Our J.D. Curriculum
Explore the comprehensive J.D. curriculum at OU Law, thoughtfully designed to shape well-rounded legal professionals.
First-Year Required Courses
You'll build a solid foundation with our comprehensive curriculum in your first year as a J.D. student. Explore civil procedure, criminal law, legal research, contracts, and more first-year courses.
All J.D. Courses
As you advance into your second and third years at OU Law, you will become more immersed in your legal studies. Tailor your path with specialty courses and refine your professional skills. Explore all our available J.D. courses.
Experiential Learning
Hands-on learning experiences are an essential part of your legal education. While attending OU Law, you must complete at least six credit hours of experiential learning courses, including live-client clinics, externships, and simulation courses. Learn more about our award-winning competition teams, pro bono services, and more.
Setting The Bar: Our Standards for Legal Excellence
We aim to prepare you for the legal profession post-graduation. Achieving this involves setting high standards for a rigorous legal education, ensuring readiness for bar admission, and ethical practice.
At OU Law, our mission is to prepare tomorrow’s leaders for the world in which they will serve. Part of this commitment is providing our students with an abundance of opportunities that prepare them to practice law in today’s interconnected world.
J.D. Program Requirements
Writing Requirement
When you are a second- or third-year student, you must satisfactorily complete one rigorous writing requirement before graduation. To complete this requirement, you must prepare a scholarly, well-documented, and well-written paper that develops a thesis on a legal topic.
Degree Requirements
To qualify for the J.D. degree, you must:
- Complete all required courses (all first-year courses, Evidence, Professional Responsibility, five menu courses, and six hours of experiential learning courses).
- Complete one rigorous writing course during the second or third year of law study under the direct supervision of a faculty member.
- Complete at least 60 hours at the College of Law.
- Complete additional work sufficient to total 90 semester hours.
- Attain a cumulative grade point average of at least a 5.00 (C) in all work taken in the College of Law and a grade of C on all work taken at other approved law schools.
- Complete all degree requirements within five years of initial enrollment.
- File an official application for graduation.
Our Credit Hour Policy
Understanding OU Law’s credit-hour policy is vital. We adhere to all federal and ABA standards, ensuring a balance of classroom instruction and out-of-class work across terms.
The Law School adheres to the federal and ABA credit hour definitions. ABA Standard 310(b) provides:
A "credit hour" is an amount of work that reasonably approximates:
(1) Not less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and two hours of out-of-class student work per week for fifteen weeks, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
(2) at least an equivalent amount of work as required in subparagraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities established by the institution, including simulation, field placement, clinical, co-curricular, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.
The academic calendar at OU Law consists of a fourteen-week class session and a two-week examination period in both the fall and spring terms. The summer term includes one seven-week class session and a one-week examination period. The winter session is a one-week term with an examination, paper, or project.
You are required to complete 90 credit hours to graduate. Each hour of classroom credit is based on at least 50 minutes of direct faculty instruction. For each credit hour of classroom instruction, students shall spend an average of 2 hours (based on a 60-minute hour) on out-of-class work during the semester.
- A four-credit course will ordinarily meet for 200 minutes each week for 14 weeks, followed by an examination period. You are expected to spend an average of 8 hours on out-of-class work per week during the semester.
- A three-credit course will ordinarily meet for 150 minutes weekly, followed by an examination period. You are expected to spend an average of 6 hours on out-of-class work per week during the semester.
- A two-credit course will ordinarily meet for 100 minutes weekly, followed by an examination period. You are expected to spend an average of 4 hours on out-of-class work per week during the semester.
- A one-credit course will ordinarily meet for 50 minutes weekly, followed by an examination period. You are expected to spend an average of 2 hours on out-of-class work per week during the semester.
- If a class does not meet or have an examination every week, an equivalent amount of time will be allocated during the term to direct classroom instruction and student out-of-class work per week.
- A four-credit course will ordinarily meet for 400 minutes weekly for seven weeks, followed by an examination period. On average, you are expected to spend a minimum of 16 hours on out-of-class work per week during the term.
- A three-credit course will ordinarily meet for 300 minutes weekly for seven weeks, followed by an examination period. You are expected to spend 12 hours on out-of-class work per week during the term.
- A two-credit course will ordinarily meet for 200 minutes weekly for seven weeks, followed by an examination period. You are expected to spend 8 hours on out-of-class work per week during the term.
- A one-credit course will ordinarily meet for 100 minutes weekly for seven weeks, followed by an examination period. You are expected to spend an average of 4 hours on out-of-class work per week during the term.
- If a class does not meet or have an examination every week, an equivalent amount of time will be allocated during the term to direct classroom instruction and student out-of-class work per week.