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JD Program of Study

New students joining Thomas Jefferson School of Law will follow a carefully planned sequence of courses. Our goal is to introduce and build on foundational material in a way that maximizes student understanding and prepares students for the California Bar Exam.

Along the way, students have increasing opportunities to enroll in elective courses in which they can learn vital practice skills, deepen their specialized knowledge, and pursue their intellectual and professional passions. For detailed information about individual classes, visit our course offerings.

Information included below is intended to be a reference and example only. For more detailed information, view our J D Student Handbook.

Example Programs of Study

At Thomas Jefferson School of Law students may choose from a variety of study programs to meet their needs.

Early Start Program Option

Fall entering students may elect the Early Start program option, taking two or three courses in the summer. Students selecting the Early Start program option will follow the same program of study for students entering in the Fall, except that they will not have to take Criminal Law in the Spring, and may take a reduced load of classes or choose to take an approved elective instead.

Criminal Law	3 units
Introduction to Law	1 unit
Client Interviewing & Counseling	2 units

Full-time students will normally take all three courses. Part-time students will normally take the first two courses. Courses are typically offered in the evening to accommodate part-time evening students.

Full-Time Program Example

Students who start as full-time students will enroll in a program of study similar to the one below during six semesters. They will complete a mixture of required and elective courses that include qualifying skills courses.

First Semester

Contracts	5 units
Torts	5 units
Learning Skills	1 unit
Legal Writing I	3 units

Second Semester

Civil Procedure	5 units
Criminal Law	3 units
Legal Writing II	3 units
Professional Responsibility	3 units

Third Semester

Business Associations	3 units
Constitutional Law I	3 units
Criminal Procedure	3 units
Property	5 units

Fourth Semester

Evidence	4 units
Constitutional Law II	3 units

Fifth Semester

MBE Mastery

3 units

Sixth Semester

Remedies	3 units
Bar Exam Fundamentals	3 units

In addition to the listed requirements, students will also take California Civil Procedure (2 units); California Evidence (2 units); Community Property (2 units); and Wills & Trusts (3 units), typically during their fifth and sixth semesters. These four required classes are typically offered in both fall and spring as well as most summers.

Students also take at least 13 units of elective classes.

Part-Time Program Example

Students who start as part-time students will enroll in a similar program of study as the one below during eight semesters. They will complete a mixture of required and elective courses that include qualifying skills courses.