Law (JD)
Oregon Law is part of the University of Oregon, a premier AAU research university in the Pacific Northwest. Our home, the William W. Knight Law Center, is modern, inspiring, designed to encourage collaboration, and it's one of the few law schools that's also an art gallery. We're also home to the outstanding John E. Jaqua Law Library.
The Oregon Law curriculum is designed to build the analytical and practical skills necessary to be activists, advocates, and leaders in our communities.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate the knowledge and ability necessary to practice substantive and procedural law and to understand the dynamic processes through which law is created, developed, and changed.
- Employ sound and articulate legal reasoning to identify, research, and analyze legal problems.
- Engage in and appreciate the importance of their professional and ethical responsibilities towards clients, the local community, our nation, and the world.
- Communicate effectively with clients, decision makers, and other relevant stakeholders.
- Recognize the responsibility of lawyers to serve as informed and professional leaders.
- Understand and appreciate diversity, equity, and inclusion as components of their personal and professional success.
- Appreciate the critical role that lawyers play in ensuring meaningful and equitable access to the legal system.
- Understand the interrelationship between the creation, development, reform, and practice of law, the natural and social sciences, the humanities, and the arts.
Doctor of Jurisprudence Requirements (Standard program)
The curriculum presents fundamental subjects of law during the first year, and the first year of the program is prescribed. These required courses are designed to provide a solid foundation in legal theory, practical writing and research skills, and a theoretical and practical knowledge of the law.
Only two second- and third-year courses are specifically prescribed.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First-Year Required Courses | ||
| LAW 611 | Contracts | 4 |
| LAW 613 | Torts | 4 |
| LAW 615 | Civil Procedure | 4 |
| LAW 617 | Property | 4 |
| LAW 618 | Criminal Law | 4 |
| LAW 622 | Legal Research and Writing I | 3 |
| LAW 623 | Legal Research and Writing II | 3 |
| LAW 643 | Constitutional Law I | 3 |
| Second- and Third-Year Required Courses | ||
| LAW 644 | Constitutional Law II | 3 |
| LAW 649 | Legal Profession | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Elective courses must be in program of legal study | 50 | |
| Total Credits | 85 | |
Students who have been admitted to the School of Law, have satisfactorily completed at least 85 semester credits and who have otherwise satisfied the requirements of the university and the School of Law are awarded the standard JD degree provided that they also:
- Earn a BA, BS, or equivalent degree from an accredited college or university before completing work for the JD degree.
- Satisfy Law School's academic standards for good standing.
- Earn a minimum of 65 graded semester law credits. Graded on the traditional A-F scale. (Grades of D- not used.)
- Earn a minimum of 65 scheduled semester law credits. Scheduled courses meet regularly for faculty instruction for the total hours indicated by the number of credits. The following courses are NOT scheduled: Field Placements, Clinics, Journals, Moot Court, Independent Study, and Asynchronous online courses.
- Earn a minimum of 6 semester law credits of experiential courses. An experiential course must be a simulation course, a law clinic, or a field placement as defined by ABA accreditation Standard 304.
- Complete all 35 credits of prescribed courses (listed above). The 29 first-year required credits must be completed by the end of the fourth semester of enrollment excluding summers.
- Complete one diversity course of at least 2 semester law credits.
- Complete a total of 6 semesters of full-time (9 or more semester law credits) resident professional study at the UO School of Law or another ABA-accredited law school.
- At least 55 semester law credits (making up at least 4 full-time resident semesters) must be completed specifically at the University of Oregon School of Law.
- A maximum of 30 credits (making up no more than 2 full-time resident semesters) may be transferred in from another ABA-accredited law school.
- Complete the JD Writing Requirement, demonstrating extensive research and analysis, original thought, good organization, thorough editing, and a sound understanding of the topic.
- Complete the Professional Planning requirement.
- Fulfill other requirements of the JD program and ABA accreditation standards.
The UO School of Law reserves the right to modify its curriculum and graduation requirements at any time.
Students in the standard JD program may accrue up to 5 of the required 85 semester law credits by completing non-law graduate-level courses at the University of Oregon. These non-law credits do not count toward the Graded or Scheduled credit requirements, must be relevant to the student’s program of legal study and approved in advance by the associate dean for academic affairs.
Doctor of Jurisprudence-Concurrent Degree Programs
UO Law partners with eight master's degree programs to allow JD students to earn two degrees in four years rather than the standard five years.
- JD/MA in Global Studies
- JD/MBA - Master of Business Administration
- JD/MA or MS in Environmental Studies
- JD/MA or MS in Media Studies
- JD/MCRP in Community & Regional Planning
- JD/MNM in Nonprofit Management
- JD/MPA in Public Administration
- JD/MS in Water Resources Policy & Management (with Oregon State University)
All Standard JD Program requirements remain the same with the following exceptions:
- 75 total semester law credits AND award of the concurrent master's degree are required for graduation from the Concurrent Degree program. Requirements for master's degree are presented in the catalog sections of those degrees. The JD standard degree will be awarded separately only if the student has earned 85 or more law credits.
- At least 55 semester law credits must be completed specifically at the University of Oregon School of Law.
- No non-law graduate-level courses may be applied to the 75 total semester law credits.
- A total of 5 semesters of full-time resident professional study (9 or more semester law credits) at the UO School of Law or another ABA-accredited law school.
- A required master's degree thesis can also meet the Law Writing Requirement if a law faculty member serves on the student's thesis committee.