Law, The School of

Degree available from the School of Law at The University of South Dakota:

Juris Doctor

Program of Study

The School of Law is accredited as a full-time program leading to a juris doctor (J.D.) degree upon completion of 90 semester hours of courses in six full-time semesters. Students enter the School of Law in the fall of each year.

In order to qualify for the juris doctor degree, a student must complete six semesters, or their equivalent in residence. A semester is generally 15 weeks, during which a student enrolls for at least 12 credit hours and completes at least nine of these hours with passing grades. The equivalent of a semester may be obtained by a combination of at least six credits earned in the summer in courses for which Law School credit is awarded and a summer externship, provided that the combination yields at least 12 credit hours and the student completes at least nine of these hours with passing grades. Enrollment for the purpose of this rule must be continuous throughout the semester.

An exception to this policy will be given if the student’s failure of courses in prior terms would require the student to take more than 18 hours in a subsequent semester in order to make up the difference in six semesters. In that event, one additional summer or semester will be allowed for completion of 90 hours. Students in the Flex-Time Program have up to five years to complete the 90 credit hours needed for the juris doctor degree.

Dean: Professor Barry R. Vickrey
Associate Dean: Thomas L. Sorensen
Assistant Dean: Angela Ericson

The School of Law course offerings are varied and respond to the evolving and dynamic needs of the legal profession. The University of South Dakota offers a broad range of electives after students have taken the traditional first-year curriculum, including a strong curricular emphasis in Indian Law. The School of Law also offers course tracks in business, civil litigation, commercial law, constitutional law, criminal law, employment law, estate planning, Indian law, real estate, and tax law. A broad array of co-curricular activities and professional events further enrich the educational experience.

The Law School program leads to a juris doctor degree upon successful completion of 90 hours of credit. The full-time program covers three years; the Flex-Time program permits certain well-qualified students to take less than the normal load of credits each semester and to graduate with a juris doctor degree within five years instead of three.

The University of South Dakota’s School of Law was established in 1901. It has been accredited by the American Bar Association since 1923 and has been a member of the Association of American Law Schools since 1907.

The School of Law has a diverse, scholarly, and highly-accomplished faculty who have obtained their J.D., and in some cases advanced law degrees, from a variety of respected institutions from across the country. Many faculty members have practice experience in addition to their many years of teaching experience. School of Law students come from a variety of backgrounds and, upon graduation and admission to a bar, enter law practice in South Dakota and throughout the nation.

The University of South Dakota School of Law offers a high-quality legal education at an affordable cost, in a small, friendly school with many opportunities for specialized instruction and personal assistance. Prospective students are encouraged to consider carefully the many advantages available as a student of The University of South Dakota School of Law. We encourage you to visit our website at www.usd.edu/law and visit our campus in Vermillion. The faculty and staff are available to discuss legal education generally and how the programs at the USD School of Law can be designed to fit individual needs.

Research

Each year, the Law School provides about a dozen Research Assistantships in which law students conduct research and other work for law professors. In addition, the Dean’s Office often hires several law students as Graduate Assistants. These assistantships offer a stipend and allow the hired students to pay one-third of resident tuition for semesters worked.

The activities of student organizations enhance the classroom learning experiences of students at the School of Law. Students gain extraordinary experience by participating in competitions and other events through the five co-curricular organizations – South Dakota Law Review, Sustainable Development Journal of Law, Trial Advocacy, Moot Court Board, and Client Counseling & Negotiation Board.