2024-2025 Student Handbook

IV. SUMMER LAW PROGRAMS

This Section IV of the Rules and Regulations does not apply to summer study undertaken in satisfaction of the requirements of the Accelerated JD Program or dual degree programs.

The following Paragraphs (A-D) apply to the Suffolk University Law School summer programs in Boston and Galway, Ireland. For non-Suffolk summer programs, see policy on Visiting Out, Study Abroad and Electives at Non-Suffolk Programs.

A.

Eligibility

Suffolk University Law School offers a summer program in Boston. The program is open to students from other law schools who have completed the first year of law school in good standing at an American Bar Association-accredited law school. An applicant to the program must present a letter of good standing from the dean of the student’s law sc hool. Suffolk University Law School students may enroll in summer classes if they are in good standing and are not ineligible under Rule II.C.1.a.v. (requirement that student must have at least a 2.50 in the fall semester of first year in order to enroll in the summer program). All students participating in Suffolk University summer abroad programs must be in good standing. Additional requirements may apply. For more information, visit the Study Abroad page on the Law School’s website: https://www.suffolk.edu/law/academics-clinics/study-abroad Notes: For purposes of the ABA residency requirement, the 12 week summer program is equivalent to one semester in the AJD program and for those who are in the Early Graduation program. For other students, the summer law program in Boston is equivalent to one-half semester. The Suffolk University Law School Summer abroad programs are not covered by this section (IV.A.)

B.

Course Load

Any student in the day or evening division may take up to 6 summer credits per year without special permission. Students not enrolled in the Accelerated JD Program may not register for more than 6 summer credits in the same year without approval of the Assistant Dean for Academic Services, or as provided in Rule IV.C. Early graduation through summer study and the application of summer credits toward final semester course loads are subject to the requirements and limitations set forth in Rules IV.C and IV.D.

C.

Early Graduation through Summer Study

1. Day Division . Day Division students not enrolled in the Accelerated JD Program who are in good academic standing and are not on Academic Warning or Guided Curriculum may apply to take a full course load of 12-15 credits in the summer following the completion of their second full year of study, and to count that summer of study as 1 of the 6 minimum semesters of study required in Rule I.B.3. Students seeking to pursue this option must file an application to enroll in Summer Study for Early Graduation by no later than the registration deadline for the relevant summer. (Forms and deadlines are available in the Office of Academic Services.) Applications must be approved by the Assistant Dean for Academic Services or Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Considerations relevant to approval include the strength of the applicant’s academic record and whether the electives available to the applicant in the intended summer of study support a feasible curricular plan for early graduation. Any summer of study counted toward the 6-semester day division minimum will be charged at the day division tuition rate for a full semester. a. For Evening Division students who enroll in summer coursework in two or more separate years and earn at least 9 credits through such study, the summer terms in which those credits were earned may jointly be counted as 1 of the 8 minimum semesters of study required in Rule I.C.3. b. Evening Division students who are in good academic standing and are not on Academic Warning or Guided Curriculum may apply to take a full course load of 9-12 credits in any summer following the completion of their second or third full year of study, and to count that summer of study toward the 8 minimum semesters of study required in Rule I.C.3. Students 2. Evening Division . Evening Division students who are not enrolled in the Accelerated JD Program have the following two options for early graduation through enrollment in summer study.

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