Academic requirements for the JD Program and LL.M. Programs are described in the Georgetown Law Student Handbook of Academic Policies.

J.D. Degree Requirements

In order to earn a J.D. degree, a student must successfully complete the following academic requirements:

*85 credits; including

• The required first-year program^1:

Curriculum A: Civil Procedure; Constitutional Law I: The Federal System; Contracts; Criminal Justice*; Legal Practice: Writing and Analysis; Property; Torts; First-Year Elective (courses that meet this requirement are announced in the Fall semester)

Curriculum B: Bargain, Exchange, and Liability; Democracy and Coercion; Government Processes; Legal Justice Seminar; Legal Practice: Writing, and Analysis; Legal Process and Society; Property in Time

• The upperclass legal writing requirement;
• A course in Professional Responsibility;
• A minimum of 6 credits must be earned in experiential courses;
• For students who matriculated as first-year students in Fall 2022 or later, a course that teaches students to think critically about the law’s claim to neutrality and the law’s differential effects on subordinated groups, including those defined by race, gender, indigeneity, and class; and
• A minimum of 54 of these credits must be earned at the Law Center.

*The minimum program length
*A minimum cumulative grade point average of at least a C (2.00/4.00) in Law Center courses

¹Students who transfer to the Law Center after their first year are not required to complete Criminal Justice. However, Criminal Justice or Criminal Procedure is a prerequisite for clinics and some upperclass courses.

Degree Auditing

Students are responsible for monitoring their progress to ensure they meet all degree requirements by their anticipated graduation date.  Students may track their academic progress by using the online degree audit tool, MyDegree, and by meeting with an academic advisor.  Please review MyDegree Audit Instructions.  Please note: certain LL.M. programs do not use MyDegree.  If you have questions concerning your degree audit or the use of MyDegree, please consult an academic advisor.

Students approved to visit away or study abroad in their final semester are responsible for ensuring that the Registrar receives all final transcripts by the Law Center’s grades deadline; late submission could affect graduation clearance and/or bar exam eligibility.