Academic Programs
Frequently Asked Questions
- I am entering my third year and chose my courses long before the Certificate was announced. Is it too late for me to qualify?
- What are the practical benefits of graduating with a Certificate in Family Law?
- How and when do I enroll?
- The description mentions 8 additional credits but then says you have to have 20 credits in family law courses. Which is it, 8 or 20?
- Are there minimum grade requirements to qualify for a Certificate?
- The Core III courses are generally graded pass/fail. How do these courses count towards my overall GPA for purposes of the Certificate Program?
- How do I know which courses are best for me?
- Are there any specific courses I must take?
- What if I already took Family Law as a 3 credit course before the program was announced or I am closed out of the 4 credit "Perspectives on the Family" course being offered this Fall?
Q. I am entering my third year and chose my courses long before the Certificate was announced. Is it too late for me to qualify?
A. No, it is not too late. During the phase in of the Certificate, we will work with students to identify equivalent courses from those they have already taken and to determine what additional courses they might need in order to qualify.
Q. What are the practical benefits of graduating with a Certificate in Family Law?
A. Family law is one of the most rapidly expanding areas of law practice. Opportunities exist in both the private sector for attorneys handling adoption, divorce, and child custody cases, and in the public sector for attorneys representing children, parents and the state in abuse and neglect, child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Family law is also becoming increasingly complex, requiring excellent substantive training and a variety of skills from drafting and negotiation to family counseling. Graduates who have the specialized training to meet the family law client's special needs are more competitive in the market for employment.
A. You may enroll at any time, the sooner the better for purposes of course planning. Please complete and turn in the enrollment form.
Q. The description mentions 8 additional credits but then says you have to have 20 credits in family law courses. Which is it, 8 or 20?
A. Both. To graduate with a J.D., you need 88 credits. To graduate with a Certificate in Family Law, you will need 88 + 8 = 96 credits. Of those 96 credits, at least 20 must be in courses designated as part of the Family Law Certificate Program.
Q. Are there minimum grade requirements to qualify for a Certificate?
A. Yes. You must have a 3.0 or better in 15 of the 20 credits referred to above. In other words, when you average out the grades in your 15 best courses on the list of certificate offerings, they must average out to a 3.0 or better.
Q. The Core III courses are generally graded pass/fail. How do these courses count towards my overall GPA for purposes of the Certificate Program?
A. The purpose of requiring an average GPA of 3.0 in 15 out of 20 credits is to insure that students receiving the Certificate demonstrate high proficiency in their Certificate courses. If you have ungraded credits for a clinic or externship, we will determine on an individualized basis how to weight your clinic or externship performance in computing whether you meet this standard.
Q. How do I know which courses are best for me?
A. We will hold an orientation during the October and April and for those who decide to enroll, we will schedule individual counseling sessions to help you decide on a program.
Q. Are there any specific courses I must take?
A. Yes, you must take the 4 credit "Perspectives on the Family plus either "Child, Parent and State" or "Economics of the Family". You must do either a clinic or an externship, and you must complete a senior writing paper in a seminar level course. Any exceptions to these requirements must be approved by a committee of the Family Law Certificate Program faculty.
Q. What if I already took Family Law as a 3 credit course before the program was announced or I am closed out of the 4 credit "Perspectives on the Family" course being offered this Fall?
A. During the phasing in of the Certificate Program, we will work with students individually to identify other courses that will substitute for the negotiation component in the 4 credit course "Perspectives on the Family". In 2003-2004, Perspectives course will be offered in both Spring and Fall.