5. an unexcused failure to take an examination or submit a required research paper in a course taken on a CR/ NC basis will result in a grade of F. No conversion is permitted after a letter grade has been received.

The CR/NC option is intended to facilitate course experimentation. It is not a license for inadequate class preparation or participation. The faculty advises students to consider carefully whether to elect to take courses on a CR/NC basis. In addition, students should exercise great caution when electing the CR/NC option during their final semester. Students who receive the otherwise passing grade of D in a course in which the CR/NC option is exercised in the final semester will receive no credit. Such students may not have sufficient credits to graduate in a timely fashion.

Transfer students (and Non-U.S. law school graduates admitted to the JD program) enrolling at the law school may not register on a CR/NC basis in any course regularly graded on a letter-graded basis; however, such students may take up to a total of 8 credits in courses regularly graded on a CR/NC or H/P/LP/NC basis. In exceptional circumstances, the Dean of Students Office may authorize a transfer student to exceed the 8-credit maximum, if a minimum of 45 letter-graded credits at GW Law are taken. Such authorization shall be made in writing, in advance of the semester or session in which the registration is planned.

Online (ON) Credits Policy

• (a) Permissible number of ON credits
  1. Overall maximum. A JD student will be permitted to count no more than 15 ON credits over the course of law school toward graduation. A JD student may, however, enroll in more than 15 ON credits so long as the student still meets the requirements for graduation.  The Law School recognizes that this limit is lower than the ABA’s current policy, but also recognize that the expansion to 15 credits represents a material change from the Law School’s current policy and treat this expansion as an experiment that may be altered in either direction – more or fewer credits – as the ON programs develop.
  2. Per-semester maximum. A JD student will be permitted to enroll in no more than 6 ON credits in any Law School semester or summer session. Thus, a JD student may not take more than 6 ON credits in a single semester, even if wishing to count only 6 toward graduation.
  3. Bar exam considerations. Students must be vigilant to check for any state/jurisdiction limitations on online credits as part of the total number and type of qualifying course credits for bar exam eligibility.
  4. Special Situations
     • i. Transfer credits. If a JD student transferring into the Law School has earned distance education credits at a prior institution, these credits will count toward the maximum number of ON credits that may be applied toward graduation. In the event that the student has more than 15 distance education credits to transfer, all transferred credits will apply toward graduation, but the student will not be permitted to apply any additional ON credits earned at GW toward graduation
     • ii. Credits earned during the course of study outside the Law School. A JD student enrolled in an approved program of study abroad, as a visiting student at another law school, or in a GW program outside Washington, DC, may simultaneously enroll in ON courses at GW on the same terms as any other student, so long as the student meets all requirements of the particular program and pays all applicable fees. When a JD student earns outside the Law School ON credits that apply toward graduation at the Law School, for example at another school in the University or at an approved program of study abroad, then these credits will count toward the maximum number of ON credits that may be applied toward graduation and also toward the maximum number of ON credits that may be taken in a particular semester. The student will remain subject to the same limit imposed by the Bulletin on credits earned through transfer from another law school.
     • iii. Students with reduced course loads. When in rare circumstances the Dean of Students Office approves a student to take less than the minimum load of 8 credit hours, the limitations in these rules remain in effect. In other words, the semester and overall maximum limits to ON credits still apply.
• (b) Application
  1. Effective Date.  Fall 2022 is the earliest possible semester that this policy may become effective, but it shall be within the discretion of the Dean’s Office to postpone that implementation until a later semester.
  2. Previous DE and ON credits. The limits in this policy are retroactive. Credits earned before Summer 2022 count as ON credits only if they were labeled as DE or ON on the transcript. Courses that were previously taken online as a result of the pandemic or as a result of an ADA accommodation for the professor do not count toward the totals unless they were so labeled.
  3. Identification of ON credits. Each ON course will be prominently identified as such or course schedule materials. Information will be provided as to whether JD students may register in each ON course and whether there are any other limitations on registration. Some ON courses may be registered for only during the add/drop period, space permitting, and this shall be noted for courses to which it applies.
  4. Exigency. The University and Law School reserve the right to convert to an online platform for all course credits if exigent conditions do not allow for on-campus instruction. In any such instance, any credits earned will count as ON credits only if they were labeled as such.

Failure to Take an Examination and Examination Excusal

Written examinations are held at the end of most courses. Every student is required to take the regular examinations at their scheduled dates and times. If a student fails to take an examination, a grade of F will be recorded unless the student has been excused from the examination.

