Dec 05, 2025  
2025-2026 Law School Catalog 
    
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2025-2026 Law School Catalog

Academic Policies and Procedures

Submission Of Undergraduate Transcripts

All deposited students must submit their undergraduate transcripts indicating degree conferral to the Office of Admission by August 1. Any student who has not submitted an undergraduate transcript indicating degree conferral by October 15 will be administratively withdrawn from the J.D. program on October 16. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may grant extensions for extraordinary circumstances Outside of the control of the student.

Graduation Requirements1

The Fowler School of Law confers the degree of Juris Doctor (J.D.) upon its qualified graduates.  A student shall be qualified upon satisfying the following requirements:

Credit Hours

  • The successful completion of 88 semester hours of course work, including all required courses. In compliance with ABA Standard 310 (see Appendix), a “credit hour” or “semester hour” or “credit” is an amount of work that reasonably approximates:
    • Not less than 50 minutes of classroom or direct faculty instruction and two hours of out- of-class student work per week for fifteen weeks (including one week for a final examination), or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
    • At least an equivalent amount of work as required in subparagraph (a) for other academic activities, including simulations, externships, field placements, clinical and other academic work for which units of credit are awarded.
  • Credit for courses will only be awarded where a student receives a grade of 0.7 or above in the course;
  • The maintenance of a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0; and
  • The completion of six semesters in residence (or the equivalent) if a full-time student or eight semesters in residence (or the equivalent) if a part-time student.
  • Students are required to complete their law school studies within 84 months.
  • First-Year Curriculum: Required courses include the first-year full-time curriculum: Contracts I & II, Torts I & II, Civil Procedure I & II, Civil Procedure Lab, Property, Legal Analysis Writing and Research I & II, and Criminal Law. Part-time students take all these courses in their first year except Criminal Law and Contracts I & II.
  • Upper-Level Curriculum: Upper level required courses include Corporations or Business Associations; Constitutional Law, Evidence, Professional Responsibility, and Practice Foundations Transactions/Civil/Criminal.

Students must complete two (2) Practical (Practice-Oriented) Writing requirements.

Students must take at least two credits from a list of prescribed experiential courses that include but are not limited to Trial Practice, Client Interviewing & Counseling, Negotiations, Mediation, Arbitration, Clinics, Law and Motion, and Pre-Trial Civil Practice. These courses are marked as “experiential”, as defined by ABA Standard 303(a)(3), in the course registration materials.

Required courses for students that have a cumulative GPA below 2.6 at the end of their first year of law school (either full or part-time study) and transfer students as designated by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs also include: Criminal Procedure/Police Practices, Remedies, and Wills & Trusts. Students who also ranked in the bottom 25% of their 1L class must take Remedies with Practice Lab instead of Remedies.

In addition, students must take Legal Writing Skills as a condition of graduation if (1) they received a grade of 1.9 or below in Legal Analysis Writing and Research I or II (2) their LRW professor for either of these courses recommends that the student take Legal Writing Skills, or (3) if they are a transfer student and are required to do so by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Students with a GPA below 2.6 at the end of their first year of law school may not earn credits for graduation through Directed Research.

The following requirements for graduation are not subject to variance or waiver unless otherwise provided in the academic rules:

  • Required number of hours.
  • The requisite grade point average.
  • Required courses.
  • Residency credit.
  • Writing requirements.
  • Non-graded credits: For students with a cumulative GPA of 2.6 or above at the end of their first year of law school (full or part-time study), no more than 16 of the credits may be taken for pass/no pass credit. For students with a cumulative GPA below 2.6 at the end of their first year of law school (full or part-time study), no more than seven (7) credits may be taken for pass/no pass credit.
  • Additional Graduation Requirements: All students entering their final year of law study ranked in the bottom 25% of their class must take Selected Topics in American Law in the fall semester and Advanced Selected Topics in American Law in the spring semester.
  • Residency Credits: To graduate, a student must receive at least six (6) residence credits. No more than one (1) residence credit may be earned in a single semester.
    • In a given semester during the regular academic year, to receive one residence credit, a student must receive credit for at least 12 credit hours of course work. Part-time students must be enrolled in a minimum of 8 credit hours of course work throughout a Fall or Spring semester and must satisfactorily complete and receive credit for at least 5 of those credit hours in order to earn fractional residence credit in a given semester. A student who in a given fall or spring semester is not enrolled throughout the semester in at least 8 credit hours of course work will receive no fractional residence credit for that semester. If a student in a given semester is enrolled throughout the semester in at least 8 credit hours of course work and receives credit for at least 5 credit hours of course work but less than 12 credit hours of course work, the student will receive fractional residence credit only in the ratio that the credit hours earned bear to the minimum of 12 credit hours required for a full residence credit.
    • To receive fractional residence credit in a given summer term, a student must receive credit for at least 3 credit hours of course work during the summer session. A maximum of one-half (0.5) residence credit may be earned for course work completed during a given summer session. Subject to the limitation that no more than one-half of a residence credit may be earned for study during a summer session, a student who receives at least 3 credit hours of course work will receive residence credit in the ratio that the credit hours earned bear to the minimum of 12 credit hours required for a full residence credit in a semester during the regular academic year.
    • For summer study abroad programs, the rules regarding residence credit for study during a summer session will apply.​
  • Mandatory Professional Development Program:

The Mandatory Professional Development Program (“PD Program”), administered by the Career Services Office, introduces first-year students to the legal profession, its core values, and the core competencies required to succeed. Students must complete five (5) sessions from the PD Program to be eligible to graduate from the Fowler School of Law. Students who do not meet this graduation requirement during their first year must complete outstanding sessions by graduation. To receive credit for a PD Program event, students must arrive on time, sign-in, and stay for the entire program.

The Writing Requirement

  • General Requirements: Prior to graduation, all students must satisfactorily complete two practice-oriented writing courses as defined below. Ordinarily, students should satisfactorily complete one writing project in each of their second and third years of law school.

  • The Practice-Oriented Writing Requirement: Students may satisfy the practice-oriented writing requirement by the production of one or more documents that require students to engage in the kind of legal writing that lawyers undertake in the practice of law. The writing assignments must be designed to develop the students’ practical legal writing skills and must be of the scope and complexity ordinarily suitable as a writing sample appropriate for submission to a potential employer. Practice-oriented writings include both litigation-type documents and transactional documents. Examples of documents that likely would qualify as a practice-oriented writing (because of the amount of writing and independent analysis involved) include, but are not limited to, legal memoranda, motions, briefs, opinion letters, settlement agreements, and discovery documents that require more than standard questions (such as deposition outlines, requests for admissions tailored to client facts, etcetera). Examples of documents that likely would not qualify as a practice-oriented writing, without approval from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, include standard or template discovery documents and standard lease forms or contracts that involve no more than cutting and pasting. Satisfaction of the practice-oriented writing requirement must involve a close working relationship between the student and the supervising faculty member.

