With access to more than 250 courses and seminars each year, Virginia Law students explore learning the law through a variety of opportunities. After first-year course requirements are met, students can choose from a range of options — among them, intensive short courses taught by real-world practitioners, seminars and advanced theory courses focused on developing skills in writing legal scholarship, and practical hands-on courses like clinics, trial advocacy and public speaking. Students have access to study-abroad and dual-degree programs, externships that allow students to work while earning academic credit, and independent and directed research projects supervised by faculty with whom they choose to work.
- Your First Year
- 2L Sample Schedule
- 3L Sample Schedule
- For more on graduation requirements, see Academic Policies
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For more on curricular options and programs, see Academics
Your First Year
In the fall, first-year students are automatically enrolled into the courses listed below. Two required courses in the first and second semesters are "small-section" classes consisting of about 35 students, which helps bond classmates from the start. Two classes each semester are intentionally section-exclusive in order to keep them small. In the spring, students choose two electives in addition to the required courses. Course Descriptions for First-Year Classes
FALL
Civil Procedure (4 credits)
Contracts (4)
Criminal Law (3)
Torts (4)
Legal Research and Writing I (1)
SPRING
Constitutional Law (4 credits)
Property (4)
Legal Research and Writing II (YR) (2)
5-7 hours of electives
1L Sample Weekly Schedule
Fall (16 total credits)
MONDAY
8:30-9:50 Torts
10-11 Contracts
2:10-3:30 Civil Procedure
3:40-4:40 Criminal Law
TUESDAY
8:30-9:50 Torts
10-11 Contracts
2:10-3:30 Civil Procedure
WEDNESDAY
8:50-9:50 Legal Research and Writing I
10-11 Contracts
3:40-4:40 Criminal Law
THURSDAY
8:30-9:50 Torts
10-11 Contracts
2:10-3:30 Civil Procedure
3:40-4:40 Criminal Law
FRIDAY
10-11 Contracts
Spring (16 total credits)
MONDAY
10-11:20 Property
2:10-3:30 Constitutional Law
3:40-5 Evidence (3 credits)
TUESDAY
10-11:20 Property
11:30-12:50 Environmental Law (3)
2:10-3:30 Constitutional Law
WEDNESDAY
10-11 Legal Research and Writing II (YR)
3:40-5 Evidence
THURSDAY
10-11:20 Property
11:30-12:50 Environmental Law
2:10-3:30 Constitutional Law
2L Sample Weekly Schedule
Fall (14 total credits)
MONDAY
10-11:20 Federal Courts (4 credits)
2:10-3:30 Patent Law (3)
3:40-5 Evidence (4)
TUESDAY
10-11:20 Regulation of the Political Process (3)
WEDNESDAY
10-11:20 Federal Courts
2:10-3:30 Patent Law
3:40-5 Evidence
THURSDAY
10-11:20 Regulation of the Political Process
3:40-5 Evidence
FRIDAY
10-11:20 Federal Courts
January Term (1 credit)
MONDAY-FRIDAY (ONE WEEK)
9:30-12 Virginia and the Constitution (1)
Spring (14 total credits)
Independent Research (2)
MONDAY
10-11:20 Corporations (Law & Business) (4)
TUESDAY
11:30-12:50 Administrative Law (3)
1-2 Professional Responsibility (2)
WEDNESDAY
10-11:20 Corporations (Law & Business)
THURSDAY
11:30-12:50 Administrative Law
1-2 Professional Responsibility
7-9 p.m. Trial Advocacy (3)
3L Sample Weekly Schedule
Fall (12 total credits)
Directed Research (1 credit)
Independent Research (1)
Seminar in Ethical Values (periodic meetings at instructor discretion, yearlong course)
MONDAY
8:30-9:50 Trusts and Estates (3)
1-2 Remedies (3)
TUESDAY
1-2 Remedies
WEDNESDAY
8:30-9:50 Trusts and Estates
1-2 Remedies
4-6 Supreme Court Litigation Clinic (yearlong; 4 credits each semester)
Spring (17 total credits)
Directed Research (1 credit)
Independent Research (2)
Seminar in Ethical Values (earns 1 credit in spring)
TUESDAY
8:50-9:50 Antitrust (3)
11:30-12:50 Land Use Law (3)
WEDNESDAY
8:50-9:50 Antitrust
4-6 Supreme Court Litigation Clinic (4)
THURSDAY
8:50-9:50 Antitrust
11:30-12:50 Land Use Law
4-6 Property Theory (3)
