Priority Registration is (usually) a week long period during which students select courses for the next semester. Priority Registration (as opposed to the time known as "open enrollment") is termed as such because it is during this week that students are assigned enrollment appointments - times during which they may select their courses - that give 3L/4L students priority over 2L/1L students for course selection. Academic Regulation Reference.

Can I add or drop a course after the add/drop period?

The add/drop period extends until the end of the first week of the semester (for JD students) and the second week (for LLM and Exchange students). Please see the Academic Calendar for specific dates.

Drop Courses: Students may drop a course after the add/drop period with permission. Who must give permission is dictated by the status of the course and when the drop request is being made. If the course did not have a waiting list and the requiest is within the first six weeks of the semester, permission of the faculty member and the associate dean is required. If the course did have a waiting list, regardless of when after the add/drop period the request is made, permission of the faculty petitions committee is required. Approval of the petitions committee is also required if the request to drop is for a course that did not have a waiting list, but the request is made after the 6th week of the semester. Students for whom the petitions committee grants permission to drop courses will, in most cases, be sanctioned as their action has potentially kept another student from enrolling in the course. This sanction takes the form of loss of an enrollment appointment during priority registration for the next semester.

Add Courses: Because of the American Bar Association Standards attendance requirement, students may only add courses after the add/drop period with the approval of the faculty petitions committe.

Do dropped courses show on my transcript?

No. If a course is dropped within the add/drop period, or permission is granted to drop after the close of the add/drop period, no notation is made of the course on the student's transcript.

Do I have to drop courses for which I am waitlisted?

Yes and No. If students remain interested in a course, they should stay on the waiting list. If by the end of the add/drop period, the student did not get enrolled into the course, the course will stay in waitlist status. It will never appear on a student's transcript and is useful to the Registrar's Office in determining future course scheduling needs. If students are no longer interested in being enrolled from the waiting list, they should absolutely drop the course.

How many courses can I take each semester?

We do not limit the number of courses a student can take each semester, but there is a limit placed on the number of credits students may take per term. During a Fall or Spring Term, full time JD students may take up to 16 credits each semester without permission, 17 with permission. Part Time JD students may take up to 11 credits without permission, 17 with permission. Students may take up to 10 credits during the summer term, no more than 7 in any one session. LL.M. student credits limits are set by their program advisors. Academic Regulation Reference.

Appearance in Court (Student Practice)

What are the criteria to permit me to appear in court as a law student?

Students who wish to practice in Connecticut courts or administrative tribunals must meet the criteria established by the Student Practice Rules as outlined in the Connecticut Practice Book. Specifically, in order to appear pursuant to these rules, the legal intern must: be certified by a law school approved by the American Bar Association; have completed legal studies amounting to at least two semesters, except that the dean may certify a student under this section who has completed less than two semesters of credit or the equivalent to enable that student to participate in a faculty-supervised law school clinical program; be certified by the dean of his or her law school as being of good character and competent legal ability; and be introduced to the court in which he or she is appearing by an attorney admitted to practice in that court. A legal intern may not be employed or compensated directly by a client for services rendered. This section shall not prevent an attorney, legal aid bureau, law school, public defender agency or the State from compensating an eligible intern. Academic Regulation Reference.

Are there any forms required to be filed before I can appear in court as a law student?

Yes, the upper portion of the student practice form should be filled out by the student and submitted to the Registrar's Office for processing and delivery to the Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration. The Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration will send the required letter of certification to the Clerk of the Superior Court in Hartford. The Clerk of the Superior Court in Hartford immediately duplicates the certification letter and forwards a copy to the clerk of the Connecticut Appellate and Supreme Courts so that the same certification is applicable in those courts also. Note: The Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration may require that the student meet with him or her for a personal interview before he or she prepares the certification letter.

Do I fill out a student practice form for each externship or clinic case for which I will appear in court?

No, once a letter is on file with the court, it remains valid until such time as it is revoked by the Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration (after findings that the student is no longer of good character of competent legal ability) or the student is no longer a matriculating law student.

Bar Examination

Can I take multiple bar exams in the same month?

Yes, as long as the exams are not scheduled on the same day. Students are required to be available for all days of the exam. Currently the Massachusetts and Connecticut bar exams may be taken together in July, New York and Connecticut may not be taken together. Resource for Further Reference.

Can I take the bar exam if I graduate in July rather than May?