Directed Research

Students must obtain advance approval from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to earn academic credit for Directed Research. Student proposals for Directed Research must include a detailed topic description and an estimate of the time requirement for completion of the project. The supervising full-time faculty member will require an outline and a draft in addition to the final paper. The supervising faculty member and student will meet on a regular basis to discuss the progress of the paper.

Student members of the Law Review must undertake Directed Research in the spring semester of their second year of law study.

No faculty member may supervise more than two Directed Research projects in one semester without the prior approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. All Directed Research projects will be graded. The supervising faculty member will notify the student in advance of all requirements for the project.

Honors at Graduation

The criteria for graduating with honors is as follows:

  • Summa Cum Laude    Top 1% of the graduating class
  • Magna Cum Laude     Top 5% of the graduating class
  • Cum Laude                 Top 15% of the class

Please note that class rank percentages are not rounded to the nearest percent. Therefore, a class rank of 15.1% is top 16%.

______________________________________

1Requirements for the J.D. degree, as well as courses offered, may be changed by the faculty at any time.

Registration for Classes

Registration Policies

Full-time status is based on enrollment in 12 to 16 credits in a semester. Students who wish to transfer from full-time to the part-time program or from the part-time to full-time program must submit a petition to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. When considering such a petition, the Associate Dean will evaluate several factors including, but not limited to, the student’s academic performance in his or her first year of law school and the student’s work and co-curricular activities.

Part-time students complete a designated first year course of study and generally complete 8 to 11 credits per semester thereafter. Part-time students complete the requirements for the J.D. degree in no less than four (4) years. Absent approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, part-time students must complete their course of studies within six (6) years.

Registration for any type of competition must be completed within the first 30 calendar days of the academic semester in which the student will be competing, but prior to the competition.

All first-year students, both full and part-time, are registered in course sections by the Registrar’s Office. First-year students may not add or drop classes except that a first-year, full-time student may drop to first-year, part-time status with approval from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. All first-year, part-time students shall pursue the same course of studies. A first-year student changing status from full-time to part-time, shall be subject to the rules otherwise applicable to the change of sections.

Regular and punctual class attendance is necessary to satisfy residency and class hour requirements.

Full-time students may not register for more than 16 credit hours per semester without permission of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and no student may take more than 17 credit hours in a given semester. Students will be charged an additional per credit tuition fee for the credit hour taken in excess of 16 credits. The maximum credit limit applies to all students including those in joint degree JD/MBA and JD/MFA programs. Part-time students may not register for more than 11 credit hours per semester without first receiving written permission from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Part-time students also may not register for less than eight credit hours per semester without first receiving written permission from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

To receive credit for a course, the student must matriculate in the course, and successfully complete it with a grade of 0.7 or higher. Contracts I, Civil Procedure I, Legal Analysis Writing and Research I, and Torts I are prerequisites for Contracts II, Civil Procedure II, Legal Analysis Writing and Research II, and Torts II, respectively.

Changes between course section/first-year tracks: Students who wish to change sections of the same course may do so only upon a showing of extraordinary circumstances via written application to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and with the approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the professors of the two sections.

Auditing Courses

Chapman University alumni and current law students will be able to audit courses at the School of Law at no charge based on the following terms and conditions:

  • Alumni must be attorneys. This is not limited to attorneys who earned their law degree from the Fowler School of Law.
  • Alumni must choose from a select pre-approved list of courses that are determined by the Fowler School of Law to be feasible for audit and dependent upon space. A maximum of two (2) persons may audit a course.
  • Members of the law faculty have the prerogative to turn down a request for an auditor to take their class.
  • The University will waive the audit fee for current law students attending the law school and as long as the number of credits is within the allowable enrollment caps. For example, a maximum of 16 credits for full-time students and a maximum of 11 credits for part-time students for enrolled and audit credits combined.
  • Non-Chapman University students may audit courses as long as they are currently enrolled law students in good academic standing at ABA approved schools, or California State approved schools, or a current member of a State Bar, subject to the approval of the professor teaching the course. Tuition will be charged on a per credit basis.

Transfer of Credits

  The following rules apply to all transfer of credit:
  • No more than forty-two (42) academic credits shall be accepted for transfer during the student’s career at the Law School.
  • All courses required for graduation must be successfully completed at the Law School, except for comparable courses successfully completed by transfer students at their previous institution and approved for transfer credit by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
  • All course work must either be taken at an ABA-approved law school or in an ABA- approved program.
  • The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs has the discretion to approve or disapprove the transfer of credit in those instances where the grade for a course is 2.2 or below or the equivalent. The law school will not transfer credit if the grade received in the course(s) completed at the other law school is below 2.0 or its equivalent.
  • All grades for which credit is transferred will be reported as “pass” for the purpose of computing academic averages of the student at the Law School.
  • All requests for summer transfer credit must satisfy the following standards:
    • No more than six (6) credit hours will be transferred.
    • The inability of the student to take the courses at Chapman University because they are not offered by the Law School.
    • The residency requirements for graduation remain in effect.
    • The student’s cumulative grade point average is 2.0 or higher.
    • The student may not currently be the subject of academic suspension.
    • The student receives pre-approval by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
    • All requests for transfer credit shall include the course descriptions for the courses.
    • All grades for which credit is transferred will be reported as “pass” on the Fowler School of Law transcript and for the purpose of computing academic averages of the student at the Law School. The only exception is for courses transferred from programs co- sponsored by the Fowler School of Law or programs otherwise specifically approved by the Chancellor of Chapman University in which case which the actual grades earned in the program are posted on the Fowler School of Law transcript.
    • Approved transfer courses must be taken for a letter or numeric grade and students may not elect to take the courses for Pass/No Pass credit.

Visiting Students

The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may approve the petition of a student requesting visiting student privileges if the visit would serve the best interests of both the student and the Law School, if the petitioner’s cumulative grade point average at the Law School is 2.0 or higher; the petitioner is otherwise in good standing; and if either:

  • The petitioner has a special interest in taking a concentration of courses in a defined subject matter, and the Law School will not be able to offer that concentration of courses during the petitioner’s period of attendance at the Law School; or
  • The petitioner shows that hardship will result if visiting status is not granted. “Hardship” will normally consist of compelling medical or employment circumstances in the petitioner’s family.

