Graduation Requirements and Grading Policies
Advanced Writing, Experiential Learning, and Drafting Courses
| First Year Requirements | |
|---|---|
| Fall | Spring |
| Introduction to the Study of Law (1 hour) | The Legal Profession (3 hours) |
| Introduction to Legal Research (1 hour) | Legal Writing I (3 hours) |
| Contracts I (3 hours) | Contracts II (3 hours) |
| Jurisdiction and Judgments (3 hours) | Civil Lawsuits (3 hours) |
| Torts (4 hours) | Property (4 hours) |
| Criminal Law (3 hours) | |
| Legal Process (1 hour) | |
| Second Year Requirements | |
| Fall | Fall or Spring |
| Introduction to Counseling (1 hour) | Statutory Law and Analysis (2 hours) |
| American Constitutional System (4 hours) | Evidence (3 hours) |
| Legal Writing II (3 hours) | |
| Third Year Requirements | |
| Fall | Spring |
| Introduction to Dispute Resolution (1 hour) | Minimum of 10 hours |
| Additional Requirements | Timing |
| Law of Lawyering (3 hours) | 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th semester |
| Remedies (3 hours) | 5th or 6th semester |
| Bar Course Requirement | 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th semester |
| Experiential Learning Requirement (Choose 4 credits in addition to Intro to Counseling and Intro to Dispute Resolution) |
3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th semester |
| Choose 1 Course That Satisfies the Advanced Writing Requirement | 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th semester |
| Bar Preparation Course: Students who fall below a GPA of 86.0 at the time of registration for the final spring semester must enroll in this course.
Students whose cumulative GPA is below 80.00 must participate in an Enhanced Academic Success Program. |
|
| Strong Recommendation | |
| Students are strongly encouraged, but not required, to take at least one course in the Administrative Block (3 hours) and one course in the Perspectives Block (3 hours) prior to graduation. | |
Grading Policies
Grading Scale
The School of Law grading scale is as follows:
| A | 92-99 |
| B | 84-91 |
| C | 78-83 |
| D | 70-77 |
| F | 65-69 |
| S | Satisfactory – not computed in average |
| U | Unsatisfactory (An “unsatisfactory” in a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory course is recorded as a 65-F) |
| AUD | Audit |
| W | Withdrawal |
| IC | Incomplete |
| DN | Dropped |
| DP | Dropped – Penalty (recorded as a 65-F) |
| IP | Continuing Policy on Incomplete grades |
Policy Regarding a Grade of Incomplete
For reasons of emotional, medical, or other problems affecting academic performance, a grade of Incomplete (IC) may be awarded if, prior to the applicable deadline for the submission of grades, a student has received approval from the professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to complete course requirements after the end of the semester of enrollment. If a grade of Incomplete is entered for a fall semester course, required course work must be completed by the date set by the professor, but no later than the applicable grading deadline of the following spring semester. For an Incomplete entered for a spring semester course or a summer session course, work must be completed by the date set by the professor, but no later than the grading deadline of the following fall semester. For an Incomplete entered for a sixth semester course, work must be completed by the date set by the professor, but no later than the first day of class in the following fall semester. Upon completion of required course work, the professor will submit a numerical grade or S/U for the course according to the type of grade originally authorized for the course. Failure to satisfactorily complete required course work within the time allotted by this policy will result in the Registrar converting the Incomplete to a final grade of 65(F).
Honors and Grade-Related Requirements
In 1989, the Law School faculty adopted a policy calling for more uniform grading. The policy was amended in Spring 2004. The policy mandates that the average grade awarded in each course falls within a predetermined narrow range. The purpose of the policy is to ensure equity in grading across courses and course sections, both in fact and in the perception of the students. The specific ranges adopted reflect the traditional overall grading patterns at Mercer.
To qualify for Mercer’s Juris Doctor degree, students must complete six full-time (12 or more hours, except the sixth semester, when 10 hours is minimum) “semesters-in-residence” at Law School. Transfer students must have at least four full-time (12 or more hours, except sixth semester, when 10 hours is minimum) “semesters-in-residence”. Students who accumulate at least 12 credit hours in summer or winter intersession courses offered by the Law School may count those credits as one semester-in-residence.
All first-year courses shall have an average grade of 84 to 85.
Except as otherwise authorized by the Dean under subsection (5), all upper division courses that are required for graduation shall have an average grade of 85 to 86.
Except as otherwise authorized by the Dean under subsection (5), all other courses not specifically exempt from this policy shall have an average grade ranging from 84.5 to 86.5.