Many states require certification for the summer bar examination by a date earlier than our grades are due and a student's degree is conferred. Students are encouraged to contact the Registrar's Office and request that the office confirm certification date before scheduling their exam. At present, the New York State Board of Bar Examiners does not permit a July graduate to sit for the summer bar exam, but the Committees of Connecticut and Massachusetts will permit a July graduate to take the summer exam.

What forms must I submit to take the bar?

The complete bar exam application is often extensive and students may wish to leave ample time to complete it. For most states, verification of an applicant's character and fitness to practice law, as well as documentation of the completed degree, is what is required from the Registrar's Office. For the Connecticut Bar Exam, the Registrar's Office prepares this verification form (known as the Form 4: Certificate of the Dean). Students may come into the office in the Spring Term to sign this form. For other state bar exams, students must submit the required certification forms to the Registrar's Office for completion.

Coursework Outside the School of Law

Can I take courses in other University of Connecticut departments or schools toward my law degree?

Yes, with the written approval of the Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or the Assistant Dean for Admissions, students, after completing the first year of the J.D. program, may enroll in courses offered by other schools of this University or other accredited institutions of higher learning. For credit toward graduation from the Law School, courses generally should be at the graduate level and should contribute to the student's education in law or particular professional interests. A maximum of six credits in such courses may be allowed. The cost for taking courses is determined by several factors, including the student's division and school/campus on which the course is taken. Questions regarding cost should be directed to the law school's business/bursar's office. Coursework outside the school of law does not count in the student's pass/fail grading limit, provided the courses were taken on a graded basis at the other school. Academic Regulation Reference.

Can I take courses at another law school towards my law degree?

Yes, courses taken at other accredited law schools may be credited toward graduation. Students must receive advance written permission from the Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration. Permission will be granted only in the case of compelling circumstances.

Degree Requirements

How many credits are needed to complete my degree?

Completion of the Juris Doctor degree requires 86 credits, done in no fewer than six full time or eight part time semesters (or the equivalent of). Full time students must complete all coursework for the Juris Doctor degree within five years; part-time students must complete coursework within six years. The Petitions Committee may grant an extension of up to seven years for good cause shown. Academic Regulation Reference. Completion of the Master of Laws degree requires 24 credits. AcademicRegulation Reference.

Is there a deadline by which I need to have my “Method of Satisfying the Upperclass Writing Requirement” form on file?

If satisfaction of the requirement is done in a seminar course, this form must be on file w/in the first four weeks of the term. if satisfying the requirement another way, this form must be on file prior to graduation. When completing an SRP in satisfaction of the UCWR, we ask that the form be submitted with the SRP form.

Do I have to do anything to designate a course as satisfying my statutory/regulatory course requirement?

No. Successful completion of any of the courses designated as statutory/regulatory course will satisfy the requirement.

How can I see if I am on track with all my degree requirements?

Each fall the Registrar's Office invites tentative graduates to come into the office for a degree audit. This can also be done anytime and by a student in any year of their law study by setting up an appointment with the Registrar's Office. Students may review their progress towards graduation anytime via the advisement report on the PeopleSoft Student Administration system.

Is there a maximum amount of time I can take to complete my degree?

Full time students must complete all coursework for the Juris Doctor degree within five years; part-time students must complete coursework within six years. The Petitions Committee may grant an extension of up to seven years for good cause shown. Academic Regulation Reference.

Can I get an extension if I don't complete all my work by graduation?

To qualify for graduation, all work must be completed prior to a student's graduation date. There are three graduation dates: January 31st, the announced date in May, and July 10th. There are no additional dates. Failure to complete prior to the graduation date will make the student a candidate for graduation of the next graduation date. Permission to extend the deadline for work beyond the graduation date may be granted by the instructor, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and/or the petitions committee, though they cannot grant permission to suspend the regulation mandating graduation date (i.e. an instructor may grant a student an extension until June 1st to complete all work, but they cannot then grant the student permission to show completion of studies with the May graduation date. The student would be considered a July 10th graduation candidate).

Please note: there is only one Commencement ceremony each year, in May. Regardless of their graduation date, all students are encouraged to attend the May ceremony.

Enrollment Verification (Letter of Good Standing)

I have to offer proof of my enrollment in order to(1) defer my loans, (2) stay on my parent’s medical insurance, (3) get the reduced student rate, (4) any other reason. How can I do that?

