Juris Doctor (JD)
The Juris Doctor (JD) degree is your ultimate goal as a law student. In your pursuit of a JD, you can choose from one of our two concentrations and earn a second graduate degree through one of our dual-degree programs.
JD Hours Requirements for Graduation
- 89 credits hours or more are required for the JD Degree.
- Of the 89 credit hours:
- At least 58 credit hours must be earned in residence at the University of Tennessee
- At least 64 credit hours must be earned in courses that require attendance in regularly schedule classroom sessions or direct faculty instruction as defined by ABA Standards for Approval of Law Schools.
- No more than 18 credit hours may be earned in any combination of:
- Externship (Prosecution, Public Defender, and Judicial)
- Field Placement
- Directed Research Paper or Independent Study
- Journals
- Moot Court and Moot Court Executive Board
- Planning & Drafting Project
- Approved Non-Law Electives
- No more than 29 credit hours may be earned in distance education classes.
JD Academic Requirements
JD candidates must fulfill the following academic standards:
- Earn a grade of 2.0 or better in at least 21 hours of required, numerically graded first year courses (find additional details in the Student Handbook or Graduate Catalog);
- Achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better at the end of their final semester; and
- Achieve a grade point average of 2.0 or better for courses completed during the final two semesters of coursework at the College.
JD Course Requirements
In addition to the first-year curriculum, Professional Responsibility, and Constitutional Law, students must satisfy the following course requirements for graduation:
- Experiential Courses totaling 6 credits
- One Planning and Drafting Course
- One Perspective Course
- One Expository Writing Course
- Two Courses Addressing Bias, Cross-Cultural Competency, and Racism. (Effective for students entering as a 1L in Fall 2022 or later).
Additional Information
Enrolled students may find which courses satisfy graduation requirements, current semester schedule information, as well as the two-year master schedule, on the College of Law portal.
Contact Us
Admissions & Financial Aid
1505 W. Cumberland Ave.
Knoxville, Tennessee 37996
Phone: 865-974-4131
Office: Suite 161
E-mail: lawadmit@utk.edu
Contact Us
Admissions & Financial Aid
1505 W. Cumberland Ave.
Knoxville, Tennessee 37996
Phone: 865-974-4131
Office: Suite 161
E-mail: lawadmit@utk.edu