Examination Excusal

The Dean of Students Office will grant an examination excusal only for a documented illness or other documented emergency. Travel or scheduling conflicts do not constitute an emergency, nor do multiple examinations on the same date or examinations on several consecutive dates. The request for excusal must be made during the examination period, but before the exam has begun. The supporting documents must be submitted to the Dean of Students Office no later than one month after the date of the examination.

A student who has been granted an excused absence by the Dean of Students Office for a written examination will take the examination as soon thereafter as can be arranged, but no later than the following:

Term of Excusal	Deadline to Complete Exam
Fall	First Friday of the Spring Semester
Spring	First Friday following graduation
Summer	First Friday of the Fall Semester

Students who fail to sit for their examinations by these deadlines will be withdrawn and earn W for the course.

The instructor has discretion as to whether the make-up examination is evaluated as a letter grade or as Credit/No Credit (CR/NC). Examinations graded on a CR/NC basis by choice of the instructor and not due to student preference will not count against the 17 CR/NC limit (or 8 CR/NC limit for transfer students) for JD students.

Summer and Exchange Programs

For all Summer and Exchange programs, unless excused by the Dean of Students Office for extraordinary circumstances, any missed examination must be made up on-site. If excused, absent extraordinary circumstances, a make-up exam must be scheduled before end of the summer session.

Deadlines for Courses Graded by Evaluations Other than Examination

As indicated in course descriptions, many courses are graded on the basis of research papers, appellate briefs, drafting assignments, litigation exercises, negotiation exercises, oral arguments, oral presentations, problem assignments, projects, short papers, simulations or writing assignments.

To receive a letter grade for a research paper or other written assignment, a student must complete the paper by the date specified by the instructor, or, if the instructor has not specified a due date, by the last day of classes in the semester. For courses taken in the fall semester, the instructor may extend the due date to no later than January 15. For courses taken in the spring semester, the instructor may extend the due date to no later than June 15, unless the student intends to graduate at the end of the semester, in which case the paper must be submitted by the last day of the examination period. For courses taken in the summer session, the deadline will be August 15.

To receive a letter grade for any required assignment other than a research paper or other written assignment, a student must complete the assignment by the date specified by the instructor, or, if the instructor has not specified a due date, by the last day of classes. An instructor may extend the due date to the last day of the examination period in the semester.

In the event of any inconsistency between statements by a course instructor or in an individual course syllabus, the deadlines, rules and statements set forth in this Bulletin will govern.

Although no letter grade can be awarded for extensions beyond the foregoing deadlines, the instructor may, for sufficient reason, extend a deadline for the submission up to the last day of the examination period of the following semester; further extensions may be granted only in exceptional circumstances and must be approved in writing by the instructor and the Dean of Students Office. When the deadline is extended beyond those indicated for receiving a letter grade, the following conditions apply:

1. no student will earn any credit for the course for any purpose until assignments acceptable to the instructor have been submitted;
2. the only grade the student may receive for the course is Credit (CR) or No Credit (NC). To earn a grade of CR, a minimum evaluation of C- is required for JD candidates, unless the assignment is a research paper intended to fulfill the legal writing requirement, in which case a minimum evaluation of B- is required. Failure to submit all required assignments within the extended deadline will result in a grade of F.

Changes in Program of Study

Students may add, drop or withdraw from a course subject to the deadlines and limitations below:

Deadline

Term	Length of Course	Add Course	Drop Without Transcript Notation	Withdraw with Transcript Notation (W)
Fall/Spring	Whole Semester	End of Add/Drop Period	End of Add/Drop Period	5 pm Friday of the 7th week of the semester
Fall/Spring	Compressed	End of Add/Drop Period	End of Add/Drop Period	No later than the end of 60% of the scheduled course length
Summer	Whole Term	End of Add/Drop Period	End of Add/Drop Period	No later than the end of 60% of the scheduled course length
Summer	Compressed	End of Add/Drop Period	End of Add/Drop Period	5 pm Friday of the 5th week of the term

 

Students seeking to withdraw from a course after the add/drop deadline, but before Friday of the 7th week of class must have the permission of both the Dean of Students Office and the Instructor. If permission is granted, these students will receive a transcript notation of Withdrawn (W). For courses without a classroom component, which may include but are not limited to, Field Placements and External Competitions, permission to withdraw will only be granted in extraordinary circumstances. Clinic courses permit withdrawal until approximately 6 weeks prior to the beginning of the semester.  After that time, permission to withdraw will similarly be granted only in extraordinary circumstances.

