Evening Division students may complete the degree program in 3-1/2 years; the Law School's residence rule has been adapted to allow for accelerated completion of the degree program by one semester.
3.12.1. Format
The 3.5 Program entails a minimum of seven semesters (but the student may elect to delay completion of the degree program and extend the student's tenure for additional terms, not to exceed the Five Year Rule). The student may complete the degree program in 3-1/2 years in one of two ways (both of which require a minimum number of units to be completed by attendance at a minimum of two Summer Sessions): 1) enroll in part-time loads for each of seven semesters or 2) enroll in part-time loads for six semesters and undertake one semester of a full-time course load, but only in the seventh and final semester (provided, the student meets and adheres to the requirements established for full-time enrollment). Units earned in an Intersession course may be applied to the 3.5 Program summer unit requirement.
To accelerate completion of the degree requirements through the 3.5 Program, the student must undertake attendance at Summer Sessions. Students must attend a minimum of two Summer Sessions. However, generally speaking, those who will enroll in part-time loads throughout the seven semesters will attend three Summer Sessions to satisfy the minimum number of Summer Session units that are required.
Credit for attendance at Summer Sessions is restricted to Loyola Law School or at an ABA—approved law school—outside of the Southern California region—at which the summer term is comprised of a minimum of seven weeks of instruction, not including orientation, holidays, reading periods, and examination periods. Summer attendance at Loyola Law School-sponsored international programs is permitted but the student must also attend a minimum of two Summer Sessions at the Law School or at an ABA-approved law school (as just described). As participation in summer programs with overlapping enrollment periods is not permitted and as Loyola Law School-sponsored international programs ordinarily overlap with the Law School's Summer Session, students should plan on three summers to complete the minimum two-Summer Session requirement. An illustration follows in 1.b.
Provided that the student meets the minimum two-Summer Session attendance policy, a maximum of four units from a Loyola Law School-sponsored international program(s) may be applied towards the minimum Summer Session units that are required. Typically, a maximum of four units of course offerings is available through Loyola Law School-sponsored international programs. However, if a student earns more than four units, the additional units could be applied towards the overall number of units needed to satisfy the degree requirement. (For example, if a student were completing the degree program in seven part-time semesters, the student would need to complete a minimum of 14 units during Summer Sessions. If the student took six international Summer units: 1) four of the units would apply towards the 14 required in Summer Sessions and an additional 10 units would be required during a minimum of two Summer Sessions and 2) the additional two units--not being applied towards Summer attendance--could reduce that student's academic load for one or two semesters, i.e., nine units in one semester or 10 units for two semesters. An illustration follows in 1.c.)
Summer attendance at an international program sponsored by an ABA-approved law school is permitted. Attendance may apply towards the minimum two-Summer Session requirement and a maximum of six units may be credited towards the minimum Summer Session unit requirement.
Examples of the two options for completion of the degree requirements through the 3.5 Program are illustrated in the following:
Option 1: PART-TIME THROUGHOUT (requiring a minimum of 14 Summer Session units)
|
Fall |
|
Spring |
|
|
1st yr |
9 |
+ |
10 |
= |
19 |
2nd yr |
11 |
+ |
11 |
= |
22 |
3rd yr |
11 |
+ |
11 |
= |
22 |
4th yr |
10 |
|
|
= |
10 |
|
|
|
|
= |
73 |
|
|
|
|
+ |
14 (required minimum number of SS/Intersession units) |
|
|
|
|
= |
87 |
Illustrations of Option 1:
1.a. Maximum Semester Loads and 3 Typical Summer Sessions
|
Fall |
|
Spring |
|
|
|
SS |
|
|
1st yr |
9 |
+ |
10 |
= |
19 |
+ |
3 |
= |
22 |
2nd yr |
11 |
+ |
11 |
= |
22 |
+ |
5 |
= |
27 |
3rd yr |
11 |
+ |
11 |
= |
22 |
+ |
6 |
= |
28 |
4th yr |
10 |
= |
10 |
= |
10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
73 |
+ |
14 |
= |
87 |
1.b. Maximum Semester Loads, 2 Summer Sessions and a Loyola Law School- sponsored International Program during a Third Summer
|
Fall |
|
Spring |
|
|
|
SS |
|
Int'l SS |
|
|
1st yr |
9 |
+ |
10 |
= |
19 |
+ |
6 |
|
|
= |
25 |
2nd yr |
11 |
+ |
11 |
= |
22 |
|
|
+ |
3 |
= |
25 |
3rd yr |
11 |
+ |
11 |
= |
22 |
+ |
5 |
|
|
= |
27 |
4th yr |
10 |
|
|
= |
10 |
|
|
|
|
= |
10 |
|
|
|
|
|
73 |
+ |
11 |
+ |
3 |
= |
87 |
1.c. Extra International Units in a Loyola Law School-sponsored International Program Allowing for Less than Maximum Semester Loads**
|
Fall |
|
Spring |
|
|
|
SS |
|
Int'l SS |
|
|
1st yr |
9 |
+ |
10 |
= |
19 |
+ |
5 |
|
|
= |
24 |
2nd yr |
11 |
+ |
11 |
= |
22 |
+ |
5 |
|
|
= |
27 |
3rd yr |
10 |
+ |
10 |
= |
20 |
|
|
+ |
6 |
= |
26 |
4th yr |
10 |
|
|
= |
10 |
|
|
|
|
= |
10 |
|
|
|
|
|
71 |
+ |
10 |
+ |
6 |
= |
87 |
** Only a maximum of four units from a Loyola Law School-sponsored international program(s) may be applied towards the minimum 14 Summer Session units required.