In all circumstances, the petitioner must provide descriptions of the courses and must receive pre-approval of the courses. Proportionate residency credit will be granted to students on visiting status. 

Grades and Grading Standards

The law school will evaluate students using a numeric grading system. The numeric grades and their corresponding letter grade equivalents are shown on the following table:

  Numeric Grade Letter Grade Equivalent
Superior/Excellent 4.0 A
 

3.9 3.8

3.7

 A-
Good/Better Than Average

3.6 3.5

3.4

3.3

 B+
 

3.2 3.1

3.0

 B
 

2.9 2.8

2.7

 B-
Average

2.6 2.5

2.4

2.3

 C+
 

2.2 2.1

2.0

 C
 

1.9 1.8

1.7 

 C-
Unsatisfactory/Minimum Passing

1.6 1.5

1.4

1.3

 D+
 

1.2 1.1

1.0

 D
 

0.9 0.8

0.7

D-
Failing 0.0 F
Failure to Withdraw 0.0 FW

Note: 0.1 through 0.6 are not used.

Maximum Median JD Grading Standards

A faculty member shall not assign grades in a course with a median grade in excess of the following standards, except as otherwise provided in the “Application of Standards in Special Circumstances.” Faculty members may and are encouraged to assign grades below the maximum median when appropriate in any course.

All required courses taken by full-time students in the first year are subject to a 2.8 maximum median, subject to the following mandatory and appropriate grade distribution:

Grades Required Range of Grades
3.7 - 4.0 0 - 15%
0.0 - 1.9 At least 10%

For all other courses, the mandatory maximum median grade is 3.0; exam courses with twenty (20) or more students require a cumulative 20% of grades to be a 2.4 or lower and 10% to be a 2.2 or lower.

A professor shall not change any student’s grade after the course grade sheet has been submitted to the Registrar or the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, except for documented mathematical errors or to comply with these grading standards.

A student who withdraws from a class without complying with the requirements for withdrawal shall be assigned a grade of “FW,” which counts as a 0.0 in the cumulative grade point average.

A student who receives a 0.0 (“F” or “FW”) in any first-year course, or in any required upper- class course, must enroll in the course in the first subsequent semester in which that course is offered. The 0.0 shall be counted in the cumulative grade point average.

A professor may take into account the quality of a student’s class participation in determining the course grade, provided this policy is described in writing in the syllabus and/or clearly announced to students no later than the second class meeting and then confirmed in writing. For the purpose of this provision, the term “class participation” does not include mandatory, ungraded assignments.

High Pass/ Pass/ and No Pass grades shall be assigned in only those courses that have been specifically designated by the faculty as non-numeric graded courses. “High Pass” shall be assigned when the student’s performance is equivalent to a numeric grade of 3.7 or higher. “Pass” shall be assigned for a 1.7 to 3.6 numeric grade equivalent performance. “No Pass” shall be assigned for a 1.6 or lower numeric grade equivalent performance. Course credit shall be given for “High Pass” and “Pass” grades, but no numeric equivalent shall be assigned, and the grade shall not count in the cumulative grade point average. No course credit shall be given for a “No Pass” grade, and the grade shall count as a 0.0 for purposes of the cumulative grade point average.

Application of Standards in Special Circumstances

Faculty members shall confer with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs when seeking a variance from the grading standards. Any professor who seeks a variance from the grading standards must submit to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs a written statement justifying the variance and a copy of the complete set of proposed grades for that course. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs shall review the proposed set of grades for that course and shall not approve the requested variance unless (a) the variance is justified and (b) the proposed grades otherwise comply with the requirements and principles of these grading standards, including an appropriate distribution of grades.

Incomplete Grade for Certain Courses

A faculty member may assign an Incomplete “I” grade in a Directed Research, externship, or clinical education course, with the approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Such approval shall be granted when the student is not able to complete the course work by the end of the semester due to circumstances beyond the student’s control, such as a change in the law or carryover of case work beyond the semester.

  • Make-up work must be completed at the time prescribed by the faculty member in consultation with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, but this time shall be no later than the end of the subsequent semester.
  • The Incomplete “I” will be replaced with an earned grade only by the assigning faculty member after the work has been completed. A student cannot enroll in the same course taught by a different faculty member in order to remove the Incomplete “I.”
  • If the make-up work is not completed on time, the Incomplete “I” shall be converted to a “0.0.”
  • An “Incomplete” shall not count in grade point averages for purposes of class standing, academic probation or dismissal.

Grade Point Average

Cumulative grade point averages are not rounded (up or down) for purposes of ranking for honors, good standing, academic probation, academic dismissal, or scholarships.

Ranking

Ranking for academic purposes is done once a year at the end of the spring semester for all students. Grade changes submitted after the ranking has been done will not result in re-ranking unless there has been a significant error in the grading process. Rank does not print on transcripts. Summer courses are not included in ranking calculations until the end of the following spring Semester.

Rank while in law school is calculated based on student classification according to cohort group. Final rank upon graduation is calculated based on the graduating cohort group that includes all students graduating from September through the following May. When reporting rank to employers or others, including class rank reporting on their resumes, students must indicate the size of the pool in which they are ranked and, if they are part-time students, their part-time status.

  • Rank while in law school is calculated based on student classification according to the following cohort groups:
  • All first-year full-time students and all second-year students who have completed 49 or fewer units;
  • All first-year part-time students;
  • All second-year students who have completed more than 49 units and all third-year students who will not graduate by May of that year; and
  • All graduating students.

Withdrawal(s) From a Course

JD and Joint Degree Students

  • Withdrawals Prior to the End of the Eighth Week
  • Unless prohibited in the next section, a student may drop a course at any time prior to the close of business on the eighth Friday of the semester. The student must, however, obtain the faculty member’s approval after the third Friday of the semester. A student must submit a timely completed Registration Change form to the registrar. A grade of “W” will be assigned and appear on the student’s transcript. The “W” will not have any effect on the student’s grade point average. The law school’s “Tuition Adjustment Policy” shall apply.
  • No student is permitted to drop “restricted withdrawal courses” subsequent to the second class of the semester. A “restricted withdrawal course” is a course that the instructor, with the approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, either designates as such in the registration materials or gives written notice at least one week before the start of classes.
  • Withdrawals After the Eighth Week

After the eighth Friday of the semester, a student may request to withdraw from a course or courses only for good cause shown.

