Question for any Harvard student Forum

[samiseaborn]

Do Harvard 1L's take the same courses as other law schools? Most importantly, do you get to take any electives as a 1L and if yes, how many? (I'm reading some of their "program of study" descriptions and trying to figure out if there is still actually time to complete one of these programs as a transfer before I say something stupid in my personal statement.) Thanks!

[Zara]

Here is what the HLS website says about it:

The first-year requirements for the J.D. degree are:

1. The required first-year courses: Civil Procedure, Contracts, Criminal Law, International or Comparative Law, Legislation and Regulation, Problem Solving Workshop, Property, and Torts;

2. First-Year Legal Research and Writing, which includes the First-Year Ames Moot Court Program; and

3. A spring upper-level elective course of a minimum of two and a maximum of four Law School classroom credits.

First-year students may take more than one elective course or register for writing credits in addition to one elective course only in special circumstances and with the permission of the Vice Dean for Academic Programming. First-year students may not generally enroll in upper-level reading groups.

[Cleareyes]

Here is what the HLS website says about it:

The first-year requirements for the J.D. degree are:

1. The required first-year courses: Civil Procedure, Contracts, Criminal Law, International or Comparative Law, Legislation and Regulation, Problem Solving Workshop, Property, and Torts;

2. First-Year Legal Research and Writing, which includes the First-Year Ames Moot Court Program; and

3. A spring upper-level elective course of a minimum of two and a maximum of four Law School classroom credits.

First-year students may take more than one elective course or register for writing credits in addition to one elective course only in special circumstances and with the permission of the Vice Dean for Academic Programming. First-year students may not generally enroll in upper-level reading groups.

Problem solving workshop is a winter term class. International or Comparative law gives you one of seven choices in 1L year. You end up with one true elective, and I'd assume there's plenty of time to complete a program of study, since you can take up to 16 credits if you want to. I don't know if transfers are required to make up the problem solving workshop or the international/comparative but my gut says no. If they are they shouldn't be.

[samiseaborn]

Ah, that's much more helpful than whatever page I was reading which just gave a running list of class titles without semesters. Thanks.

[Mr. Matlock]

Well, Harvard has some special programs, they're going to be doing Shakespeare in the round again. A political roundtable.... Henry Kissenger will appear for a weekend and rap with the kids. The upcoming 1L's want animals this year so during the interim term, each student will be allowed to stalk and kill their own Grizzly bear in Harvard's private wildlife preserve.

It's the H-Bomb dude!!! It's special.



A brand new Chrysler Cordoba for the movie quote.