Option 2: ONE FULL-TIME SEMESTER (requiring a minimum of 10 Summer/Intersession units)
|
Fall |
|
Spring |
|
|
1st yr |
9 |
+ |
10 |
= |
19 |
2nd yr |
11 |
+ |
11 |
= |
22 |
3rd yr |
11 |
+ |
11 |
= |
22 |
4th yr |
14 |
|
|
= |
14* |
|
|
|
|
= |
77 |
|
|
|
|
+ |
10 (required minimum number of SS/Intersession units)** |
|
|
|
|
= |
87 |
* A student's full-time course load may only be increased to a maximum of 16 units. Increasing the full-time course load by additional units will allow the student flexibility to complete a lesser 9-10 unit course load in a previous semester.
Although a student may be undertaking a full-time course load in the final semester, the student will remain classified as an Evening Division student for purposes of class rank.
** A student may complete additional units during the Summer Sessions and thus decrease the student's course loads during the semesters (but the student must maintain the necessary minimum part-time or full-time loads of eight units and 12 units, respectively).
Illustrations of Option 2:
2.a. Typical Semesters and Summer Sessions
|
Fall |
|
Spring |
|
|
|
SS |
|
|
1st yr |
9 |
+ |
10 |
= |
19 |
+ |
5 |
= |
24 |
2nd yr |
11 |
+ |
11 |
= |
22 |
+ |
5 |
= |
27 |
3rd yr |
11 |
+ |
11 |
= |
22 |
+ |
|
= |
22 |
4th yr |
14 |
= |
|
= |
14 |
|
|
|
14 |
|
|
|
|
|
77 |
+ |
10 |
= |
87 |
2.b. Maximum Course Load in Final Semester
|
Fall |
|
Spring |
|
|
|
SS |
|
|
1st yr |
9 |
+ |
10 |
= |
19 |
+ |
5 |
= |
24 |
2nd yr |
11 |
+ |
11 |
= |
22 |
+ |
5 |
= |
27 |
3rd yr |
10 |
+ |
10 |
= |
20 |
|
|
= |
20 |
4th yr |
16 |
|
|
= |
16 |
|
|
= |
16 |
|
|
|
|
|
77 |
+ |
10 |
= |
87 |
2.c. Typical Semester Loads with 3 Summer Sessions
|
Fall |
|
Spring |
|
|
|
SS |
|
|
1st yr |
9 |
+ |
10 |
= |
19 |
+ |
3 |
= |
22 |
2nd yr |
11 |
+ |
11 |
= |
22 |
+ |
4 |
= |
26 |
3rd yr |
11 |
+ |
11 |
= |
22 |
|
3 |
= |
25 |
4th yr |
14 |
|
|
= |
14 |
|
|
= |
14 |
|
|
|
|
|
77 |
+ |
10 |
= |
87 |
2.d. Typical Semester Loads, 2 Summer Sessions, and a Loyola Law School-sponsored International Program during a Third Summer
|
Fall |
|
Spring |
|
|
|
SS |
|
Int'l SS |
|
|
1st yr |
9 |
+ |
10 |
= |
19 |
+ |
4 |
|
|
= |
23 |
2nd yr |
11 |
+ |
11 |
= |
22 |
|
|
+ |
3 |
= |
25 |
3rd yr |
11 |
+ |
11 |
= |
22 |
+ |
3 |
|
|
= |
25 |
4th yr |
14 |
|
|
= |
14 |
|
|
|
|
= |
14 |
|
|
|
|
|
77 |
+ |
7 |
+ |
3 |
= |
87 |
2.e. Extra International Units in a Loyola Law School-sponsored International Program Allowing for Less than Maximum Semester Loads***
|
Fall |
|
Spring |
|
|
|
SS |
|
Int'l SS |
|
|
1st yr |
9 |
+ |
10 |
= |
19 |
+ |
3 |
|
|
= |
22 |
2nd yr |
10 |
+ |
11 |
= |
21 |
+ |
3 |
|
|
= |
24 |
3rd yr |
11 |
+ |
10 |
= |
21 |
|
|
+ |
6 |
= |
27 |
4th yr |
14 |
|
|
= |
14 |
|
|
|
|
= |
14 |
|
|
|
|
|
75 |
+ |
6 |
+ |
6 |
= |
87 |
*** Only a maximum of four units from a Loyola Law School-sponsored international program(s) may be applied towards the 10 Summer Session/Intersession units required for the 3.5 Program.
