Law, Juris Doctorate Program, J.D.

I. Admission Requirements

North Carolina Central University School of Law is a student-oriented place of learning.  The School of Law seeks students who are more likely to contribute affirmatively to the learning of others by reason of their intellectual attainments, demonstrated emotional maturity and self-discipline, oral ability, and capacity to benefit from the school’s educational program.  Applicants, who individually have overcome economic, societal or educational obstacles, make a very important contribution to the diversity of the student body and serve as role models of achievement.  These factors have been shown to be important predictors of success.  Applicants selected for admission bring to the School of Law many attributes, including the following:  academic credentials; personal and professional experiences; strong analytical and problem-solving abilities; strong writing skills; oral communication and listening abilities; organizational and time management skills; general research skills; and the desire to promote justice and serve others.

The School of Law does not prescribe or endorse any particular pre-law course of study.  Our students come from diverse disciplines such as English, philosophy, medicine, dentistry, history, environmental studies, economics, criminal justice, public administration, political science, accounting, music, psychology, engineering, mathematics, chemistry, and biology.

Admission to the School of Law is competitive.  Since we believe that applicants are more than just numbers, selection for admission is based upon a thorough evaluation of all factors in an applicant’s file:  Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores and writing samples; undergraduate and graduate school grades; recommendations; and the personal statement.  Careful consideration is given to an applicant’s professional experience, volunteer or community service, unusual achievements, special circumstances, honors, economic hardship, undergraduate degree, undergraduate school, graduate degree, graduate school, and grade trends.  Because it is presumed that Evening Program students will have full.-time employment, the Admissions Committee places greater weight on the quantifiable performance predictors for applicants to the Evening Program.

II. Program Requirements

III. Exit Requirements

In order to be eligible to graduate, a student must have earned a 2.0 grade point average, completed a minimum 88 credit hours, and successfully completed all required courses. Students who enter the Law School in 2016 and thereafter must successfully complete one or more experiential course(s) totaling at least six credit hours.  An experiential course must be a simulation course, a law clinic, or a field placement.  A list of experiential courses, will be published each semester by the Office of Academic Affairs. 

Experiential Learning-6 Credits hours of experiential learning are required. 3 of them are Appellate Advocacy

Practice-Oriented Writing (3)-Classes include- Pleadings and Practice, Legal Letters, Access to Justice (Lawyer as a Problem Solver), Judicial Opinion Writing, and Advanced Legal Writing