3.0. Registration, Course and Division Changes, and Related Matters

Inquiries regarding registration and course changes should be directed to the Office of the Registrar.

No student will receive academic credit for any course or field placement unless officially registered in the course through the Office of the Registrar.

Academic credit will be given for courses and directed research papers only during regular academic terms. During Intersession, academic credit will be given for only those courses offered in the Intersession. No credit will be awarded for work completed, in whole or in part, between terms.

Work submitted for credit in one course cannot be submitted in another course. A student may not use a single paper for credit in two courses, or for directed research and course credit.

Every student who registers for academic credit in a course and who does not formally withdraw before the last class day of the term in which the course was taken shall receive a grade in the course. As used here, the word "course" is meant in its most inclusive sense and refers to a class, seminar, directed research, field placement, or any other undertaking whatsoever in which a student is registered for academic credit.

Students seeking a waiver of a rule or policy must submit a General Petition to the Office of the Registrar, unless the rule or policy designates a specific individual to whom a petition must be submitted or from whom permission must be obtained. 

A student is required to attend classes regularly. Attendance in a remote class requires regular attendance using Zoom (or other remote appearance software) with the student’s camera on.  Asynchronous attendance requires timely access and submission of any scheduled activities as outlined in the course syllabus or otherwise assigned by the professor or access via the course management software.

Students must keep individual faculty members informed about their absences; students do not need to submit documentation to support an absence.

Students who are absent for more than 20% of regularly scheduled class sessions will not have attended sufficient classes to earn credit and may be administratively withdrawn from the course.  An absence for any reason, including excused absences, counts toward the maximum of the 20% absences permitted.

Tardiness can be considered as a full or partial absence in accordance with the notice in the course syllabus.

 A student may be withdrawn, and/or excluded from an examination, and given a failing grade in any course in which the student has not maintained a satisfactory attendance record.

3.2.1.

Intersession Attendance – please see also Section 1.4.3.

It is the policy of the faculty of the Law School that all course requirements be completed in a timely fashion.

All students enrolled in a course for which there is a mid-term, mid-year, and/or final examination(s) are required to complete all assignments, if any, made by the professor and are required to take the examinations at the time the examinations are scheduled. If the course does not require an examination, and completion of the course requirement takes the form of a paper, series of papers or reports, or the like, students are required to submit the material at the time specified by the professor. In no event shall this be later than the end of the examination period of the term during which the course was taken.

If any student does not fulfill the course requirements for a course in which the student is enrolled, the professor for the course will not report a grade for that student and the Office of the Registrar will automatically enter a grade of F (failure). If a student fails to take a mid-term or mid-year examination, that student will receive a failing grade (i.e., F) in the course and will not be eligible to complete the course that academic year.

3.4.1.

Students who complete all of their units at Loyola must complete a minimum of 67 letter-graded units to graduate. Students may take their remaining 20 or more units on a pass/fail basis.

3.4.1.1

The Law School does not grant credit for courses completed prior to admission to a law school, such as in a pre-admission program or at a law school outside of the United States.

3.4.2

Courses taken during Intersession, Bar Exam: Writing Skills, Law Reviews, moot courts, practica (e.g., Entertainment Law Practicum, Immigrant Justice Practicum), clinics, field placements and internships are normally the only courses graded on a pass/fail basis.

3.4.2.1

Except as provided in section 3.4.5 below, the maximum number of pass/fail units for field placements or clinics that a student can earn is 14.

3.4.3.

Except as provided in items 3.4.4. and 3.4.5., grades in courses taken at other schools will be computed in the 20-unit pass/fail maximum.

3.4.4.

A student who is permitted visiting or special student status at another institution may not take pass/fail units at Loyola that will exceed 23% of the units which the student completes at Loyola. For example, if a student completes a total of 87 units (29 units at another law school and 58 units at Loyola), the student may only take a maximum of 13 pass/fail units at Loyola. (Reference should be made to the section on Transfer Credits, 8.0.)

Eligibility for receiving the Order of the Coif may be affected by visiting at another institution as 75% of the 87 units (i.e., 66 units) required for completion of the degree program must be comprised of letter—not pass/fail—graded courses taken at the Law School; unit credit—not grades—is accepted from the other institution.

3.4.5.

A transfer student may elect to take courses graded on a pass/fail basis. However, the maximum number of pass/fail units that a transfer student may apply towards the Juris Doctor degree shall be determined in accordance with the following rules:

3.4.5.1.

Of the units that a transfer student is required to complete at Loyola, a minimum of 77% of those units must be letter-graded to receive the Juris Doctor. Transfer students may take their remaining 23% units on a pass/fail basis. Of the pass/fail units a student is eligible to undertake, no more than 70% may be for field placements or internships or clinics. Units taken at Loyola in excess of the 87 units needed to graduate may be taken pass/fail and may be for field placements, internships or clinics.