Sixteen (16) units will be the maximum number of units a student will be permitted to carry in the seventh and final semester. Students planning to enroll in a full-time course load are cautioned about the number of units they intend to carry in that semester. While they are permitted to enroll in a maximum of 16 units, they should seriously consider enrolling in fewer units. A 16-unit course load is considered to be a relatively heavy one.
Students must be prepared to maintain flexibility to complete the degree program in an accelerated manner as represented by the 3.5 Program. An effort will be made to continue to offer a wide variety of courses each term. However, students must recognize that enrollment in maximum 11-unit course loads each semester after the first year may be based upon selection of courses for specific unit and time constraints rather than interest. The same may also hold true for attendance at Summer Sessions. While students will be guaranteed enrollment in courses required within their year and division, this is not the case for elective courses, including those considered bar preparation courses as well as those within a particular practice area of interest.
Because of the likelihood that students may determine their course selections based upon specific unit and time factors, students may not be able to undertake all bar preparation courses as well as special electives in which they might be interested. This may result in negative impact on the chances for bar passage as well as employment opportunities for those students who may not be at the higher range of the class.
Residence rules and standards enabling a student to complete the degree requirements in 3-1/2 years have been formulated specifically for the 3.5 Program and therefore are not otherwise applicable to other means of accelerating graduation within the normal rules and policies of the Law School. As a direct corollary, a student not completing the degree program as established through the conditions, policies and standards of the 3.5 Program will be governed by the normal rules and policies of the Law School. Consequently, any student who is permitted to complete the degree program through the 3.5 Program and who does not do so, will no longer be permitted any concessions made via the Program. The student thus must satisfy all rules, policies and standards that would pertain to any student completing the degree program in the normal manner. (For example, if a student does not complete the required 87 units within the 3-1/2 year period, to satisfy the residence requirement, the student must enroll in and satisfactorily complete an additional semester consisting of a minimum part-time load--even if the student needs less than eight units to meet the required 87 units--and pay the flat rate, part-time tuition charge.)
3.12.2. Eligibility
Students must submit their requests to complete the degree program through the 3.5 Program by the third Friday in June following the second year. Unless a student is approved to participate in the 3.5 Program, the student may not be permitted to graduate in less than four years (i.e., less than eight semesters of attendance) even if the student is able to satisfy all of the standards of the 3.5 Program. Residence rules particularly are being adjusted to enable students to complete the degree program through the distinct 3.5 Program
A student must request to complete the degree program through the 3.5 Program by submitting the Request to Participate in the 3.5 Program form to the Office of the Registrar. The student must include a tentative outline reflecting unit loads of how the student anticipates completing the degree program (particularly addressing whether it is the student's intent to undertake a full-time course of study in the seventh and final semester).
If it is the student's intent to complete the program with full-time enrollment for the seventh and final semester, the student must state if the student is currently employed and the date by which the student will leave employment and/or reduce employment to less than 20 hours per week. Prior to the seventh and final semester, the student must complete a minimum of 10 units by attending a minimum of two Summer Sessions at the Law School. The student may not enroll in more than 16 units in the final semester. It will be that student's responsibility to satisfy the conditions necessary to undertake a full- time course load in the final semester.
If it is the student's intent to complete the program with part-time enrollment for the seventh and final semester, the student must complete a minimum of 14 units by attending a minimum of two Summer Sessions at the Law School. Intersession units may be used in combination with Summer Session units to meet the 3.5 Program's summer unit requirement.
Academic performance will be considered in determining whether a petition will be granted for a student to complete the degree requirements through the 3.5 Program. For example, an academic record not consistently and solidly above the graduation level or academic performance that has declined are factors that might result in the denial of a petition. A student who has been on academic probation is ineligible to complete the degree program through the 3.5 Program.
If a student wishes to undertake a full-time course load in the seventh and final semester, the student must meet all conditions necessary to do so. The student must submit the required written certification of employment hours to be eligible to register for a full-time course load. As the registration process for a semester takes place substantially earlier than the beginning of that semester (e.g., mid- Summer for the Fall semester), a student may be given initial permission to register for a full-time course load (based upon the required written certification of employment hours). However, at the beginning of that final semester, the student must again certify in writing that the student will not work more than 20 hours per week.
