Experiential Learning - Clinics & Externships
Limitations:
Concurrent enrollment prohibited: No student may take more than one experiential class (clinic or externship) in a single semester.
Credit limits for experiential courses:
- Total credits: No more than a combined total of 17 credits from clinics and externships will be counted toward the total credits needed for graduation.
- Annual credits: No more than a combined total of 14 credits from clinics and externships taken in a single academic year will be counted toward the total credits needed for graduation.
- Credits for externships: No more than a total of 9 credits from externships will be counted toward the total credits needed for graduation.
- Exemption from credit limitation: In some circumstances, such as participation in a full-time semester externship, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may grant an exemption from the above limitations. Please see the Director of Experiential Learning.
Second Semester Externships: A second semester of an externship with the same host organization is permitted with the permission of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. At a minimum, the second semester must involve significant additional development of the students knowledge, experience, and skills. In most cases, enrollment in the second semester will not be permitted until a substantial portion of the first semester of the externship has progressed.
Work Time Requirement:
- 135 hours for 3 credits
- 180 hours for 4 credits
- 270 hours for 6 credits
- 540 hours for 12 credits
The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may approve an externship for any credit amount between 3-12 credits. The appropriate work time requirement, equal to 45 hours per credit, would attach to any such externship.
Judicial Externships: Students participating in Judicial Externships may receive credit for a second judicial externship only if that externship is served with a different court at a different level (for example, a first externship with a trial court and a second with an appellate court). To be eligible for a second judicial externship, the student must obtain written permission from the Director of Experiential Learning verifying that the second externship will be served with a different court at a different level.
Credit Limitations on Non-Instructional Courses
(Including Co-Curricular Activities, Professional II, III, and Experiential Courses):
No more than a combined total of 26 credits in total of courses that fall within the following categories will be counted toward the total credits needed for graduation without the permission of the Academic Dean: externships, journals, moot court, and courses taken in parts of the University outside the Law School for which credit toward the J.D. degree is granted.