Students seeking to withdraw from a fall or spring course after the 7th week of class, but before Friday of the 11th week of class will earn No Credit (NC) and must have the permission of the Dean of Students Office and the Instructor. For summer courses, the deadline is the 4th week. Adjustments of Field Placement credits are not subject to this rule, though all requirements of the Field Placement Program must be satisfied in making Field Placement credit adjustments. Any schedule changes made after the start of the semester may result in changes to Financial Aid disbursements, revocation of scholarship and may result in tuition being owed back to the school. The Financial Aid Office must be consulted for any impact that schedule adjustments may make after the start of the semester.

In certain extraordinary circumstances, students will be permitted to add courses without classroom components such as Independent Legal Writing after the add/drop period with the permission of the Dean of Students and the Instructor. Under no circumstances may a student withdraw from a course after the last day of the semester.

Attendance

Consistent with the ABA requirement that law students regularly and punctually attend class, students are required to regularly prepare for and attend class. The law school considers regular attendance as being present for at least 80% of classes. Faculty members may set a higher attendance standard and may factor this higher standard into the calculation of a student’s grade. Students should be aware that excessive absenteeism, irrespective of the reason, can lead to, without notice, one or more of the following:

1.    Grade reduction;
2.    Denial of permission to complete coursework and/or take the final exam;
3.    Earning a failing grade for the course.

Any student at risk of missing more than 20% of classes for any course for any reason should promptly consult with the instructor and/or Dean of Students Office. Please note the Dean of Students Office cannot excuse a student from attending class. In addition, even if a professor would excuse each individual absence for good reason, if in aggregate those absences are excessive, the above policy will still apply.ed

Registration Holds

Students may not attend classes in any semester or summer session without the express written permission of the Dean of Students Office if they have not registered due to a hold on their student account. Failure to adhere to registration and enrollment procedures could result in a violation of the Academic Integrity Code and/or the University’s Code of Student Conduct, both of which are reported to bar examiners.

Exclusion for Low Scholarship or Multiple Withdrawals

A student whose cumulative average at the end of any semester falls below 1.67 but is above 1.6 will be put on probation. If such a student fails to raise the cumulative average to 1.67 at the end of the next semester, the student will not be permitted to register for any succeeding semester unless they petition for and receives the permission of the Academic Scholarship Committee.

A student whose cumulative average at the end of any semester falls below 1.6 will be excluded from further study unless the student petitions for and receives the permission of the Academic Scholarship Committee.

A student who fails or receives a grade of No Credit (NC) more than once over the entire period of law study (receiving, that is, two failing grades of F, two grades of NC, or one of each) or two withdrawals in a single semester of study will be excluded from further study and may not graduate unless the student petitions for and receives the permission of the Academic Scholarship Committee. This rule applies to all students including those in their first year of study.

Students who are registered at the time they receive notice that they will not be permitted to continue their legal studies may receive a full refund of the tuition paid for the semester in which the notice is received.

For this purpose, the term “semester” includes the summer session.

Procedure for Reinstatement

Any student excluded for reason of low scholarship may petition the Academic Scholarship Committee for reinstatement. The Committee will reinstate the student if they can demonstrate:

1. that the low grades were due to circumstances beyond their control and
2. that they have the capacity to pursue the study of law with a definite likelihood of success. The Committee may place conditions on a student’s reinstatement; for example, the Committee may require that the student take specific courses, or it may place limits on outside employment.

Exclusion and Probation for Violation of Law School or University Codes

A student who is excluded from further study due to an indefinite suspension and/or conditional suspension under the GW Law Academic Integrity Code, or a student who is suspended for violation of the University Code of Student Conduct, must petition the Academic Scholar- ship Committee for reinstatement to the law school. A student who has been excluded should contact the Dean of Students Office for guidance on the procedure for readmission. There is no guarantee of readmission to the law school.

