Pass/No Pass

Any elective course (but no required course, and no clinic, externship classroom component, or practicum) may be taken on a pass/no pass basis unless the instructor, before the beginning of the semester in which the course is offered, denies students this option. A 3L student who elects to take a course or courses pass/no pass must be enrolled in a minimum of six graded credits in the semester in which they are taking the course pass/no pass. A 2L student who elects to take a course or courses pass/no pass must be enrolled in a minimum of twelve graded credits in the semester for which they are seeking a pass/no pass enrollment. Students must submit a pass/no pass election form with the Law School Registrar's Office no later than the end of the third week of the semester for full-length semester courses. For courses that are a week in length, students have until the second day of classes to submit a pass/no pass election form.

When a pass/no pass election has been filed, it cannot be withdrawn, except as provided in the following paragraph:
A grade of C or higher shall be recorded as a P (Pass). A grade of C- or lower shall be recorded as NP (Not Passing) unless the student files in the Law Registrar Office an election to accept the letter grade, within five business days from the date the grade was posted. Neither a grade of P nor a grade of NP shall affect the student's cumulative average. Any semester credits for which a grade of NP is recorded shall not be included in the total semester credits the student has completed toward the minimum required for a degree. If a student who has received a grade of C- or lower elects to accept the letter grade, it shall be treated as a grade in a graded course for all purposes.

Beginning with the Class of 2028, students must complete at least 75% of their law studies in graded courses to be eligible for Order of the Coif membership. Credits from courses like Immersion, field placements, study abroad, and any course taken as Pass/No Pass will not be counted toward the 75% graded credit requirement.

Pass/No Pass Election Form

Fall 2025 courses which do not allow the Pass/No Pass option:

  • LAW 631 Jurisprudence Seminar
  • LAW 637 Comparative Law Seminar
  • LAW 642 Law and Geography Seminar
  • LAW 733 Criminal Procedure: Investigation
  • LAW 739 Federal White Collar Crime
  • LAW 753 Core Multiple Choice Skills and Concepts
  • LAW 761 Children and the Law
  • LAW 773 Employment Discrimination

Fall 2025 - Deadline for submitting a pass/no pass form for full-length semester courses is September 15, 2025.
                   Deadline for submitting a pass/no pass form for one-week courses is August 19, 2025.

Spring 2026 courses which do not allow the Pass/No Pass option:

  • LAW628 Constitutional Rights Seminar
  • LAW634 Children and the Constitution Seminar
  • LAW683 Mass Atrocities Seminar
  • LAW701 Administrative Law
  • LAW716 Business Associations
  • LAW734 Class Actions and Aggregate Litigation
  • LAW750 Core Writing Skills and Concepts

Spring 2026 - Deadline for submitting a pass/no pass form is February 2, 2026                                                                                          Deadline for submitting a pass/no pass form for one-week courses is January 13, 2026.

 

Updated 4/21/2026