  • “Good cause” shall be limited to well-documented, serious medical problems of the student or an immediate family member or death of an immediate family member.  Immediate family number includes only a spouse or domestic partner, a parent, sibling, or child.
  • A request to withdraw must be in writing, with all supporting documents, delivered to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs prior to the start of the scheduled final examination for the course or courses.
  • The request must be approved by both the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the faculty member of each course.
  • If approved, a grade of “W” will be assigned and appear on the student’s transcript. The “W” will not have any effect on the student’s grade point average. The law school’s “Tuition Adjustment Policy” shall apply.
  • For course grade distribution purposes, the “W” shall normally not be counted.  The faculty member and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may, however, agree to count the “W” as a zero (“0”) solely for grade distribution purposes.
  • A grade of “FW” will be assigned: (1) to any student who fails to properly and timely withdraw from a course by the eighth Friday of the semester; and (2) to any student who has been absent for more than 20% of the total scheduled classes for a course without having received permission to withdraw, except as otherwise provided in Section X. A “FW” shall appear on the student’s transcript and shall be treated the same as an “F” (0.0) for grade point average purposes.
  • Notwithstanding the provisions in Section VII (A) and (B), a student may, with the permission of the instructor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, withdraw from Law Review, or competitions at any time prior to the last scheduled day of classes. A student shall submit a timely completed withdrawal form to the Registrar. A grade of “W” shall be assigned and appear on the student’s transcripts. The “W” will not have any effect on the student’s grade point average the Law School’s Tuition Adjustment Policy shall apply.
  • A student seeking to withdraw from an externship shall petition the Director of Externships prior to the commencement of the externship, and the petition must specify a compelling reason for the withdrawal.

Tuition Adjustment Policy

  • The University’s tuition refund policy applies with full force to the Dale E. Fowler School of Law and is as follows:
  • 100% return of tuition to students who withdraw during the first week of the semester
  • 50% return of tuition to students who withdraw in the second week 
  • 20% return of tuition to students who withdraw in the third week
  • No return of tuition if the withdrawal occurs after the third week of the semester. Please find additional refund policies on the Tuition Withdrawal Policy page.

(https://www.chapman.edu/students/tuition-and-aid/SBS/tuition-withdrawal-policy/index.aspx)

Good Standing and Continuation

Good Standing

  • JD and Joint Degree Students

To remain in good standing in either the Full-Time or Part-Time J.D. or joint degree programs, a student must:

  • Have attained a cumulative grade point average of at least 1.800 at the conclusion of the first semester of the first year;
  • Have attained a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.000 at the conclusion of the second semester of the first year;
  • After the conclusion of each semester thereafter maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.000.

There is no rounding up of GPAs for purposes of remaining in good standing. A student who misses the 1.800, 2.000 or other standard, even if missing by a hundredth or thousandth of a point, will not be able to roundup his or her GPA, will not be in good standing, and will be subject to academic dismissal.

Probation and Dismissal

A first-year J.D. student (both full and part-time) whose cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0, but over 1.8, by the conclusion of the first semester of the first year, will be placed on academic probation. Any first-year student whose cumulative grade point averages below 1.8 at the end of his/her first semester will be dismissed. At the conclusion of the second semester of the first year or any time thereafter, a student whose cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0 shall be dismissed from the law school.

Additional Requirements

All J.D. and joint degree students who at any time do not maintain an acceptable grade point average as defined by the faculty as a 2.3 cumulative grade point average are required to participate in the Law School’s academic achievement program. Students with a cumulative grade point average below 2.3 must schedule a meeting with the Assistant Dean of Academic Achievement to determine what participation is required.

Withdrawal from the Program and Leaves Of Absence

Withdrawal

Any student may withdraw from the Law School at any time. The student must consult with the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and get written permission to withdraw from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The student must submit the written notice of withdrawal to the Registrar. The Fowler School of Law’s “Tuition Adjustment Policy” shall apply, (see Section VII).

Permission to withdraw in good standing from the entire program does not carry the implication that the student may resume her or his studies the following semester or at any other time. Any such student must apply for readmission, and the application will be considered by the law school’s Admission Office. In addition, absent permission from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, any student who is readmitted to the law school after having previously withdrawn from the program must begin their studies as a first-year student, and no credits previously earned at the law school will be applied toward the student’s degree. The curriculum requirements in effect at the time of re-entry shall apply to the student.

Leaves of Absence

If, for good cause, students find it necessary to interrupt progress toward their degree, a leave of absence may be granted. Only well-documented requests based upon extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the student, (e.g. medical/psychological, death in the family, or other family crisis) shall constitute good cause. In those instances where a leave of absence is based on a condition other than pregnancy, illness or injury, the student must have a GPA, based on grades from Chapman University Fowler School of Law only, of 2.0 or higher in order to obtain a leave of absence. All students seeking a leave must consult with the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and get approval from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. If the request for a leave of absence is granted, the requesting student may not attend any other law school during the leave period.

The curriculum requirements in effect at the time of re-entry shall apply to the student, except that a change in the number of hours in a required course shall not operate to the detriment of the returning student.

Leaves may be granted for a maximum of one year and can be approved only once during a student’s matriculation at the Law School except when otherwise required by law. Failure to return after the specified time shall be considered a withdrawal from the Law School. Re- enrollment then requires full application for re-admission.

Attendance

J.D. and Joint Degree Program Class Attendance

J.D. and joint degree students are required to attend class meetings in the courses for which they are registered, and to be prepared to participate in the class discussion. Any J.D. or joint degree student who has been absent from more than 20% of class meetings shall not further participate in class, shall not be allowed to sit for the final examination, and shall be given a grade of “FW”. A faculty member may, at his or her option, require a higher level of attendance. A faculty member also may consider lateness as an absence. Absences are counted from the first day of class, regardless of when the student actually registers for the class.

It is the responsibility of the students to track their absences in each course in which they are enrolled. Any student who has missed more than 20%, but not over 30%, of the class sessions in any course may petition the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for absences up to 30% of class sessions. The student must, however, document a medical condition that resulted in the missed classes or other extenuating circumstances and must demonstrate efforts to stay current in the course(s). In all other situations, only the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, upon approval by the Academic Standards Committee and after consultation with the professor of the course, may waive this policy regarding attendance, and only upon a written application for a waiver from the student, provided such waiver is filed not less than one week prior to the scheduled examination.