Procedure for Reinstatement

Any student excluded from study for reasons outlined above or in the section University Regulations—Right to Dismiss Students, may petition the Academic Scholarship Committee for reinstatement in accordance with the petition guidelines available from the Dean of Students Office. The review of any such petition may include, among others, the following considerations in appropriate cases:

1.  whether the excluded student has the capacity to pursue the study of law with a definite likelihood of success;
2. whether the excluded student demonstrates the requisite character and fitness to earn the endorsement of the law school in the application process for admission to a state bar for a license to practice law;
3. whether the conditions leading to the exclusion from study have abated or come under sufficient control to allow complete and constructive engagement in the study of law and with members of the law school and University community;
4. whether the excluded student has met the conditions stipulated in the decision of the relevant committee or authority, whether law school, University or other relevant authority; and
5. whether the student can persuasively demonstrate that they will comply with the highest standards of academic integrity during future work at the law school.

The Academic Scholarship Committee may place academic or other conditions on a student’s reinstatement. For example, the Committee may require that the student take specific courses; maintain a specified grade point average; enroll in a limited number of total credits; limit outside employment; have in place adequate health or tuition insurance; or submit evidence of ongoing appropriate medical treatment.

Reinstatement is required after a leave of absence or withdrawal for medical or mental health care subject to the procedures provided by the Dean of Students Office.

 

Leave of Absence

Degree candidates are expected to maintain continuous enrollment until all degree requirements are satisfied (exclusive of the optional summer session). By failing to register for one semester or more, the student is dropped from the University’s rolls and must be readmitted. See Readmission below.

After completion of the first year of study, a student may request a leave of absence for up to two semesters from the Dean of Students Office. A leave of absence will be granted only when the request is sufficiently compelling.

A leave of absence during the first year of study may be granted in compelling circumstances such as a student’s medically certified disability requiring absence from classes or a student’s hospitalization and medically certified subsequent period of recovery.

A leave of absence will affect a student’s financial aid. The timing of the student’s leave of absence may result in the student owing the University additional amounts after all adjustments are made to the student’s account. See Withdrawals and Refunds section for a schedule of how cancellations of semester tuition charges and fees will be made.

Students who receive federal student loans who take a leave of absence from GW Law may be considered “withdrawn” by the U.S. Department of Education, which will reduce any avail- able grace period and may result in entering repayment of federal loans. The timing and impacts are specific to the student’s loans. Therefore, it is imperative for any student who is considering a leave of absence to confer with the GW Law Financial Aid Office to research the full impact of the leave of absence on the student’s tuition balance as well as student loan repayment.

Please note that if you are an international LLM student in the United States on an F-1 or a J-1 visa, a leave of absence may affect your visa status as an international student. We strongly recommend that you discuss your case and obtain immigration guidance from the International Services Office before filing a petition with the Dean of Students Office. The Graduate and International Programs Office must also be notified if you are requesting a leave of absence.

Visiting at Another Law School

A student whose personal circumstances necessitate leaving the Washington, DC area may be permitted to study at another ABA-accredited law school and apply the credits earned at that school toward their JD degree at the law school.

A student must petition the Dean of Students Office and demonstrate that compelling personal circumstances warrant study at another institution. The Dean of Students may grant one-semester visits on this basis. Students must petition the Academic Scholarship Committee to visit for an additional semester. Permission to visit for two semesters is granted rarely, and only in the most extraordinary circumstances. In no event will the Committee allow more than 28 credit hours of study taken at another school to be counted toward the degree at the law school.

The courses to be taken at another law school must be approved in advance by the Dean of Students Office, and a student must earn a grade of C- or better (under the grading system of the other law school) to transfer the credit hours with a grade of Credit (CR) to the law school.

Students who register at another law school must provide the director of the Records Office with an official transcript of their work promptly upon its completion.

Readmission

A student who was previously registered but did not attend during the most recent semester (summer session excluded), and who has not been granted a leave of absence, must apply to the Academic Scholarship Committee for readmission. A readmitted student must satisfy the curriculum requirements existing at the time of readmission.

Credit for Courses Taken in Other GW Schools

After the first year and with the approval of the Dean of Students Office, students may take a maximum of 6 credit hours of appropriate graduate-level courses in other schools of the University; a grade of at least B- must be received to obtain credit for such courses. A grade of Credit/ No Credit (CR/NC) will be recorded on the student’s transcript for such courses. Grades of CR resulting from courses taken in other schools will count toward the total of 17 hours allowed under the CR/NC option.

