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The purpose of academic advising is to help students learn how to achieve their academic and professional goals. Law students bear the primary responsibility for their own academic planning. As professionals, they are responsible for planning their own academic careers, making timely progress toward their degrees, and ensuring that all graduation requirements are met.
The College helps students plan their academic careers in five main ways: through (1) preparation of the Law Student Handbook, (2) second-semester Planning Meetings, (3) student-initiated faculty advising, (4) student support services including academic support and career resources, and (5) degree audits. The Course Selection Spreadsheet and Course and Experience Planning Worksheet can help students through the process of planning their academic careers.
Students should consult and become familiar with Part III of the Law Student Handbook, “Course of Study.” It contains (a) the College of Law’s minimum requirements for the J.D. degree, (b) a listing and explanation of designated second- and third-year courses, (c) suggested courses and skills for different practice emphases, (d) information on classes and activities to develop lawyering skills, (e) information on bar exam requirements for multistate bar exams and the states of Idaho, Utah, and Washington, and (f) course descriptions and prerequisites.
During the second semester, the College offers formal assistance to first-year students planning their second- and third-year curricula. A 1L Planning Workshop, held in late January, presents basic curriculum planning information including graduation requirements, bar subjects, and practice skills. Attendance is mandatory for all first-year students. In the months following the workshop, students meet with individual faculty members for advising. In April, another workshop features judges on the Idaho Court of Appeals and others giving their perspectives on law school and career planning.
The College of Law does not assign faculty advisors to individual students. Instead, students are encouraged to meet with individual faculty members to plan their academic courses to correspond with their interests and career goals. All faculty members are available for advising. Meeting with several different professors allows students to benefit from a variety of perspectives. Students are also encouraged to take advantage of the lawyer-directors of Academic Support, Admissions, and Career Services in planning their academic careers.
Degree audits help ensure that students have met all the requirements for the J.D. degree. Students may perform their own informal degree audits at any time by accessing VandalWeb and choosing “Degree Audit Report” under the Student Information / Registration menu. The Dean’s Office also performs a degree audit after the application for degree has been received. Notwithstanding the degree audits provided by the Dean's Office, students remain responsible for ensuring that they have satisfied all requirements for graduation. |