Curriculum

Students in small class

Start Small

Carolina Law students consistently cite the friendly and supportive student body as one of the best aspects of their experience in law school. Our students treat each other as colleagues instead of competitors, and it all starts on day one in first-semester small-enrollment courses: roughly 15 students in each Research, Reasoning, Writing, & Advocacy section and between 45 and 50 students in other courses. These are groups of roughly 30 first-year students who take required courses together in their first and second semesters. In addition to creating a solid foundation for a legal education in these classes, students are also creating lifelong friendships and close relationships with professors.

The curriculum for the second and third year of law school builds upon the fundamentals learned in the first year and allows the student the freedom to develop a path that supports their career goals. Upon graduation, Carolina Law students will be able to begin their legal career at a high level of readiness.

Taking Courses at Other UNC-Chapel Hill Departments

Other departments at UNC-Chapel Hill offer courses that can enhance a student’s legal education. A student may be granted permission by the Associate Dean for Academics to take graduate-level course work elsewhere at the University for up to six hours of credit toward the law degree. The course work must be shown to contribute significantly to the student’s legal education, and permission must be obtained prior to enrollment in the course.

Carolina Graduate Schools

Taking Interinstitutional Courses

Students may take law courses at either Duke University School of Law or North Carolina Central University School of Law that are not regularly offered at Carolina Law. There is no additional tuition charge for courses taken through the interinstitutional program during the academic year. Summer school, however, is not covered by the program. Students may not fulfill their writing or experiential requirements with classes at these institutions.

Duke University School of Law

North Carolina Central School of Law

NY Pathway 1 Certification-Skills and Values Requirements

More information on the University of North Carolina School of Law New York State Bar Skills and Values Requirement Pathway 1 Certification.