The Registrar's Office has a form available that students are asked to complete. Upon receipt of that form, we will prepare an enrollment verification. Students may also submit deferment forms to the Registrar's Office for completion, the office will fill in the dates of attendance. Resource for Further Reference.

I am thinking of transferring and need a letter of good standing. Where do I get that?

More often than not, a student's eligibility to transfer is verified by the dean. Requests of this nature, should be addressed to the Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration. If the school to which you will apply does not require dean's certification, the Registrar's Office can do this for you.

Exams

How do I know when/where my exams are?

The exam schedule is determined at the time of course registration. Students should refer to the web page of each course in which they are enrolled (or plan to enroll) to get information on the exam's date and time. Approximately 1-2 weeks before the start of the exam period, exam locations are posted.

Am I eligible for an exam deviation?

Students may apply to the Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration to take an examination at a time other than that for which it is regularly scheduled only when facing an unforeseeable hardship such as a medical problem, a death in the family, etc. Multiple exams in one day, or a evening exam follwed by a morning exam, is generally not considered a ground for a deviation request. Students should consult the academic calendar for the due date of the exam deviation request form.

What do I do if I am sick the day of my exam?

Students who because of illness feel they cannot take an exam on its scheduled day and time should contact the Director of Student Services (or in his/her absence, the Dean for Finance and Administration) prior to the exam.

What do I do if I am late for an exam?

Students who are unavoidably detained should contact the director of student services (or in her absence, the dean for finance and administration) prior to the exam if possible to discuss alternate arrangement possibilities. Students who cannot make contact prior to the exam, should report to the registrar's office upon arrival to campus. Determinations will be made on an individual basis on whether students will take the exam at that time, in the exam room with only the time remaining, or set up in an alternate location with exam length to be determined.

Is there anything I can do if I think I’ve failed an exam?

Anxiety is normal and students should be comforted to know that exam failures are rare. If, however, students feel they failed an exam, they should not contact the instructor (because of anonymity concerns). Instead, they should contact the Director of Student Services to discuss the situation.

Externships

How do I set up an externship?

Individual externships opportunities are most frequently initiated by students (though a listing of externship opportunities may be posted on the law school web site). Students may do so by discussing the idea with a full-time faculty member with whom they share an academic interest, or with the externship coordinator on campus, who maintains a list of past placement sites. Once, the placement details are resolved, students are enrolled in the externship upon receipt by the Registrar's Office of the completed externship application. Academic Regulation Reference.

Can I get a letter grade for my externship?

No. All individual externships are graded on a pass/fail grading basis.

What is the credit limit on externships?

JD Students: There are several credit limitations that regulate individual externships. First, all individual externships are graded on a pass/fail basis, and no more than 12 of the 86 credits required for graduation may be on a pass/fail basis. Second, individual externships are combined with special research projects when determining the number of credits permitted each semester. Together, Special Research Projects and Externships may not exceed 3 credits in any Fall or Spring term, 4 credits in any Summer term. Together, they may not exceed 8 credits during the entire course of study. Additionally, students may not be enrolled in an individual externship during the same term in which they are enrolled in the criminal law clinics.

LL.M. Students: May take no more than 3 credit hours of externship. Please also note additional requirements for students on F-1 visas seeking an externship.

How many hours do I have to work to get externship credit?

56 hours per credit.

Can I get paid for my externship?

The law school is precluded under Standard 305 of the Standards of Approval for Law Schools from awarding credit to students for participation in an externship for which the student receives compensation. Interpretation 305-3 of this standard does not preclude reimbursement of reasonable out of pocket expenses related to the placement.

Grading

How can I take a class pass/fail?

During the 5th and 6th week of the Fall and Spring terms, and during the 3rd week of the June/July sessions of the Summer term, students may come into the Registrar's Office to fill out a pass/fail request card. Indicating at the time of enrollment that a course is desired pass/fail does NOT complete the pass/fail request.

Can I change my grading basis from pass/fail back to graded?

Any change made to a chosen grading basis after the close of the pass/fail registration period requires the approval of the petitions committee. Students are advised that such permission is rarely granted.

Do all courses have a pass/fail option?

No. Only those courses not required for completion of the degree, solely at the discretion of the instructor, may be offered with a pass/fail grading option.

Is there a limit on the number of pass/fail credits that I can take?

