Courses Taken by Elon Law Students Outside the Law School
In limited circumstances, the Law School permits students to receive credit towards their J.D. requirements for courses that are not taken at the Law School, whether at another law school or at another school or department within the University. In all cases, students must obtain advance permission from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs if the student wishes to receive credit towards the J.D. degree for courses taken outside the Law School. If advance permission is not obtained, no credit will be granted toward the J.D. requirements. Under no circumstances will permission be granted retroactively.
Summer Sessions at Other Law Schools
Generally, a student may receive a maximum of six credits for courses taken during the summer at another accredited law school toward his or her J.D. requirements (for a total of twelve credits taken over two summers). A request to receive credit towards the J.D. degree for courses taken during the summer school of another accredited law school must be submitted to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs prior to taking those courses. The form is available online.
Whether a particular course or courses a student takes during summer school at another law school can be used to satisfy the specific J.D. course requirements of the Law School will be determined in the discretion of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. As previously stated, any student with a GPA below 2.50 must have his or her summer course registration (whether such course or courses are taken at the Law School or elsewhere, including any registration to study abroad) approved by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. See Academic Regulations and Procedures—Academic Standards.
Visiting Status During a Regular Academic Term
If a student has a strong academic record and presents a compelling educational reason involving rigorous curricular offerings that are not available at the Law School, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may permit the student to attend another accredited law school for one regular academic term as a visiting student, while still receiving the J.D. degree from the Law School (assuming satisfactory completion of all J.D. degree requirements). The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may, in rare circumstances, consider a petition to visit another law school based on extraordinary compelling personal circumstances that make such visit necessary.
Petitions for permission to visit another law school must be submitted to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs prior to attending the other law school. Students submitting such petitions must
- Demonstrate compelling reasons to attend the other law school; and
- Have a cumulative GPA of 2.25 or above immediately before attending the other law school.
Students who are granted permission to visit another law school must complete their last term at the Elon Law, except in extraordinary circumstances. If permission is granted for a student to visit another accredited law school, the term of the visit is deemed to satisfy the general six semester/seven trimester “in residence” requirement set forth above. See Curriculum—General Juris Doctor (J.D.) Requirements, above.