FAQs About the J. D. Program
Do I choose my schedule?
Not during your first year. With the exception of the spring semester statutory course, the Records Office will schedule all your first-year sections and classes. Classes are scheduled in mid-August.
What is the first-year curriculum?
The first year curriculum offers the foundation for future legal study; over the first year, students gain the breadth of knowledge and key lawyering skills necessary for any type of legal career. The following courses are required for all first-year Hastings students:
- Civil Procedure (4 Units)
- Constitutional Law I (3 units)
- Contracts (4 units)
- Criminal Law (4 units)
- Legal Writing & Research (2 units)
- Moot Court (2 units)
- Property (4 units)
- Torts (4 Units)
In addition to the required courses, one of the following 3 unit Statutory Course Electives must be selected during the spring semester:
- Education Law
- Employment Discrimination
- Environmental Law
- Federal Income Taxation
- Immigration Law
Am I required to pursue a concentration at Hastings?
Students are not required to pursue a concentration during law school. Nonetheless, many students at Hastings want to achieve a significant depth in their legal studies and pursue a certificate of concentration in one of the following areas:
- Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution
- Criminal Law Practice and Theory
- International and Comparative Law
- Intellectual Property Law
- Social Justice Lawyering
- Taxation
- Law and Health Sciences
Students may also pursue a specialization in such areas as Administrative and Public Law, Business and Commercial Law, Criminal Law and Procedure, Environmental Law, Family Law, and Legal Philosophy and Systems.
Can I pursue a joint-degree program?
UC Hastings allows its students to pursue an informal joint-degree program with various universities. Enrolled students who wish to complete a joint degree must submit a Request for Approval form to the Academic Dean. The program can be in any number of areas of study as long as it is related to the pursuit of a JD. We recommend that students take required tests for admission to the program of choice prior to attending UC Hastings. The joint-degree is arranged with the Academic Dean after admission to UC Hastings is granted.
Can I take courses at another school while enrolled Hastings?
Yes. With approval of the Academic Dean, currently enrolled Hastings students may take and transfer a maximum of six units of graduate-level coursework in a relevant area of study.
Can I study abroad?
Yes. UC Hastings has sixteen study abroad and exchange programs available. These include:
- Austral University in Buenos Aires, Argentina
- The International University, College of Turin, Italy
- University of Paris II, France
- Freie University in Berlin, Germany
- Bucerius University in Hamburg, Germany
- Leiden University, The Netherlands
- University of Copenhagen, Denmark
- School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
- University of New South Wales, Australia
- Central European University in Budapest, Hungary
- University of Vermont
- Peking University, China
- Deusto University in Bilbao, Spain
- Bocconi University in Milan, Italy
- IE (Instituto de Empresa) in Madrid, Spain
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
For more information, see Exchange Programs and Study Abroad.
Can I work during my first year at UC Hastings?
No. As the first year is a period of academic adjustment coupled with a full-time program, students are discouraged from seeking outside employment.
What can you tell me about the Career Office?
The UC Hastings Career Office provides training and counseling, resume and cover letter preparation assistance, recruiting and on-campus interviews, an alumni mentor program, and information regarding job opportunities. For information on job placement statistics, please refer to the Career Office page.
If your question was not answered, please email us at admiss@uchastings.edu.