Seminars, experiential courses, and all other courses other than those required for graduation in which 15 or fewer students are enrolled are specifically exempted from this policy.
Any instructor wishing to deviate from subsections (2) or (3) must obtain prior approval from the Dean. Factors that the Dean may be asked to consider as appropriate bases for deviation from the approved average or range include: an unusual average GPA of the students enrolled in the course; grading of the course on the basis of a paper rather than an examination; and a class that as a whole performs on the examination in a manner justifying deviation.
Degree Honors
A student’s scholastic standing is determined on the basis of only those grades received in this law school. A degree of Juris Doctor cum laude will be granted to students graduating with a cumulative GPA of 88.0 and above; a degree of Juris Doctor magna cum laude will be granted to those graduating with a 90.5 and above; and a degree of Juris Doctor summa cum laude will be granted to students graduating with an average of 94.0 and above.
Honors acknowledged at graduation will be presumptive based on five semesters. Final honors will be conferred based on grades for all six semesters.
Dean’s List
Dean’s List honors for first-year and second-year students are earned by achieving a semester average of 88 or above on at least 12 graded hours. Dean’s List for third-year students is based on a semester average of 88 or above on all graded hours (no minimum).
Policy Regarding Failing Classes
A student who fails to pass a course is not permitted to take a second examination without repeating the course. A rare exception may be made in favor of a student who is a candidate for the J.D. degree and is in the last semester of law school, and whose failure was due to extraordinary circumstances beyond his or her control. This exception can apply only to a course failed in the semester in which the student would have completed all degree requirements. A special examination may be given only if both the student’s professor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs agree that it is appropriate due to the exceptional circumstances.
A student receiving a failing grade in a required course must repeat the course. All students must earn a passing grade in all required courses to graduate. A student may not repeat an elective course in which a failing grade has been received. A student repeating a required course will be assigned to a different professor if more than one professor offers the course. Upon successful completion of a repeated course, the student will receive credit toward meeting the credit hour requirement for graduation. The grade in a repeated course will not be included in the student’s cumulative grade average but will be recorded as satisfactory. The original failing grade will in all cases continue to be included in the cumulative average.
If a student’s cumulative average falls below 78.000 at the end of the final semester of the first or second year, the student shall be dismissed from the Law School. After receiving official notifications of academic failure, such students may wish to consult with the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs (see Academic Dismissal and Readmission Policy on page 14).
Bar Preparation Course Requirements
Any student whose cumulative average is below 86.000 at the time of course registration for spring semester of their third year shall be required to successfully complete the Bar Preparation Course.
Enhanced Academic Success Program
Students whose cumulative GPA after any semester is below 80.000 will participate in the Enhanced Academic Success Program. The requirements of the Enhanced Academic Success Program are as follows:
Course Requirement Policy
A student whose cumulative GPA falls below 80.000 at the conclusion of Semesters 1, 2, 3, or 4 will be required to successfully complete the Law School Enhanced Academic Success Program subject to successfully completing a requisite number of “Bar Courses”. This Course Requirement Policy supplements any other conditions imposed by the faculty.
Group 1
Enrolled student whose cumulative GPA is below 80.000 at the conclusion of either Semester 1 or Semester 2.
In addition to the successful completion of the required courses of Bar Preparation and Remedies, successful completion of a minimum of four (4) additional “Bar Courses” is required in order to successfully complete the academic program.
Group 2
Enrolled student whose cumulative GPA is below 80.000 at the conclusion of either Semester 3 or Semester 4.
In addition to the successful completion of the required courses of Bar Preparation and Remedies, successful completion of a minimum of two (2) additional “Bar Courses” is required in order to successfully complete the academic program. Additional “Bar Courses” are “Bar Courses” that the student has not taken at the time the student becomes subject to this Course Requirement Policy.
Bar Courses. The following courses cover topics that are regularly tested on the essay portion of the Georgia Bar Examination but are not otherwise required for law school students. As part of this Course Requirement Policy, students may choose the content and order of the courses taken, if they complete the number of Bar Courses required by their Group. The Deans’ Suite, in consultation with the Academic Success Professionals, may add or remove courses from this list as reasonable to accommodate individual students who intend to take a bar exam outside Georgia and subject to changes in the Georgia Bar Exam.
