1998-1999_Law School Catalog.pdf - The Texas Tech University ...

The University Community Curriculum 13rexas Tech University originally opened in the fallof 1925 as Texas Technological College with fourschools-Liberal Arts, Home Economics, Agriculture,and Engineering. By action of the Texas StateLegislature, Texas Technological College becameTexas Tech University on September I, 1969. Todaythe University has an enrollment of almost 25,OOJand consists of the iruitructional colleges-AgriculturalSciences and atural Resources, Architecture,Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Education,Engineering, Human Sciences--the Law Schooland the Graduate School. The Texas Tech UniversityHealth Sciences Center, a separate institution,opened in 1m.Many special facilities for interdisciplinaryresearch are available, such as the computer center,the Southwest Collection (a regional depository forhistorical information pertaining to West Texas andthe near Southwest), and the University Library'sexpanding collection of material in the general areasof the humanities.Located near the Law School, the StudentRecreation Center and the Aquatic Center offer awide variety of indoor sports facilities in addition toan Olympic-size indoor-outdoor swimming pool,tennis courts, and ball fields.Texas Tech University is located in Lubbock, acity of over 196,lXXl population with a variety ofcultural and recreational opportunities and a dryand invigorating climate.The city maintains more than sixty public parksfor those interested in sailing, sailboarding, tennis,softball, golf, and soccer. Cultural events includeperformances by the Lubbock Symphony and CivicBallet, while dramatic groups from the city, theTexas Tech theatre arts program, and occasionalBroadway traveling companies present a broadselection of theatrical fare.Texas Tech's campus of 1,839 acres is one of thelargest in the nation, and with its attractive landscapingand unique Spanish Renaissance red-tileroofed buildings, is one of the most attractive.Programs of Study• DoctoroJJurisprudenceTo be recommended for the J.D. degree by thefaculty, a student must successfully complete aminimum of 90 semester hours, normally accomplishedin six semesters or five semesters and twosummer sessions. Acumulative average of 2.0 isrequired for graduation. Other academic requiJe..ments for graduation and for maintaining goodstanding are contained in the "Rules and Regulationsof the School of Law," which is given tostudents upon their initial registration and isavailable upon request.The grading scale is as follows: A=4.oo, 8+=3.50,B=3.oo, C+=2.50, C=2.OO, 0+=1.50, D=1.00, and F=O.O.Average academic attrition rate for first-yearstudents over the past five years is approximately9percent.The bar passage rate of graduates was 87.88percent for the February 1997 Texas bar exam and91.91 percent for the July 1997 Texas bar examrankingsecond among the state's eight accreditedand one provisionally accredited law schools.The Law School offers a full-time program only.Part-time enrollment is not permitted. Classes areoffered only during the day. Astudent may not takemore than 17 or less than 13 hours in any semesterwithout special permission. Twelve hours is consideredto be full time. There is no minimum courseload requirement for students during asummersession; however, 8 hours is considered full time andstudents may not be registered for more than 10 hours.The).o. program provides a general backgroundin law, but the curriculum is broad enough thatstudents may, through their choice of electives,emphasize a particular area of the law such as tax,eslate planning, environmental, criminal, international,litigation, public, property, or business.Normally students must complete six semesters inresidence as a full-time student to meet graduationrequirements. Astudent may graduate a semesterearly-at the end of the fall semester of the thirdyear-by taking at least 12 hours over two summers(the equivalent of the sixth semester of residency).Regular attendance and preparation by studentsare required. Students should be aware that the LawSchool must certify to the various boards of statebar examiners that each student has regularlyattended classes.Aprofessor may exclude a student from thecourse or from the final examination in the course ifthat student has accumulated an unreasonably largenumber of absences or instances of unpreparedness.The Law School faculty reserves the right to changethe schedule of classes, the program of instruction, therequirements for degrees, and any other similar rulesor regulations. This right will not be exercised,however, to impose substantial detriment uponstudents enrolled at the time of the change.• Doctor o!Jurisprudence-Master oj BusinessAdministrationThe Law School and the Graduate School of TexasTech University offer ajoint program leading to thedegrees of Doctor of Jurisprudence O.D.) and Masterof Business Administration (M.B.A.). The jointdegree allows a student to complete the requirementsfor both degrees in three or four years,depending upon the extent of leveling in businesscourses required. Astudent must apply to both theLaw School and the Graduate School and be acceptedby both schools.The program is designed principally for thestudent with nonbusiness undergraduate trainingwho wishes to acquire a broad business knowledgeto complement legal training. For the student withsufficient previous course work, the degree may besecured by completing a total of 102 hours of lawand business courses. To satisfy the 90 hours of lawfor the J.D. degree and the 36 hours of business forthe M.B.A. degree, 12 hours of approved law coursesare transferred as elective credit to the M.B.A. degreeand 12 hours of approved graduate business coursesare transferred as elective credit toward the 1.0.degree. In some instances, astudent may be allowedto waive up to 12 hours at the M.B.A. level.The first year of study consists entirely of lawcourses. Ouring the second and third years, theremaining required law courses are to be completedtogether with selected law electives and an appropriatenumber of graduate business core courses.An acceptable score on the Graduate ManagementAdmission Test (GMAT) is required for theM.BA portion of the program. The College ofBusiness Administration is willing to accept astudent from the Texas Tech University School ofLaw into the J.D.-M.B.A. program if the student hastaken the Law School Admission Test (!.SAl). Thatstudent will not be required to lake the GraduateManagement Admission Test (GMAT).