Religious Accommodations

Chapman University believes that every reasonable effort should be made to allow members of the university community to fulfill their obligations to the university without jeopardizing the fulfillment of their sincerely held religious obligations. For policy details, please visit: Chapman University Religious Accommodations (https://www.chapman.edu/campus-life/fish-interfaith- center/religious-accommodations/index.aspx)

When a conflict occurs, please contact the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs to make arrangements.

Policies for Examinations

Students are responsible for complying with all policies and procedures for examinations, distributed by the registrar’s office every term, prior to exams. The following applies to in-person examinations administered at the law school:

Before the Exam 

  • Students will be given two exam numbers per semester to be used on all graded midterm and final examinations and papers subject to anonymous grading for that semester. To ensure an anonymous grading system, students should keep their exam numbers secure and confidential.
  • Each student is responsible for noting the exact date, time, and room for their required examinations. Students may not register for courses that meet at conflicting times or with conflicting final examination times. Accommodated students will also need to pay careful attention to any extra exam time they have to make sure exam times will not overlap before registering for courses.

The Day of the Exam

  • Students arriving late for an exam will not be given additional make-up time. This includes students who are accommodated.
  • Students are required to be quiet in the exam room. This includes the time before the exam starts and the time after the exam ends when proctors are distributing and collecting exam packets.
  • Handwriting in Blue Books or using ExamSoft are the only options available to students for taking law school examinations. Students using ExamSoft must enter their answers to both essay and multiple-choice questions in ExamSoft. Blue Books are available for multiple choice question exams if a student is not using ExamSoft.
  • For closed book examinations, students may bring only their laptop and an external mouse (if using ExamSoft), or blue or black pens (if using Blue Books), and one beverage in a closed container into the exam room. For open note examinations, in addition to the allowable items described immediately above, students may bring in their printed, hard copy notes.
  • Students may not have a cell phone or electronic or digital watch on them at any time in the exam room.
  • Students handwriting their exams will initially receive two official Blue Books from the proctor. Extra Blue Books will be provided as needed. Writing in Blue Books must be in blue or black pen only; writing in Blue Books with a pencil will not be graded. Students may not use Blue Books as scratch paper.
  • Prior to starting the exam, the proctor will read the examination instructions and give other relevant instructions. Students cannot make any notes or outlines or begin working on the exam until the proctor instructs them to do so, at which point they must start their ExamSoft timer first.
  • All students are expected to promptly stop the exam when either the proctor calls time, or the ExamSoft timer goes off, whichever occurs first. Failure to stop when the exam is over will be considered a violation of examination rules and will be reported to the Honor Council accordingly.
  • If a student’s laptop computer is not ready to begin at the designated time, the student must begin the examination in handwriting. If the student’s laptop fails during an exam, the student must handwrite the remainder of the exam. No extra time will be provided to ensure that a laptop computer is ready to be used before the examination session begins or if the student’s laptop fails while an exam is in progress. In addition, technical assistance will not be available during the exam.

After the Exam

  • Students should not discuss the contents of examinations with other students or their professors until grades are posted. This is necessary to ensure the security of the exam if someone is unable to take the exam at the scheduled time, or if an exam is given at different times, and to preserve anonymity.
  • Students should contact the Registrar immediately regarding concerns about anonymity, transposed or forgotten exam numbers, etc.

Examination Rescheduling (Make-Up)

  • Rescheduling will not be permitted if a student has two exams on the same day or on successive days.
  • A student who misses an examination that is not rescheduled by the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs will receive a failing grade of “0.0”.
  • No instructor has the authority to change the examination schedule. Students should not discuss the need for rescheduling directly with the professor concerned, as this breaches anonymity. The rescheduled exam should be given after the time of the regularly scheduled exam, on a date to be determined by the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and the Registrar.
  • Serious Medical Emergency or Death in Family: A student may be granted a short delay from the examination schedule for a course or courses, provided the student or an immediate family member has a serious illness or medical emergency or on account of the death of an immediate family member. The student must petition the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs as soon as possible and provide credible, objective evidence (including a letter from a licensed medical doctor) of the nature and extent of the serious illness or medical emergency or evidence of the death of the immediate family member. If the petition is approved, arrangements shall be made with the Registrar to take a make-up examination. However, the student must be able to take a make-up examination, and the faculty member must have sufficient time to grade the exam and turn in the grade to the Registrar on or before the deadline for turning in grades for the semester. Due to the impracticability of maintaining anonymous grading for a make-up exam, the student waives the right to claim a grievance based on arbitrary and capricious grading in Section XIII of this handbook. If the student is not able to satisfy these conditions, the student may petition to withdraw from the course in accordance with the provisions for “Withdrawal After the Eighth Week” contained in Section VII of this handbook.

Accommodated Students

  • Students who wish to secure exam testing accommodations should have approval by the Office of Disability Services no later than the date advertised to students in the WRIT each semester.
  • Unless the accommodation requires it, a reduced distraction testing room means the student may be placed in a classroom with a cohort of other accommodated students.

Reinstatement

A student who is academically dismissed may petition the Academic Standards Committee for reinstatement by submitting a written petition to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs within the time limit provided in Section XIII. Reinstatement is the exception and not the rule and is limited to cases of unusual hardship where the student demonstrates by clear and convincing evidence the grounds set forth under “Specifications of Reasons for Academic Failure” in Section XIII.A below. The academic dismissal of a student based upon the failure of the student to achieve the minimum grade point averages set forth in Section VIII.B herein shall create a rebuttable presumption that the student lacks capacity to: (a) complete the Fowler School of Law academic program; and (b) pass the California Bar Exam. This presumption shall shift the burden of persuasion on these issues to the student. The petition must be supported by clear and convincing evidence that: (1) the dismissal does not indicate a lack of capacity to complete the Fowler School of Law academic program; and (2) the dismissal does not indicate a lack of capacity to pass the California Bar Exam. In the event reinstatement is granted, the Academic Standards Committee is authorized to specify reinstatement conditions, restrictions and limitations and to make final disposition of all petitions on behalf of the faculty. The opinions of the Assistant Dean for Academic Achievement and the Associate Dean for Bar Preparation and Academic Achievement regarding a student petition for reinstatement and that student’s capacity, or lack thereof, to complete the Fowler School of Law academic program, and pass the California Bar Exam, shall be requested by the Academic Standards Committee prior to the hearing on the petition for reinstatement and, if supplied, shall be admissible evidence for the consideration of the Academic Standards Committee.

