Juris Doctor Degree
The J.D. curriculum provides a strong foundation in those areas that have proven to be fundamental to the actual practice of law in every American jurisdiction, while giving students the opportunity to tailor coursework to particular career aspirations.
Required courses total 42 credit hours of the 90 hours needed for graduation. In addition to the writing that students submit in their first-year legal writing courses, students must also complete an upper-level writing requirement and at least one upper-level skills course during their final two years.
Elective courses available to Notre Dame law students are many and varied. The Law School offers the Concannon Program of International Law, through which students may spend a full year of study at the Notre Dame London Law Centre. A variety of practice-oriented courses, such as those offered through the trial advocacy program and clinic, help students develop practical skills under the guidance of professors, practicing attorneys and judges. Smaller, seminar-style specialty courses allow students to explore areas of specific interest through in-depth research and small-group discussions guided by an expert in the field.
See the Article 4 of the Hoynes Code for details about the J.D. Program.
First Year
The curriculum in the first year is required and demanding, and consists of 15 credit hours each semester. Course and semester hours are as follows:
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | ||
| Civil Procedure | 4 | Constitutional Law | 4 |
| Contracts | 4 | Ethics | 1 |
| Criminal Law | 4 | Legal Writing | 2 |
| Legal Research | 1 | Property | 4 |
| Legal Writing | 2 | Torts | 4 |
| Total Credits | 15 | Total Credits | 15 |
Second and Third Years
The following courses, totaling 12 credit hours, must be completed during a student’s tenure as an upper-level law student as a requirement for graduation:
Business Associations – (4)
Federal Taxation – (4)
Jurisprudence – (3)
A second Ethics course – (1)
