Academics

Program Learning Goals

The School of Law’s Educational Goals for Its JD Program: Students who successfully complete the Law School’s JD program will share the following characteristics:

• The ability to think like a lawyer
• A basic proficiency in professional lawyering skills
•  An appreciation, understanding, and inculcation of the moral, ethical, and professional values and responsibilities of law-trained individuals

The effective integration of the apprenticeships of thinking, performing, and behaving (or thinking, doing, and being) will prepare students for productive careers as counselors, advocates, and judges; as business persons; as elected public servants, and as researchers, teachers, and philosophers of the law.  The following goals and objectives are utilized to support student learning outcomes.

Goal 1

The cognitive apprenticeship (CA)

#	Objective
CA 1	Students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of substantive law.
CA 2	Students will demonstrate proficiency in legal analysis and critical reasoning.

Goal 2

The professional lawyering skills apprenticeship (LS)

#	Objective
LS 1	Students will demonstrate proficiency in legal research and in written and oral communication.
LS 2	Students will demonstrate professional lawyering skills.

Goal 3

The moral, ethical, and professional identity apprenticeship (ME)

#	Objective
ME 1	Students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a lawyer’s moral, ethical, and professional responsibilities.
ME 2	Students will demonstrate awareness of their responsibility to society, including providing pro bono services.