Graduation Requirements and Degrees

Juris Doctor (JD)

Requirements

Students must have achieved each of the following standards:

  1. 88 semester hours of credit.
  2. Earn at least 65 credit hours in attendance in regularly scheduled class sessions.  
  3. Cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or better.
  4. Compliance with mandatory course requirements.
  5. Compliance with the upper level writing requirement.
  6. In the case of students transferring from another law school, a minimum of 45 credit hours must be completed at MSU Law.
  7. In accordance with ABA policy, the maximum time for completion of requirements is 84 months (7 years) after a student has commenced law study at the law school or a law school from which the school has accepted transfer credit.

Application for Graduation 

Students apply for graduation in the Student Information System (SIS) at student.msu.edu. 

Before you apply, please review your degree requirements to check your eligibility and determine what courses and requirements you still have remaining to complete. A helpful overview of how to check your degree requirements has been provided by MSU: https://sis.msu.edu/_assets/documents/students/AA-DegreeAudit-Student.pdf.

Students can apply for graduation by filling out the Graduation Application available at student.msu.edu and selecting the Academic Progress tile and clicking the Apply for Graduation link in the left-hand navigation under the Graduation heading. Students who are expecting to graduate but cannot access the graduation application should contact their advisor.

Honors and Final Class Rank

In order to be eligible for class honors upon graduation, a student must have received at least 53 credits from classes taken at MSU College of Law, excluding those taken on a Pass/Fail or Credit/No Credit basis, and credits taken at other schools.  The calculation of final class rank upon graduation shall not include any students who have not received at least 70 credits from classes taken at MSU College of Law, excluding those taken on a Pass/Fail or Credit/No Credit basis, and credits taken at other schools.

Honors for Graduation-Students Entering Prior to Fall 2017

Candidates for the degree of Juris Doctor whose cumulative grade point average is 3.25 or higher and subject to the Honors and Final Class Rank policy, will graduate with honors, as follows:
3.25 to 3.49 will graduate Cum Laude
3.50 to 3.74 will graduate Magna Cum Laude
3.75 to 4.00 will graduate Summa Cum Laude
For the purpose of calculating honors and class rank, students retaking a course will have the two grades averaged together.

Honors for Graduation-Students Entering Fall 2017 or Later

Candidates for the degree of Juris Doctor whose cumulative grade point average is 3.45 or higher and subject to the Honors and Final Class Rank policy, will graduate with honors, as follows:
3.45 to 3.64 will graduate Cum Laude
3.65 to 3.84 will graduate Magna Cum Laude
3.85 and higher will graduate Summa Cum Laude
For the purpose of calculating honors and class rank, students retaking a course will have the two grades averaged together.

Master of Jurisprudence in Legal Doctrine and Analysis (MJ)

The MJ is an innovative degree that is primarily designed for students who choose not to complete their JD program.  The MJ could provide these with a credential that may enhance their marketability, particularly with employers who do not require a JD, but would prefer a candidate with some legal training.

An MJ degree will be awarded to a student who

  1. has completed the required first-year curriculum and a 2 credit Directed Study, for a total of 30 credits. A 2.0 minimum cum GPA, and is no longer pursuing a JD degree at MSU Law or any other law school, or
  2. is taking a mandatorily-imposed first-year reduced course load and has completed at least 24 credits after the satisfactory completion of the required first two regular semester (fall/spring), with a 2.0 minimum cum GPA, and is no longer pursuing a JD degree at MSU Law or any other law school, or
  3. Matriculated prior to fall 2018 and satisfies all JD degree requirements.

Students who do not complete the JD program who matriculated prior to fall 2018 will be provided a complimentary MJ diploma.  Students completing the JD degree program will have the earning of their MJ degree noted on the record when the JD degree is conferred. Only the Juris Doctor will appear on the diploma. However, students completing the JD program who wish to also receive an MJ diploma may submit a diploma purchase request to the Registrar's Office.

Master of Laws (LLM), Master of Jurisprudence (MJ), and Master of Legal Studies (MLS) Degree Programs

Graduation requirements for the LLM, MJ and MLS degree programs are found here.

Updated: July 02, 2019
Amended: May 08, 2019

Student Handbook