Required:
• Bar Preparation Course
• Remedies
You Choose:
• Business Associations
• Criminal Procedure—Constitutional Dimensions
• Criminal Procedure—Litigation Process
• Family Law
• Georgia Civil Practice and Procedure
• Real Estate Transactions
• Secured Transactions
• Torts II
• Wills, Trusts, and Estates
Requirement to Work with Academic Success Program:
A student whose GPA is less than 80.000 at the end of the first semester, and/or at the end of any subsequent semester, is required to comply with an individualized academic program developed by the Academic Success Professionals and the Dean’s Suite.
Academic Dismissal and Readmission Policy
Requirements:
I. FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS: If a student’s cumulative average falls below 78.000 at the end of the spring semester, first year, the student shall be dismissed from the Law School for academic ineligibility.
A. Before January 15 of the year following academic dismissal, the dismissed student may petition the Admissions Committee for readmission. The petition shall be addressed to the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and may contain any supporting documents that the petitioning student deems appropriate.
B. Consistent with the Law School’s obligations to the profession and the public, the Admissions Committee may grant a petition for readmission only if it determines that the student will successfully complete law school and will gain admission to the Bar. In making its determination, the committee shall consider the following factors:
- The student’s commitment to learning is demonstrated by the student’s pattern of conduct.
- The proximity of the student’s cumulative average to the cumulative average required for graduation.
- Any circumstances which affected the ability of the student to successfully complete the first year of law study.
C. A student may be readmitted only upon the following conditions:
The student must remain dismissed during the entire academic year immediately following academic dismissal and may recommence enrollment only in a fall semester after sitting out at least one full academic year. The student must repeat all first-year courses. If a first-year course is offered by more than one professor, to the extent possible, the readmitted student shall not enroll in the section taught by the professor previously taken for that course.
The student must achieve a cumulative average of 80.000 or higher at the end of the second semester of the repeated first year of law study to continue to the second year of law study. Failure to achieve the required cumulative average of 80.000 will mean permanent academic dismissal.
All course grades from a readmitted student’s unsuccessful first year shall remain on the student’s transcript, but those course grades shall not be included for calculation of the
cumulative average after readmission.
D. Under extraordinary circumstances and upon written request, the Admissions Committee may waive part I.C.1. above and allow readmission of the dismissed student beginning with the fall semester immediately following dismissal. Immediate readmission will be granted only when the written request demonstrates, by clear and convincing evidence, to the Admissions Committee that:
The preceding year’s academic difficulty was caused by a discrete, severe, and temporary personal, social, or financial circumstance that will have been remedied or eliminated before the beginning of the fall semester; and the prior year’s academic performance indicates a high probability of achieving the required cumulative average of 80.000 in the first year of readmission. The Admissions Committee’s denial of a request for immediate readmission is not appealable.
E. If the Admissions Committee denies the petition for readmission, a dismissed student may appeal the denial to the full faculty. Upon appeal, if the full faculty votes to readmit by a majority of those present and voting, the readmission shall be made under the limitations set forth in parts I.C. and D. above.
II. SECOND-YEAR STUDENTS: If a student’s cumulative average falls below 78.000 at the end of the spring semester, second year, the student shall be dismissed from the Law School.
A. Before July 15 in the year of academic dismissal, the dismissed student may petition the Admissions Committee for readmission. The petition shall be addressed to the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and may contain any supporting documents that the petitioning student deems appropriate.
B. Consistent with the Law School’s obligations to the profession and the public, the Committee may grant a petition for readmission only if it determines that the student will successfully complete law school and will gain admission to the Bar.
C. A student may be readmitted only upon the following conditions:
The student must repeat all failed required courses. If a failed required course is offered by more than one professor, to the extent possible, the readmitted student may not enroll in the section taught by the professor from whom the failing grade was received.
D. If the Committee denies the petition, a dismissed student may appeal to the full faculty. If the full faculty votes to readmit by a majority of those present and voting, the readmission shall be made on the same conditions as those set forth in part II.C. above.
A readmitted student who fails to achieve an 80.000 cumulative average at the end of the second semester, third year, will be permanently dismissed.
Financial Aid Policy Related to Academic Dismissal and Readmission
Please review the Law School’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy in the Student Handbook and on the Law School’s website for financial aid requirements related to academic dismissal and readmission.
Maintaining a scholarship is conditioned on remaining in good standing (78.000 GPA or higher). A student who is academically dismissed will receive no Law School scholarship money if readmitted—even if the student returns to good standing and completes law school.
For information regarding the School’s tuition refund policy, please see https://law.mercer.edu/admissions/tuition-and-financial-aid/