Petitions to the Academic Standards Committee

Procedures Related to Petitions for Reinstatement After Academic Failure

  • Notice of Failure: At the close of each semester, the Assistant Dean for Academic Services and Registration shall send the list of students to be dismissed to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, who shall then send a written notice of dismissal via email to each such student with the procedures for filing a petition for reinstatement.
  • Petition Procedure: The procedure for filing a petition for reinstatement is as follows:
    • Time for Petition. A petitioning student must file a petition for reinstatement within seven (7) calendar days after the date of emailing of the notice of dismissal. The petition shall be emailed to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. For purposes of calculating the seven (7) calendar day period, the day of the email advising a student that they have been academically dismissed shall not be included. The last day of the period so computed shall be included, unless it is a Saturday, a Sunday, or a legal holiday, in which event the period runs until the end of the next calendar day which is not a Saturday, a Sunday, or a legal holiday. The Committee in its discretion may, for good cause shown, extend the seven (7)-day period. The student may submit additional supporting documentation at any time after submitting the petition until 24 hours before the hearing on the petition.
    • Form and Style of Petition. A petition for reinstatement shall be typewritten and signed by the petitioner. It shall be headed “Petition for Reinstatement After Academic Dismissal.”

Specifications of Reasons for Academic Failure:

The petitioning student must allege and prove, by clear and convincing evidence, that they have experienced an unusual and extreme hardship that directly caused the academic disqualification, and each of the following: (1) that the student possesses the requisite ability to: (a) complete the Fowler School of Law academic program; and (b) pass the California Bar Exam on the first attempt; and (2) that the academic disqualification to which the petition for reinstatement is addressed does not indicate a lack of capacity to: (a) complete the course of study at the Fowler School of Law; and (b) pass the California Bar Exam on the first attempt.. The petitioning student must also state in detail any and all extraordinary circumstances beyond the student’s control constituting and causing the unusual and extreme hardship set forth in the student’s petition, which extraordinary circumstances must, by clear and convincing evidence, rebut the presumption raised by the student’s record, and establish that the deficiency was not due to lack of ability or failure to apply himself or herself diligently to the study of law. The petitioning student must also demonstrate that the unusual and extreme hardship no longer presents a barrier to the petitioning student’s academic success in law school. The timing of such proffered extraordinary circumstances, relative to the timing of graded assignments and examinations, shall be considered by the Academic Standards Committee in determining whether such extraordinary circumstances would cause a reasonable student to have performed in the manner the petitioning student performed that resulted in the student’s academic disqualification. If the circumstances are related to physical or psychological incapacity in the course of a semester or before or during an examination, clear and convincing medical evidence demonstrating such incapacity must accompany the petition.

Scope of Relief

  • The Academic Standards Committee is authorized to:
  • Deny the petition; or
  • Grant the petition, upon terms and conditions stated by the Committee.
  • Guidelines for Reinstated Students:
    • In the case of students who are dismissed for academic performance pursuant to Section VIII herein, and are then reinstated to retake the entire first year by the Academic Standards Committee, the grades received by the student in the year(s) prior to reinstatement being repeated shall not be computed in determining class rank or grade point average, but such grades shall be retained upon the student’s transcript. For purposes of computing the student’s academic average and class rank on this transcript, only grades received after readmission are included.
    • In all other cases of reinstatement, such as reinstatement where no requirement of retaking courses is imposed, the Academic Standards Committee shall determine on an individual basis the terms and conditions of reinstatement.
    • Unless otherwise excused by the Academic Standards Committee, any student who is reinstated after having completed either two semesters as a full-time law student or 24 or more credits of study as a law student, must register for, take and pass, within one
    • (1) calendar year from the date of the decision to reinstate, the First-Year Law Student’s Examination administered by the State Bar of California as a condition of the student’s reinstatement. The student is solely responsible for registration, payment and preparation for the First-Year Law Student’s Examination. The student shall not be permitted to register for, or participate in, any courses or programs offered at the Law School until the student provides proof from the State Bar of California that the student has passed the First-Year Law Student’s Examination.  
  • Voting Members of the Academic Standards Committee:
    • Voting members for the purposes of deciding a student petition shall only include the faculty members of the Committee. Reinstatement is subject to a majority vote by the voting members of the Academic Standards Committee. If a tie vote occurs, a majority vote has not been achieved, and the student will not be reinstated.
  • Faculty Review of Decisions by Academic Standards Committee:
    • The Academic Standards Committee, through a communication from the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, shall notify the petitioning student in writing of its decision. The petitioning student may then seek full faculty review of an adverse decision, only in conformance with the requirements of this paragraph. The faculty may only review the committee’s decision on the fulfillment of the following conditions: (1) the petitioning student seeking full faculty review of an adverse decision must initiate the request of a full-time faculty member; (2) a full-time faculty member who graded the student’s work in a course, which grade was used in calculating the student’s grade point average to determine the student’s academic dismissal, and who was requested by the student to seek full faculty review may, in their discretion, make a written request for such full faculty review; (3) such full faculty review must be requested by such faculty member(s) no more than 30 days from the date of the letter setting forth the adverse decision by the Academic Standards Committee; and (4) the written request by the faculty member shall detail all factual errors made by the Academic Standards Committee that support why the “clearly erroneous” standard for not affirming the decision of the Academic Standards Committee has been met. The petitioning student may not appear before the faculty meeting, and the faculty consideration and vote shall be made solely on the record that had been presented to the Academic Standards Committee. The faculty shall affirm the decision of the Academic Standards Committee unless upon review of the available information the faculty is convinced, by no less than a 2/3 vote, that the decision is clearly erroneous. For the purpose of this paragraph, “clearly erroneous” shall mean a clear, definite and abiding conviction that a factual error was made by the Academic Standards Committee. The factual error must be specifically identified in the faculty member’s written request to overturn the decision of the Academic Standards Committee.

Petitions to the Committee

Meetings with the Committee

  • Initial Reinstatement Petitions: An individual who petitions the Committee for reinstatement to the Law School shall have the right to a meeting with the Committee with respect to the initial petition. Only the student and the members of the Committee may be present at such a meeting. 
  • Record of Meeting: All meetings before the Committee involving reinstatement petitions shall be recorded and retained by the Committee.
  • Additional Information to the Committee: The Committee may request such additional information as it deems necessary or helpful in order to act on a petition. The petitioners shall present all relevant material and information in their written petition.

Petitions and Reconsiderations

  • The Committee shall review a petition for reconsideration of a prior petition only to determine if the reconsideration petition contains new or additional information that was not available or that could not reasonably have been available and presented at the time of the original petition. If the Committee determines that the reconsideration petition contains such new information, then the Committee will reconsider its prior determination in light of this new or additional information. If the Committee determines that such reconsideration petition does not contain such new or additional information, the petition for reconsideration shall be denied.
  • Action by Committee: The Committee may, in the Committee’s discretion, meet with the petitioner during the reconsideration process; however, the petitioner shall not be entitled to such a meeting as a matter of right.