A student who is approved to complete the degree program through the 3.5 Program will not be required to graduate in 3-1/2 years.
3.12.2.1. Transfer Students
Students who transferred to the Law School after having completed one year of a part- time program at their respective law schools are eligible to request completion of the degree program through the 3.5 Program. Such transfer students must submit a request following their second year (which would be the conclusion of their first year of study at Loyola Law School).
All rules, policies, and conditions of the 3.5 Program will apply to transfer students. This includes the rules, policies, and conditions applicable to Summer Session attendance. However, credit for summer attendance at the previous law school may be awarded even if that law school is in the Southern California region provided that: 1) such attendance took place the summer immediately preceding transfer to the Law School, 2) the summer term at that law school meets the applicable length standard, and
3) the course(s), units, and grades would otherwise meet the Law School's standards for acceptance of them towards the Law School's degree program.
3.12.3. Other Academic Issues
All academic rules and policies of the Law School will apply to students completing the degree requirements through the 3.5 Program, except as set forth in the Program description. Academic rules and policies that remain applicable would include, but not be limited to: graduation requirements (with the exception of the 8-semester residence rule); minimum and maximum course loads (with the exception of the seventh and final semester during which a student may be eligible to carry a full-time load); repeating courses (Note: Students who repeat a course may not be able to complete the degree program through the 3.5 Program as they will not earn unit credit for the initial undertaking of that course. This is also the case for students who fail a course and therefore do not earn unit credit for it.); academic standing (Note: Academic standing is ordinarily determined at the end of the Spring semester of each academic year. However, academic standing will be determined at the time of completion of the degree program if that term is other than the Spring semester.); class rank (Note: Ranking is determined at the conclusion of the Spring semester of each academic year. Thus, those students graduating in the Fall semester would not be ranked until the subsequent Spring. Students completing the degree through the 3.5 Program will be ranked with the Evening Division even if they undertook a full-time load in their final semester.); Dean's Honor List; special student status at another law school (with the exception of the length of the summer program); and, participation in co-curricular activities (e.g., Law Reviews, Scott Moot Court Honors Board).
3.12.4. Other Administrative Issues
All administrative rules and policies of the Law School will apply to students completing the degree requirements through the 3.5 Program, except as set forth in the Program description.
Administrative rules and policies that remain applicable would include, but not be limited to, charges for tuition and fees (especially with respect to the flat-rate, full-time tuition charge if the student undertakes a full-time course load of 12 or more units).
3.12.4.1. Commencement:
A student may elect to participate in the graduation ceremony either the spring before or the spring semester following the student's graduation from the Law School. (e.g., A student graduating in December 2022 may elect to participate in the May 2022 ceremony or the May 2023 ceremony.) A student may not elect to participate more than once.
3.12.4.2. E-mail and Network Access:
In keeping with the Law School's practice to date, e-mail accounts, network accounts, and network access (excluding LEXISNEXIS, Westlaw, and Bloomberg) will be continued for 2 years from the graduating student's degree conferral date. (Printing privileges in the Computer Resource Center are not included as all students pay a fee each semester for such usage.)
3.12.4.3. Parking:
A student who paid the parking fee in the Fall semester in which the student graduates will be permitted continued access to the parking garage (after the Fall semester concludes) through the Spring semester (thus allowing the student to study at the Law School while preparing for the bar examination). The Spring semester's parking fee (which will allow parking privileges through July 31) must be paid by those who had not paid for the Fall parking fee and do not wish to pay the daily flat-rate charge, and those wishing to continue parking privileges beyond the Spring semester without having to pay the daily flat-rate charge.
3.12.4.4. Billing and Financial Aid:
As there are billing and financial aid ramifications involved for students graduating a semester early, students must advise Student Financial Services of the change in graduation date as well as enrollment status if they are undertaking a full-time load for the Fall semester of their final year. If a student's request to graduate a semester early is granted, it is the student's responsibility to notify Student Financial Services and ensure that appropriate documents are processed to reflect the change in financial aid eligibility and graduation date.
3.12.4.5. Scholarships:
Burns Evening Scholars (who receive coverage of Summer Session attendance) will be eligible to complete the degree program through the 3.5 Program. However, as coverage for Summer Session tuition then may be more than anticipated in the normal course of events and as this may impact the availability of scholarship funding for other students, Burns Scholars will be expected to make a good faith effort to graduate in 3-1/2 years as originally presented in their respective unit outline proposals (submitted at the time they applied to complete the degree program through the 3.5 Program).
Other merit and public interest scholars should note their scholarship will change if they enroll to the 3.5 program and they may not be entitled to the original scholarship award. Students should contact Student Financial Services for more information.