Banner

Transfer Students Degree Requirements

Main Content

Academic Advisor: James Lambert

Transfers from other law schools

International LLM transfers into the JD program

Transfers from other law schools

Students who transfer from another law school to Duke in the summer between their 1L and 2L year must earn 87 law credits to graduate. Transfer students may count up to the number of credits typically earned by Duke Law students in their required doctrinal courses and first-year LARW toward the Duke Law degree requirements.

The following courses will be accepted for transfer credit:

  • Seven of the prescribed first-year law courses:
  • Transfer students who completed an upper-level course at their 1L institution may transfer the credits to Duke with the following stipulations:
    • The student may not take the equivalent course here at Duke for credit or a grade.
    • A course taken at the 1L institution may not be used to fulfill of the professional skills requirement or substantial research and writing project at Duke
    • Students who took a two-credit ethics course with attention to the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct may be permitted to transfer credit and count the course toward the ethics requirement at the discretion of the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs
    • The upper-level course credits will be included in the maximum first-year credits that the student may transfer.

Students who did not take one of the first-year doctrinal courses at their 1L institution will be enrolled in the equivalent course here at Duke during the fall or spring semester of their 2L year, depending on when the course is offered.

In addition to the above-mentioned courses, the 87 credits must also include the following:

  • Ethics Requirement:  a two-credit course in ethics and professional responsibility.
  • Substantial Research and Writing Project:  One faculty-supervised research paper for a minimum of two credits.  This may be fulfilled by way of a seminar or independent study.  The SRWP paper must be a solo project; group projects may not be used to fulfill the requirement.  The student's engagement in a substantial research and writing project must be registered with the Registrar's Office not later than the end of the drop/add period of the student's fifth semester.  Courses that satisfy the SRWP requirement are identified in the Course Browser by using the JD Course of Study drop-down menu and searching for "JD - substantial research and writing project."
  • Experiential Learning Requirement:  A minimum six credits in simulation courses, clinics and/or externships.  Courses that satisfy the Experiential Learning Requirement are identified in the Course Browser by using the JD Course of Study  drop-down menu and searching for "experiential learning."
  • ABA Standard 303(c) Requirement: At least one upper-level course providing education on bias, cross-cultural competency, and racism. Courses meeting this standard are identified in the Course Browser by using the JD Course of Study drop-down menu and searching for "Standard 303(c)." Alternatively, students may fulfill this requirement by writing a paper for a seminar or independent study that is certified to meet the Standard. This requirement applies to students matriculating in Fall 2023 or later.
  • Professional Development Requirement: All students entering law school in Fall 2018 or later must complete two non-academic professional development credits. Please note that these credits do not count toward the minimum credit requirement for your degree.
  • Regularly-Scheduled Courses:  A minimum 64 of the 87 credits must be earned in courses that require attendance in regularly scheduled classroom sessions or direct faculty instruction.
    • Regularly-scheduled law school courses include
      • Law School courses and seminars, including courses cross-listed at the Law School but originating in another school or department at the University.
      • Law School clinics
      • Regularly-scheduled courses completed at another ABA-accredited law school, including through the inter-institutional agreement with UNC and NCCU and transfer credits for students who completed the first year at another law school or who visited away at another law school.
      • Credits from an approved study abroad program.
    • Regularly-scheduled law school courses do NOT include
      • Independent study
      • Non-law courses
      • Externships
      • Research tutorials
      • Ad hoc seminars
      • Bass Connections

All students are responsible for monitoring their compliance with the graduation requirements.

International LLM transfers into the JD program

Students admitted into the JD program in the summer after completing the one-year LLM program for foreign law graduates will be treated as JD-LLM students and must earn 101 credits to graduate.  LLM transfer students may count all credits earned in the LLM year toward the JD-LLM. 

LLM transfers must fulfill all requirements of the JD program.  This includes the seven prescribed first-year courses:

Students who completed one or more first-year courses in their LLM year will be enrolled in the remaining courses during the fall or spring semester of the immediate academic year, depending on when the courses are offered.

In addition to the above-mentioned courses, the 101 credits must also include the following:

  • Ethics Requirement:  a two-credit course in ethics and professional responsibility.
  • Substantial Research and Writing Project:  One faculty-supervised research paper for a minimum of two credits.  This may be fulfilled by way of a seminar or independent study.  The SRWP paper must be a solo project; group projects may not be used to fulfill the requirement.  The student's engagement in a substantial research and writing project must be registered with the Registrar's Office not later than the end of the drop/add period of the student's fifth semester.  Courses that satisfy the SRWP requirement are identified in the Course Browser by using the JD Course of Study drop-down menu and searching for "JD - substantial research and writing project."
  • Experiential Learning Requirement:  A minimum six credits in simulation courses, clinics and/or externships.  Courses that satisfy the Experiential Learning Requirement are identified in the Course Browser by using the JD Course of Study  drop-down menu and searching for "experiential learning."
  • Professional Development Requirement: All students entering law school in Fall 2018 or later must complete two non-academic professional development credits. Please note that these credits do not count toward the minimum credit requirement for your degree.
  • Regularly-Scheduled Courses:  A minimum 64 of the 87 credits must be earned in courses that require attendance in regularly scheduled classroom sessions or direct faculty instruction.
    • Regularly-scheduled law school courses include
      • Law School courses and seminars, including courses cross-listed at the Law School but originating in another school or department at the University.
      • Law School clinics
      • Regularly-scheduled courses completed at another ABA-accredited law school, including through the inter-institutional agreement with UNC and NCCU and transfer credits for students who completed the first year at another law school or who visited away at another law school.
      • Credits from an approved study abroad program.
    • Regularly-scheduled law school courses do NOT include
      • Independent study
      • Non-law courses
      • Externships
      • Research tutorials
      • Ad hoc seminars
      • Bass Connections

LLM transfer students should expect to complete the JD portion of their academic program over the course of five semesters. 

All students are responsible for monitoring their compliance with the graduation requirements.

In this section