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Required Courses

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Curriculum Designed for Success

Every student is required to complete 90 credit hours to graduate. In addition to the courses listed, students must enroll in upper level skills credits and the clinical experience of their choice. Our curriculum is designed to prepare students for a bar exam in any state and, ultimately, for the practice of law. 

Required Courses

The curriculum is also designed to give you the knowledge, skills and ethics needed to succeed. In addition to the subjects listed, our required curriculum includes experiential learning and several legal research and writing classes. All Cooley students enroll in at least 3 credits of skills classes and 3 credits of a clinic or an externship where you learn lawyering skills through practice.
 
  • Torts
  • Legislation & Regulation I
  • Legislation & Regulation II
  • Legal Methods
  • Advanced Legal Methods
  • Research & Writing I
  • Research & Writing II
  • Contracts
  • Criminal Law
  • Property 
  • Civil Procedure
  • Constitutional Law
  • Advocacy
  • Evidence
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Writing for Practice
  • Personal & Professional Responsibility
  • Bar Examination Skills (Florida Bar Examination Skills)

Course Descriptions

Cooley Law School offers a wide variety of courses and electives. Not all electives are offered every semester. Schedules are prepared on the basis of need, professor availability, and student demand. 

A Cooley J.D. Sets You Apart

As a leader in modern legal education, we’ve been training a diverse group of practice-ready lawyers since 1972. We not only prepare you for the bar examination and field of law, but we also require actual practical experience from every student — emphasizing real-world readiness that sets you apart from the crowd. 
  
You’ll also benefit from our:

  • Faculty with an average of 15 years teaching the law
  • Empirically proven teaching methods
  • Equal access to justice for people of all backgrounds
  • Variety of schedule options with two- to five-year programs
  • Choice of attractive campus locations
  • Specialty law school concentrations

More Academic Offerings

FAQs

What makes Cooley’s curriculum unique? ▾

Our curriculum is designed to be practical and forward-thinking. The school has reduced the number of required courses, allowing students to begin taking electives earlier, often in areas that align with their interests or career goals. There is a strong emphasis on legal writing, with writing instruction starting in the first semester and continuing throughout the program. We also prioritize experiential learning through opportunities for externships, clinics, and summer skills programs, which help students become future-ready while serving their communities.

What subjects are included in the required courses? ▾

First-year students take essential courses, including Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Civil Procedure, Property, Torts, and Research & Writing. These build the legal reasoning, writing, and doctrinal foundation for upper-level success. After your first year, courses like Criminal Procedure, Advocacy, and Evidence are required.

How many credits are required to graduate? ▾

Every student is required to complete 90 credit hours to earn their law degree. Our required curriculum amounts to 47 credits, designed to ensure mastery of bar-tested subjects and foundational legal practice skills. In addition to the required courses listed, students must enroll in upper-level skills credits and the clinical experience of their choice.

When can I start taking electives? ▾

You can begin taking electives after completing 24 required course credits and as they fit into the standard schedule options. Most students select electives in their second year curriculum. Electives allow you to explore specific areas of interest, build skills in practice-focused subjects, and customize your path based on your career goals.

What elective areas can I explore at Cooley? ▾

Students can choose from a wide range of electives, including corporate law, tax law, intellectual property, international law, insurance, labor law, gaming law, health law, compliance and ethics, and other areas of interest. Electives help you shape your legal education to fit your future.

Are there courses that prepare me for niche or emerging areas of law? ▾

Absolutely. We offer electives in modern and specialized fields, including cryptocurrency and blockchain law, environmental regulation, juvenile law, recycling law, cybersecurity, and legal storytelling.

How does the curriculum prepare me to take the bar exam? ▾

The required courses align with the content of the bar exam, equipping students with the legal knowledge and analytical skills necessary for successful practice.