Miscellaneous Rules

  • Communications with the Committee: Students or persons acting on behalf of any student shall communicate only with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs with respect to any petition.

Appeal of a Final Grade

Right to Petition:

Any student who has received a final grade in a course at the Fowler School of Law may initiate a grievance about the grade by filing a petition with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for referral to the Academic Standards Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Committee in this section XVI.)

How and When Petition is to be Filed:

A petition may be filed with the Committee by emailing the petition to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs no later than forty-five (45) days after the final grade in question is posted.

Calculation:

For purposes of calculating the forty-five (45) day period, the day of posting the final grade shall not be included. The last day of the period so computed shall be included, unless it is a Saturday, a Sunday, or a legal holiday, in which event the period runs until the end of the next day which is not a Saturday, a Sunday, or a legal holiday. The Committee in its discretion may for good cause shown extend the forty-five (45) day period.

Form of Petition: A Petition Shall be Addressed to the Chairperson of the Committee, and Shall State:

  • The name and the student number of the student filing the petition;
  • The title of the course in which the final grade is received;
  • The name of the professor who taught the course;
  • The date on which the final grade in question was posted; and
  • The reason(s) the petitioner believes he/she is entitled to relief in accordance with the requirements set forth in Section D herein; and, the specific relief requested. The petitioner must sign the petition.

Requisites of a Grievance Claim: A Petition States a Grievance Claim if it Says That:

  • The petitioner has consulted or attempted to consult with and request relief from the professor involved and that the professor has either:
  • Refused to consult with the student; or
  • Has not been conveniently available for a period of fifteen (15) days after the grade was posted; or,
  • After consultation with the petitioner, has declined to grant relief acceptable to the petitioner; and
  • The grade received was unfair, or substantially inappropriate, for one or more of the following reasons:
    • An error in computation was made in calculating the grade;
    • The grade received was the result of arbitrary and capricious grading by the professor. (NOTE: If the grade was received in a course graded anonymously, in whole or in part, and the claim of arbitrariness or capriciousness relates to that part of the grade that was anonymous, there must also be an allegation of a breach of anonymity. The student must establish, by a preponderance of evidence, that anonymity was breached.)  

In no event shall there be an inquiry into the professor’s academic judgment or prerogative and responsibility for assigning grades as his or her judgment and conscience dictate.

When and How Committee to Consider Petition

  • Time for Consideration: The Committee shall make every reasonable effort to make a recommendation regarding a petition within a period of fifteen (15) days from the time a petition is filed. If, the petition is filed during the summer months when faculty members are ordinarily unavailable, the Committee may meet to consider the petition in August when the fall semester begins.
  • Actions and Procedures Available to Committee in Considering Petition: The Committee may take one or more of the following actions in response to a petition:
    • After due deliberation, decide that the petition does not state a claim, and notify the petitioner and the professor.
    • If the Committee determines the petition does state a claim, the Committee shall notify in writing the professor whose grade is being considered, and shall invite the professor to submit a written response to the petition within a reasonable period of time to be set by the Committee.
  • After the professor’s response has been received, or the time for the professor’s response has expired, the Committee may request from the petitioner, the professor, information it deems useful in considering the merits of the petition. The Committee shall make its decision based upon the written submissions. In the unusual case where the Committee decides that special circumstances require a hearing, both the professor and the student shall be permitted to be present when oral testimony is given, but no person shall be required to attend an oral hearing. The parties may offer such evidence as they desire and may produce such evidence as the Committee may deem necessary to a determination of the petition. The Committee shall be the judge of the relevance and materiality of the evidence, and conformity to legal rules of evidence shall not be necessary. The Committee may limit reasonably the oral presentations.

Credit for Non-Law Graduate Level Courses

The Law School will accept no more than 6 credits toward the Juris Doctor degree for graduate level courses taken within the graduate programs of Chapman University.

The graduate level credits may be earned only after successful completion of the courses required for the first-year law school full-time curriculum (29 credits).

A student interested in enrolling in a graduate level course must request and receive approval of the course from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs prior to registration. 

The student’s written statement to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs must establish that: (a) the graduate level course is not duplicative of a course in the law school curriculum; (b) the graduate level course is not duplicative of any other course completed in the student’s prior academic career; and (c) the graduate level course will contribute significantly to the student’s legal education.

If the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs denies a student’s request, the student may bring the proposal to the Academic Standards Committee for review.

Law students enrolled in non-law graduate level courses must earn a grade of B or better (a grade of B- does not qualify) in order to receive law school credit for the course. The non-law graduate level course, the credits completed, and the grade received will appear on the student’s academic transcript; however, the grade will not be treated as “earned” for purposes of GPA or class rank.

In compliance with University policy, the law student enrolled in non-law graduate level courses at the University will pay “home” tuition (he or she will pay law school-per credit hour tuition for credits taken at the graduate level).

Maximum Credits for Non-Law Classroom Activities

Maximum Cap of 16 Credits: Co-Curricular & Non-Graded Courses*

Co-Curricular Activities  Courses

Law Review (4-10 credits)    

Diversity and Social Justice Forum (1 - 2 credits)

 Non-law Graduate Level Courses at Chapman University (6 credits)
Skills Competitions (1-3 credits per Competition)** All credits earned through other ABA law schools after admission to Chapman University (i.e. individual courses, or Semester abroad programs) (6 credits)+

                             

Maximum cap of three semesters totaling no more than 8 credits of part-time externships or one semester of a 10-credit full-time externship‡ See the Externship Program section.

*          Any student whose cumulative grade point average at the conclusion of the first year of law school (either full or part-time) is below 2.6 may apply no more than seven (7) pass/no pass credits toward the 88 credits required for graduation.

**        No student may participate for credit in more than one (1) external competition during a semester. Participation in Skills Competitions is subject to an overall limitation of no more than two (2) different types of skills competitions for credit and no more than three (3) external competitions for credit (regardless of type).

+         The six (6) credit limitation shall not apply to students who visit for one or two semesters at another ABA law school with the permission of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. For specific criteria see Section V. The six-credit limitation also shall not apply to any course taken in a Study Abroad program offered by the Fowler School of Law.

‡          Eligibility for full-time externships is limited to students with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.6 or higher.

