Academic Progress - Law Students

Annual Review of Students' Progress (Applicable to LLM Students)

The progress of each graduate student will be evaluated annually by the Director of the LL.M. Program.

For students who first enrolled in the LL.M. Program after January 1, 2001, the following are the standards of “satisfactory progress” in the LL.M. Program, subject to individual exceptions for good cause as approved by the Director of the LL.M. Program. Normally, students should complete all degree requirements within three (3) years of enrollment. By the end of the first year of enrollment, students must have completed at least eight (8) credits that satisfy requirements for the LL.M. degree. By the end of the second year of enrollment, students must have completed at least sixteen (16) credits that satisfy requirements for the LL.M. degree. By the end of the third year of enrollment, students must have completed at least twenty-four (24) credits that satisfy requirements for the LL.M. degree. Time spent in the armed services will not count toward the period for completing the degree requirements.

For students who first enrolled in the LL.M. Program before January 1, 2001, to achieve "satisfactory progress," students must complete an average of at least four (4) credits for every academic year since their initial enrollment in the LL.M. Program.

The Graduate School will be informed of all students who are not making satisfactory progress. When there is a question as to whether satisfactory progress is being made, the Director of the LL.M. Program will write to the student and recommend a face-to-face meeting with the student. If there is disagreement, the Director of the LL.M. Program will ask the student to submit a separate letter to him or her. Copies of both letters will be made available to the student, maintained in a departmental file, and forwarded to the Graduate School.

If difficulties persist and the Director of the LL.M. Program determines that probation is appropriate, the Director will notify the student in writing of the probationary period, which may be from 30 days to a full semester. The probation letter will state explicitly that the student is on departmental probation and state precisely what must be accomplished and by what date in order to enable the student to return to good standing in the Program and be removed from probation. Within ten (10) working days of receipt of the probation letter, the student may submit a written request for a review of this decision by the LL.M. Admissions Committee, which may affirm or revise the probation letter or determine that probation is not appropriate.

If the student does not comply with the conditions of probation, a letter signed by Director of the LL.M. Program will be sent to the student (with a copy to the Graduate School) with notification of dismissal from the LL.M. Program. Within ten (10) working days of receipt of the probation letter, the student may submit a written request for a review of this decision by the LL.M. Admissions Committee, which may affirm or revise the notification of dismissal or determine that dismissal is not appropriate (with a copy to the Graduate School). The Graduate School sends the official notice of dismissal from the Program.

A student may appeal a dismissal decision to the Graduate Faculty Senate only after completing the Program’s appeal process. The full text of the Dismissal Policy and Appeals Process for Graduate Students can be found in the Graduate School Catalog on its web site.