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Academic Curriculum

SLU LAW offers students a diverse curriculum designed to prepare them for all areas of legal practice. A robust selection of courses and seminars in a variety of legal specialties reflect SLU LAW's commitment to public service and professional ethics.

Students who have completed the core curriculum self select the majority of their remaining courses with guidance and recommendations from the School of Law. Of the remaining 60 credit hours, only the following are required courses:

  1. Legal Profession
  2. A seminar
  3. Six hours of experiential courses

Goals of the curriculum include:

  • Provide a quality legal education in the Jesuit tradition of academic excellence and concern for the development of individual students
  • Expose students to the interaction of law and other disciplines in the development and application of the law
  • Sensitize students to legal ethics and norms, including the obligation to engage in public service
Core Curriculum (First Year Courses)

The law school's required core curriculum includes 30 hours of classes designed to allow students to develop foundational analytical and writing legal skills necessary for the practice of law. First-year, full-time students are required to take these courses in the first two semesters. Part-time students complete these courses within the first two years of study. The core curriculum includes:

  • Civil Procedure
  • Constitutional Law I
  • Contracts
  • Criminal Law
  • Professional Identity, Practices and Skills I & II
  • Legal Analysis, Research and Communication I & II
  • Property
  • Torts
Upper Division Options
Nearly two thirds of the 91 course hours required to graduate are elective courses. Students who have completed the core curriculum select classes ranging from foundational bar preparation classes to highly specialized legal topics to supervised clinical practice. This allows students to custom design the majority of their law school education. Students may sample courses from a variety of subject areas or specialize based upon their individualized needs and interests. SLU LAW also offers opportunities for students to participate in (and receive credit for) one of three student-run law journals as well as develop critical legal skills in areas such as appellate advocacy, trial practice and client counseling. Students may choose to complete one of four concentration programs.
Advising & Assistance

SLU LAW administrators and faculty members are committed to supporting students planning their legal educations and careers. After students complete the core curriculum, they begin selecting upper division courses. There are multiple resources available to students as they navigate the available choices. Individual guidance is always available from administrators and faculty members. Each semester, information and advising sessions are held in large- and small-group settings to provide support and guidance to students as they select courses. Specialized advising is provided for students interested in particular areas of practice, dual degrees, concentrations and professional skills. These options are carefully balanced with individualized recommendations regarding courses that are beneficial for bar exam preparation.

Please refer to course planning for further information on degree requirements, curriculum planning and bar exam courses.