Admission of Foreign Students with ABA LL.M. Degrees

Prospective applicants to the JD program who have previously earned an LL.M. in an ABA-approved law school must furnish with their application the results of a recent LSAT. Once admitted, such students are expected to complete the full 88-credit Fowler School of Law JD with all of its concomitant requirements. Advanced standing for credits earned in an LL.M. program will not be granted.

The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may grant a waiver from re-enrolling in certain required courses successfully completed as an LL.M. student (e.g., Contracts I). In such an instance, the student will still be required to complete 88 credits by substituting elective courses for any courses that were waived.

Note: This policy does not preclude the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs from granting up to 29 advanced standing credits for law work completed in an undergraduate program in a common law system (e.g., from England or Australia).

Policy on Military Service

A student who is called to active-duty military service during any semester of law school will, upon that student’s request, be entitled to withdraw from classes that semester and will receive a full refund of all tuition paid for that semester.

A student who is called to active-duty military service during the second semester of his/her first year of law school, or at any other time thereafter, may alternatively request that he/she receive passing credit for any or all of the courses in which he/she is enrolled and has attended at least 70% of the scheduled classes in that course for that semester. Assuming that the student has attended at least 70% of the scheduled classes in a course for that semester, the student’s professor has the discretion to grant or deny the student’s request. If a professor declines to grant the student passing credit for a course, the student shall be entitled to withdraw from that course and receive a full refund of all tuition paid for that course that semester.

When a student who is called to active-duty military service withdraws from a course or receives passing credit for a course, the registrar shall so indicate by marking “MW (Military Withdrawal)” or “MP (Military Pass)” on the student’s transcript.

Any student who suspends law study after having been called to active-duty military service may re-matriculate within a reasonable time after completing active-duty military service.

Externship Policies

Externships are taken pass/fail, and there is a maximum cap of 8 credits that can be used for part-time externships or 10 credits for a single full-time judicial externship. Students may take up to 3 part-time externships over three semesters/summer sessions with each externship taken for between 1 and 5 units (or 6 units in the summer), depending on hours worked, and as long as the total externship units do not exceed 8. Students may earn externship credit at a placement at which they also receive compensation, provided the placement agrees to comply with all program requirements. The Externship Director must approve all new externship placements. Please consult the Externship Program Handbook for a complete description of program rules and application procedures: https://www.chapman.edu/law/externships/

Emphasis Certificates

The law school offers a variety of emphasis areas in Advocacy and Dispute Resolution, Business Law, Criminal Law; Entertainment Law; Entrepreneurship Environmental, Land Use & Real Estate; International Law; and Tax Law that enable students to graduate with a higher degree of specialization in their particular fields of interest. A certificate and transcript notation will be awarded to students who complete the course requirements in the following areas. Declaring an emphasis is optional based on student interests, and is not required for completing their degree.

Please note for all emphasis requirements above, students must earn a minimum 3.0 GPA in Certificate courses and have an overall minimum cumulative GPA of a 2.6 at the time of graduation. The law school does not round up when determining grade point averages needed to satisfy emphasis requirements. For more information on the requirements for each emphasis area, please see emphasis areas (https://www.chapman.edu/law/academic-programs/emphasis- areas/index.aspx)

Students interested in pursuing an emphasis should declare their intent by the second semester of their 2L year by submitting the Emphasis Declaration Form to the Office of the Law Registrar at lawregistrar@chapman.edu. The emphasis will be added to the student’s program so that they will be able to track the emphasis requirements on their program evaluation degree audit report. An emphasis must be declared no later than the semester’s Add/Drop deadline in the student’s final semester of study prior to graduation. Students may not retroactively declare an emphasis post-graduation even if they have met the requirements. 

Joint Degree Programs

The Fowler School of Law offers a joint JD/MBA program in conjunction with the George L. Argyros School of Business and Economics. For more information and requirements: https://www.chapman.edu/law/academic-programs/joint-degree-programs/jd-mba/index.aspx

The Fowler School of Law offers a joint JD/MFA in Film & Television Producing offered in conjunction with the Chapman’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. For more information and requirements: https://www.chapman.edu/law/academic-programs/joint-degree-jd-mfa.aspx

Academic Registrar Resources

StudentCenter.Chapman.edu

StudentCenter.chapman.edu is a web interface that allows students to access information from Chapman University’s administrative database. Information available to students includes their personal course schedule, examination numbers, grades and ranking, transcripts, financial aid award information, and their academic program evaluation information for purposes of degree audit and tracking progress toward graduation.

Students are encouraged to regularly check their program evaluation degree advising report on their student center portal on StudentCenter.Chapman.edu to ensure they are on track for graduation. Note some requirements, such as electives and bar preparation courses, may be added to your program evaluation on a rolling basis depending on the requirement and assessment period.

Enrollment Verification

The Law Registrar is the certifying official for the Fowler School of Law. The Law Registrar’s Office processes all enrollment verifications, State Bar certifications, State Bar Moral Character Declarations, and other forms and letters relating to enrollment and academic standing.

Letters of Good Standing

Students who need letters of good standing must submit a request in writing to the Law Registrar’s Office. Letters of good standing and class rankings are not sent automatically with transcripts. Class ranking is not included on letters of good standing unless requested.

Transcripts 

The Law Registrar’s Office releases academic record transcripts in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and issues official transcripts only with a signed permission from the owner of the student record.

Students may order official transcripts following the instructions here: https://www.chapman.edu/students/academic-resources/registrar/student- services/transcript-request.aspx

Class Registration

Registration is conducted online via StudentCenter.chapman.edu. Students may register based on their assigned priority registration date and time or anytime thereafter.

Registration for courses requiring a professor signature will continue to be handled by the Registrar’s Office. Registration for fall is held during the spring (typically April) and during fall (typically November) for the spring semester.

Classes will inevitably close during registration. There are no seats held back for instructor sign-in purposes, or for petitioning. A wait list is maintained for closed classes. When and if space becomes available, the Registrar’s Office will register the first person on the list. An email notification is sent to the student’s Chapman email address informing them they have been added to the course from the Wait List. It is the student’s responsibility to drop the course online if they are no longer interested. If the addition of this course puts the student over the maximum credit cap allowed (16 for full-time students; 11 for part-time students), it is the student’s responsibility to drop another course(s) in order to stay within the allowable credit limit.

Graduation

The law school confers degrees three times a year: September, January, and June. Degrees are not posted, and diplomas are not released until the Law Registrar’s Office certifies that all degree requirements have been completed and all financial obligations to the law school have been paid. Graduation is not automatic - students are required to complete a “Degree Conferral Application” online.