All students must earn a minimum of 87 hours to complete the J.D. degree. Students in the part-time evening program take the same required courses as full-time students. One of the many advantages of earning an SMU J.D. is that students have a broad range of upper-level elective courses that give them the flexibility to tailor an individual course of study. Many of these classes are small – over one-half of upper-level courses have fewer than 25 students enrolled. The curriculum is designed so that evening students can earn a law degree in four years. For degree requirements, see J.D. curriculum requirements. We also offer periodic evening program information sessions.
Year One
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Fall
|
11 hours
|
|
Contracts I
|
2 hrs.
|
|
Torts I
|
3 hrs.
|
|
Civil Procedure I
|
3 hrs.
|
|
Legal Research, Writing, and Advocacy I
|
3 hrs.
|
|
Spring
|
10 hours
|
|
Contracts II
|
3 hrs.
|
|
Torts II
|
2 hrs.
|
|
Civil Procedure II
|
2 hrs.
|
|
Legal Research, Writing, and Advocacy II
|
3 hrs.
|
Year Two
|
Fall
|
10-11 hours
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|
Property I
|
2 hrs.
|
|
Criminal Law
|
3 hrs.
|
|
Electives
|
5-6 hrs.
|
|
Spring
|
10-11 hours
|
|
Property II
|
3 hrs.
|
|
Constitutional Law I
|
2 hrs.
|
|
Electives
|
5-6 hrs.
|
Years Three and Four
Upper Division Required Courses:
- Professional Responsibility
- Constitutional Law II
- Edited Writing Seminar
- General Writing Course
- Professional Skills Course
Areas of Upper Division Electives Include:
- Banking
- Bankruptcy Law
- Business/Corporate Law
- Commercial Law
- Constitutional Law
- Criminal Law
- Dispute Resolution
- Employment/Labor Law
- Environmental Law
- Estate Planning
- Family Law
- Health Care Law
- Insurance
- Intellectual Property Law
- Internet and E-Commerce Law
- International Law
- Litigation/Trial Advocacy
- Oil & Gas Law
- Real Estate Law
- Tax Law