Example: It is common for a transfer student who took a full load of courses at the student's prior law school to enter Loyola with 29 units of credit. The student must thus take a minimum of 58 units at Loyola to graduate. Of those 58 units, a minimum of 45 units must be letter-graded. The remaining 13 units may be pass/fail, with a maximum of 9 units being  in field placements, internships or clinics. If this student takes more than 58 units at Loyola, those additional units could be pass/fail units and could be in field placements, internships or clinics.

3.4.5.2.

Units which a Loyola student takes at another law school are entered on the student's record at Loyola on a pass basis, and are counted against the maximum number of pass/fail units which a student is permitted to take. However, to receive a degree from Loyola, a transfer student must successfully complete a minimum of 58 units of credit at this institution, regardless of the number of units completed at a prior law school. As a result, a transfer student is extremely limited, if not entirely precluded, from taking units towards the Loyola degree at another institution after transfer to Loyola.

3.4.6

Students must complete a minimum of 44 units of in-person coursework to graduate. Students may take their remaining 43 or more units through distance education courses.

3.4.6.1

Due to visa requirements, international students are limited to one (1) course for no more than 2 units each semester.

A student may earn academic credit for a research paper completed under the direct supervision of a full-time faculty member. An adjunct faculty member may not supervise a directed research.

A  student  normally  may  receive  credit  for  only  one  (1)  directed research paper.    Under extraordinary circumstances and upon the recommendation of the faculty member, the Associate Dean for Faculty may waive this rule.

A directed research paper normally may be approved for two (2) units only. Under extraordinary circumstances and upon the recommendation of the faculty member, the Associate Dean for Faculty may approve a 1-unit paper.

3.5.1.

Credit will be granted for a directed research paper only upon compliance with the following requirements:

1. The paper must reflect substantial research in areas that do not duplicate the student's preexisting knowledge.
    
2. The student must complete a draft, receive the supervising faculty member's comments thereon, and submit a revised final paper. It is the student's responsibility to ascertain the due dates for both the draft and the final paper, arrange the method by which the draft and final paper will be submitted to the professor, and ensure—by confirming actual receipt by the professor—that the professor receives, in a timely manner, both the draft and the final paper.
3. The total length of the final paper must be no less than 7,500 words of main body text, exclusive of footnotes, bibliography, and any appendices.

A student may not repeat a directed research paper.

3.5.2.

Approval of a directed research paper must be obtained according to the following procedure:

1. The student shall submit a Directed Research Request form to a member of the full-time faculty who has agreed to supervise the paper. This form requires a 250-word description of the paper and the citation of at least five (5) sources (which may include cases, law review articles, or monographs) the student expects to be relevant to the paper. Under extraordinary circumstances, and upon the recommendation of the faculty member, the Associate Dean for Faculty may permit a student to submit the 250-word description and list of five sources no later than one week after the Associate Dean's approval of the Directed Research Request.
    
2. After the student receives the signed proposal from the faculty member, the student must submit the form to the Office of the Registrar. The deadline to submit the Directed Research Request form to the Office of the Registrar is the last day to add classes as noted in the Office of the Registrar's Administrative Calendar.
    
3. The Office of the Registrar will then forward a copy of the signed proposal to the Associate Dean for Faculty for approval. The Associate Dean will ordinarily approve or disapprove the proposal within five working days after the student has submitted it to the Office of the Registrar.

Ordinarily, a faculty member may not supervise more than four directed research papers in any academic year.

The registration priority system was adopted to ensure that all students have a reasonably fair opportunity of registering for classes. The priority number is determined by the student's year of study/division/program.

The priorities are as follows, with the top of the list receiving the top priority:

1. Fifth, fourth, and third year evening students
2. Fifth, fourth, and third year day students
3. Second year evening students
4. Second year day students
5. All LL.M., JSD, MLS, MT, Visiting JD students, Visiting Scholars and Auditors

Once a student registers for courses, courses may be added through the last day of the "Deadline to Add a Course" as noted in the Office of the Registrar's Administrative Calendar. Faculty are not able to grant permission to a student to enroll in a course after the last day to add a course deadline.

Students may only attend courses for which they are enrolled. Waitlisted students may not attend a course if they are on the waitlist. If students are admitted from the waitlist, they must add the course in timely manner to secure their seat in it.

Dropping Courses. Once a student registers for courses, courses may be dropped through the last day of the "Deadline to Drop a Course without a W" as noted in the Office of the Registrar's Administrative Calendar.

Withdrawing from Courses. If a student withdraws from a course after the date established by the Office of the Registrar as the last day to drop a course without a "W", a mark of 'W' will be assigned for that course and will remain on the student's transcript. A student may not withdraw from a required course at any time without prior authorized approval. This remains the case even in those instances in which a student is taking a required course in a different semester or year than is otherwise required. Withdrawal from a required course may only be permitted for extraordinary and compelling circumstances. No withdrawal from a course is permitted after the date shown in the Administrative Calendar as the "deadline to withdraw from a course." A student may not withdraw from a course after the final examination for the course has been administered, even if the administration of the exam occurred prior to the date shown in the Administrative Calendar as the "deadline to withdraw from a course."