Law students receive 1 credit hour for each 700 minutes of scheduled class time in a semester; therefore, a law student may in some cases earn only 2 credits for a course offered by another school of the University for 3 credits. For graduate courses offered for 1.5 credits, the law school will recognize only 1 credit on the student’s transcript. Additional work cannot be undertaken to increase the course to 2 credits. Enrollment units will correspond to the existing table of units at .075 for 1 credit.

Online coursework offered by another GW school may not be undertaken by a law student for credit toward the law degree.

Summer School Credit from Other Law Schools

Unless granted permission to attend another law school as a visiting student, or participating in a law school-sponsored exchange program, Juris Doctor students may earn credits from other law schools only during the summer. See Visiting at Another Law School above.

Students may earn toward their degree no more than a total of 6 credit hours from summer programs offered on the campus of other ABA-accredited law schools or through summer study abroad programs sponsored by other ABA-accredited law schools. A grade of at least C- or better must be obtained to receive credit for such courses toward the law degree. In most cases, a grade of Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) or Transfer (TR) will be recorded on the student’s transcript for such courses. Students who participate in the Munich or Oxford programs receive letter grades for completed coursework.

Students planning to attend summer sessions on the campus of other ABA-accredited law schools or through summer study abroad programs sponsored by other ABA-accredited law schools and intending to use the credit toward their Juris Doctor program at the law school must first have the courses they wish to take approved by the Dean of Students Office.

Courses offered on the campus of other ABA-accredited law schools during their summer sessions will be credited toward the Juris Doctor degree only if the same course is not being offered at the law school at any time during the next academic year (for full-time students) or in the evening during the next academic year (for part-time students), unless upon a showing of good cause a waiver of this policy has been granted by the Dean of Students Office; courses offered through summer study abroad programs sponsored by other ABA-accredited law schools are not subject to this restriction. Internships offered for credit will not be credited toward the Juris Doctor degree.

General Information

Day and Evening Classes

Most day classes are scheduled between 8:50 am and 5:50 pm, Monday through Friday. The majority of evening classes meet from 6 pm to 8 pm, Monday through Friday, or 6 pm to 9:05 pm, Monday through Thursday. There may be an occasional Saturday or Sunday course offering.

A 4-credit course, e.g., Evidence, meets two evenings a week; many 3-credit courses, e.g., Administrative Law, meet one evening a week plus alternate Friday evenings throughout the semester; a 2-credit course, e.g., Estate Planning, meets one evening a week.

The part-time (evening) program conforms to the academic standards of the day program, with full-time faculty teaching all courses in the core curriculum.

Examinations for both day and evening classes may be given in the afternoon. Examinations for day students may be given in the evening.

Registration

Each student must register before attending classes. No student will be registered until proper credentials have been filed. See Admission Process. No registration is accepted for less than a semester or summer session. A student may not register concurrently in the George Washington University and another institution. Registration in more than one school of the University requires the written permission of the appropriate deans concerned prior to registration.

Eligibility for Registration

A student who is suspended or whose record is not clear for any reason is not eligible to register.

New Student

Upon receipt of a final letter of admission, a new student is eligible for registration on the stated days of registration.

Readmitted Student

A student previously registered who was not registered for courses during the preceding semester or summer session and who has not been granted a leave of absence must apply for and receive a letter of readmission before becoming eligible for registration.

Graduation Requirements

Degrees are conferred in January, May and September.

To be recommended by the faculty for graduation, a student must have met the admission requirements of the law school; completed satisfactorily the scholarship, curriculum, enrollment unit and other requirements for the degree for which the student is registered; filed an application for graduation by the published deadline date; and be free from all indebtedness to the University. Enrollment is required for the semester or summer at the close of which the degree is to be conferred.

Participation in the Commencement Ceremony

Participation in the annual commencement ceremony held in May is open to students who have applied to graduate in the current spring semester or who graduated in the preceding fall semester or summer session.

With the exception of doctoral candidates, all graduate students who need no more than 9 credits to complete their degree requirements may participate in May commencement ceremonies if there is a reasonable expectation that they will be able to obtain the needed credits during the following summer. The requirement of a maximum 9 credits is firm and not subject to petition.

Application for Graduation

An application for graduation must be filed by the published deadline date during the last semester or summer session of the final year. Students completing degree requirements during the summer session and fall semester will be awarded diplomas (no formal convocation) in September and January, respectively, provided they have completed all degree requirements and have applied for graduation as part of registration. Such students may participate in the May Commencement.