JD Students: There are two regulations that limit the number of pass/fail credits individual students may have. First, the total number of credits that students must take on a graded basis is 74. That would mean that a maximum of 12 pass/fail credits is permitted if a student is completing the degree with the minimum required credits of 86. Second, students must have two graded courses each semester. Exceptions are permitted to this second rule during summer term enrollment and during a student's final term of study if the number of courses needed for completion of the degree is less than 3.

LL.M. Students: The maximum number of course credits that may be taken on a pass/fail grading basis is 3. Students may have additional pass/fail credits for journal membership, externships and other coursework which is only offered on a pass/fail grading basis.

I got a CALI award. What is that?

CALI stands for Computer Assisted Legal Instruction. The Center for Computer Assisted Legal Instruction offers an award (in the form of a certificate) to students who, in the opinion of the instructor, is the recipient of the highest grade in a law school course. A notation of the award is made on student transcripts. Resource for Further Reference.

Can I see grade distributions from earlier semesters?

Yes. Grade distributions are posted at the conclusion of every semester on the Registrar's Office web page. Authentication is required to view these documents. (Authentication is completed by using the LOGIN link on the web page).

Is the course I am taking subject to the b-median grading requirement?

A median grade of B is required in the following courses: (1) all required courses: (2) all courses with 19 or more students. When calculating the number of students in the course for the purposes of determining the applicability of the b-median requirement, only University of Connecticut J.D. degree-seeking students are counted.

What do I do if I wish to discuss/contest a grade?

Students should first submit a request to the instructor to review the graded material (exam, paper, etc). An instructor may change a grade only in cases of calculation error. Students may further discuss the matter with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Journal Credits

How many credits do I get for being on a journal?

Credits are awarded at the discretion of the editor in chief and the advisor of the legal publication. The maximum amount to be awarded are two pass/fail credits.

When do the credits get applied?

Students may allocate their legal editorship credits to any semester subject to the approval of the editor in chief provided they are not allocated before any work has begun.

Do my journal credits count against my pass/fail limit?

Yes.

Do I have to pay for my journal credits?

Yes. Legal editorship credits are like any other course credit in the determination of tuition and/or fees.

Special Research Projects

How do I enroll in a special research project?

Special Research Projects are usually initiated by students. Students do so by discussing the idea with a faculty member with whom they share an academic interest. Once the project details are resolved, students are enrolled in the special research project upon receipt by the Registrar's Office of the completed application. Academic Regulation Reference.

Is the number of credits awarded for a special research project based on the number of pages?

Length of paper and credits awarded are details that are decided upon by mutual agreement of student and faculty member. A benchmark that may be applied is 12-15 pages per each credit to be awarded.

Is there a limit on the number of special research project credits I can take?

JD Students: Special research projects are combined with individual externships when determining the number of credits permitted each semester. Together, special research projects and externships may not exceed 3 credits in any Fall or Spring term, or 4 credits in any Summer term. Together, they may not exceed 8 credits during the entire course of study. With the approval of the Director of International Exchange Programs and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, this 8 credit maximum may be increased to no more than 12 for a student who has received approval to study abroad and who is authorized to complete a special research project to compensate for credits missed as a result of foreign study. Academic Regulation Reference.

Can any faculty member supervise a special research project?

A project may be undertaken with any member of the full-time faculty. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may approve supervision by an adjunct faculty member.

Transcripts

How can I get a PDF copy of my transcript?

Current students can request a PDF copy of their unofficial transcript via email or an on-line request. Though the request received via email does not have to originate from a student's law school email account, the Registrar's Office will only return the transcript to the law school email address. Students who put their request in writing with an included signature (or via the on-line request) can request PDF transcripts be emailed to an alternate email address.

How much does a transcript cost?

There is no charge.

What is the difference between an official and an unofficial transcript?

While the content of each transcript is the same, an official and unofficial transcript differ in the paper on which they are printed and their use. In general, unofficial transcripts are suitable for most job interviews. Official transcripts are generally required by institutions of higher education, government agencies, clerkship positions and upon receipt of job offers.

How long does a transcript request take to process?

Transcripts are often processed immediately upon request. They are usually done within 24 business hours of receipt of the request.

How do I request a transcript?

Requests for transcripts should be made to the Registrar's Office. If not done via email (per the note above), requests should be made using the transcript request form. Academic Regulation Reference and Form. Please note that only current students can utilize the on-line request.