If a student does not fulfill the course requirements for a course in which the student is enrolled (including, but not limited to, taking a mid-term, mid-year, or final examination[s]) and does not formally withdraw from the course according to the rules above, the student will be assigned a failing grade in the course.

All students are required to review at regular intervals their course enrollments. A student failing to withdraw from a course for which the student had enrolled but subsequently decided not to attend will be subject to the applicable administrative and academic consequences including, but not limited to, being assigned a failing grade.

Day Division students must remain enrolled in a minimum of 12 units per semester and Evening Division students must remain enrolled in a minimum of 8 units per semester.

Subject to the rules set forth in Sections 3.7 and 3.8, students seeking to add, drop, or withdraw from courses must do so online using their PROWL account at https://prowl.lls.edu. Students are responsible for printing and saving copies of all on-line web transactions. In the event that a dispute should arise thereafter concerning whether or not a transaction has occurred and there is no record of the alleged transaction, the transaction will be presumed not to have occurred unless the student produces a copy of the transaction demonstrating its occurrence. The Law School assumes no responsibility for ensuring that students retain copies of their web transactions with the Law School. Absolutely no class withdrawals will be accepted by telephone.

A student must notify Student Financial Services if an add/drop/withdraw transaction changes the student's enrollment status as it relates to financial aid. For detailed information, reference should be made to http://lls.edu/studentaccounts/policiesandprocedures/

If a student changes academic load after the last day to withdraw from courses without tuition penalty, the student shall be liable for the tuition on all units in which the student is enrolled in accordance with the established Tuition Liability/Refund Policy. Students are advised to review each term the deadline dates prepared by the Student Accounts Office setting forth the percentage of tuition for which a student is liable. For more detailed information regarding tuition liability and the refund policy, reference should be made to http://lls.edu/studentaccounts/policiesandprocedures/

For a student paying tuition on a per unit basis, the student may be liable for any units added and/or dropped after that date, even though there is no change in the net number of units being taken. (For example, if a student is enrolled in four 3-unit classes and decides to withdraw from one of them and replace it with another 3-unit class, the student would be liable for the tuition for 15 units; there would be a percentage liability for the three units dropped and full liability for the remaining 12 units.)

Note: The last day to withdraw from courses without tuition penalty does not correspond with the date established by the Office of the Registrar as the last day to drop a course without a "W." The Tuition Liability/Refund Policy is published every term at http://lls.edu/studentaccounts/policiesandprocedures/ . Failure to attend a scheduled class on the first day of the term does not relieve a student of any tuition and fee liability.

Upon satisfactory completion of the first year of study, a student who wishes to transfer from one division to the other may apply to do so by submitting a General Petition to the Office of the Registrar. The petition must include the reasons why the transfer should be granted, along with any relevant supporting documentation. The General Petition (and supporting documentation) must be submitted no later than June 1 for the succeeding Fall semester. Transferring divisions during the academic year e.g., the Spring semester, is not permitted.

The Law School reserves the right to limit the number of divisional transfers in a given academic year.

Decisions regarding transfer requests are considered only after all grades have been reported as officially finalized. Evening students achieving grades that place them in the top third of the class at the conclusion of the first year may petition to transfer to the full-time program. In deciding whether to grant the petition, the Law School's considerations will include that the student applied by the given deadline and that there is available space in the Division.

If a student is permitted to transfer divisions, it is expected that in the normal course of events, the student will remain classified in that division through graduation.

Students who are permitted to transfer divisions should consult with the Registrar to determine the manner in which they will be able to satisfy the residence requirement. In most cases, attendance at Summer Session(s) may be necessary (e.g., students who transfer from the Evening Division to the Day Division at the conclusion of the first year will have to attend a minimum of two Summer Sessions if they wish to graduate in three years). Students who need to satisfy the residence requirement by attending Summer Session(s) may do so only by attending Summer Session(s) at the Law School. Students may not use units earned from either the Intensive Summer Tax program or the Intersession to satisfy this requirement. Students may not fulfill the residence requirement by attending other summer programs, including international programs sponsored by the Law School.

Evening Division students are advised that only those who are devoting substantially all of their time to legal studies may be admitted to the Day Division. Therefore, they must indicate in their petition whether they are employed and, if so, how many hours per week they anticipate working. (A student may not work in excess of 20 hours per week while attending school on a full-time basis.)

Evening Division students who are permitted to transfer to the Day Division may be required to complete Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Ethical Lawyering, Evidence and Property in the evening with the second year evening students. 

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.)

Students should seek academic counseling when considering applying to the 3.5 Program.

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.