Transcripts of Record

Official transcripts of student records will be issued by the University’s Office of the Registrar on request of the student or former student who has a clear financial record. A fee is charged for each transcript.

Academic Integrity Code

The law school seeks to foster academic excellence in the study of law and to prepare students for participation in the legal profession. Academic excellence, in any discipline, depends on an environment of honesty, integrity and fairness. This general requirement is heightened by the special mission of a law school—to prepare students for a practice that relies heavily on the honor of its participants. The law school community expects its members to uphold the highest ethical standards. It expects students to prepare for the duties of honesty and integrity that they will undertake as lawyers by practicing honesty and integrity throughout their time as students.

The responsibility for creating and maintaining academic integrity in the law school community is shared by all members of the community—students, faculty, staff and deans. The George Washington University Law School Academic Integrity Code defines and prohibits academic dishonesty. It prescribes procedures to be followed in cases of academic dishonesty. It also exhorts all members of the law school community to foster a culture of honesty, integrity and professional responsibility throughout the law school community.

It is the responsibility of all students to read and familiarize themselves with the Code and also the University’s Guide to Student Rights and Responsibilities, both of which are available from the Dean of Students Office. If, in light of the law school community’s norm of academic integrity, the propriety of certain conduct is in doubt, students must seek the advice of law school faculty or administrators. Members of the law school community are presumed to be familiar with the Academic Integrity Code and are responsible for conforming to its requirements.

Students who are charged with violations of the Academic Integrity Code or the University’s Code of Student Conduct, whether they are found responsible for such charges and/or applicable sanctions, must report any and all charges and their disposition to state bar examiners if so required on the bar application form. The law school will similarly report any charges or sanctions to state bar examiners when the bar certification form requires such a disclosure.

Academic Integrity Code

Joint Juris Doctor-Master's Degree Programs

The law school offers joint degree programs with five other schools of the University.

• The joint degree offering with the Milken Institute of Public Health includes the J.D.-M.P.H. and the J.D.-Public Health Certificate.
• The J.D.-M.B.A. is offered with the School of Business.
• The J.D.-M.A. is offered with the Elliott School of International Affairs in ten areas of study: Asian Studies, European and Eurasian Studies, Global Communication, International Affairs, International Development, International Trade and Investment Policy, International Science Technology and Policy, Latin American and Hemispheric Studies, Middle Eastern Studies and Security Policy Studies.
• The J.D.-M.A. is offered with the Graduate School of Education and Human Development in two areas of study: Education and Human Development in the field of Education Policy Studies and Higher Education Administration.
• With the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences the J.D.-M.P.A., J.D.-M.P.P. and three possible degrees: History (with a concentration in U.S. Legal History); Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies; Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies (with a concentration in Public Policy).

Students must be admitted separately to the law school and to the school that confers the master’s degree. Each school must approve a student’s application to pursue a joint degree program. Law students intending to pursue a joint degree program should notify the Dean of Students Office.

Once a student has been admitted to both schools as a joint degree candidate, the first year of study must be devoted exclusively to the prescribed law curriculum. After the first year of law study, the law school will allow joint degree students to count a maximum of 12 credit hours of course work completed in a master’s program toward completion of the 84 credit hours required for the law degree. The grade of Credit (CR) or No Credit (NC) will be recorded on the law school transcript for each master’s program course; a student must receive a grade of at least a B- to receive a grade of CR. Grades of CR and NC resulting from courses taken in other master’s programs will count toward the total of 17 hours allowed under the Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) option. Students transferring into the GW Law program are permitted to pursue joint degrees, however, they are limited to a maximum of 8 CR/NCs to be counted toward the credit hour graduation requirement.

Law students receive 1 credit hour for each 700 minutes of scheduled class time in a semester. In some instances, a law student may earn only 2 credits for a course offered by another graduate program at the University for 3 credits. Online coursework offered by another GW school may not be undertaken by a law student for credit toward the law degree. The joint degrees must be conferred simultaneously and only after all requirements for both degrees have been met. The Records Office, in consultation with the Dean of Students Office, will transfer up to 12 credits to the law school transcript in the final month before graduation. It is the responsibility of each joint degree candidate to ensure that grades from the final semester or summer session are transferred to the law school for credit in order to qualify for graduation.

A number of other regulations govern the joint degree programs. Students interested in entering one of these master’s programs should consult with the appropriate admissions and financial aid office and the law school Dean of Students Office.