Summer School and Internships

Summer School

The School of Law does not offer a summer session. However, students may take courses offered in the summer sessions at other accredited law schools to earn up to six credit hours toward their degrees. In order to receive credit for courses taken in the summer sessions at other law schools, a student must obtain advance approval from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the School of Law and submit to the Law Records Office, no later than the end of the grading period for the following semester, a transcript evidencing satisfactory completion of the summer work. Satisfactory completion of a summer school course means fulfillment of the course requirements established by the law school where the course is taken, with a grade equivalent to C or higher.

The following requirements and procedures apply:

• The summer school program must be ABA-accredited. No more than six credits earned through such a program may be applied toward your W&L degree.  For a list of ABA accredited study abroad programs, go to http://www.americanbar.org/groups/legal_education/resources/aba_approved_law_schools.html.
• Both your participation in the program and the specific courses you intend to take must be approved in writing by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in advance. Failure to obtain advance permission may result in denial of credit.
• The summer program must be one that gives grades. You will receive W&L credit for each course you successfully complete with a grade equivalent at least to our "C".
• In order to receive credit, you must furnish the Director of Law Records with an official transcript from the summer program no later than the end of the grading period for the semester following the summer school program.
• We will record successfully completed summer school courses on your transcript, but transfer credit or "TR"  credit will be indicated in place of a grade; your W&L grade point average will not reflect grades earned in summer school programs. 

Non-Graded Academic Credit for Internships

• U.S. Citizens: Non-graded academic credit is available to a United States citizen who works in a full-time unpaid summer internship with a for-profit entity (such as a law firm or corporate counsel's office), a not-for-profit entity, governmental organization, NGO, trade organization, court or other legal practice setting. A full-time unpaid internship with a term of at least four weeks is eligible for one half-credit; a full-time unpaid internship with a term of  eight weeks or longer is eligible for a full credit. Supervision by an attorney, a certification, and a reflective memorandum are required. Academic credit is optional for US citizens (though some employers require that credit be received). 
  
  
• International (F-1 Visa) Students: In order for a US summer internship to qualify for Curricular Practical Training, international students must arrange for academic credit. If the internship is paid, however, the student must undertake a one or two credit summer independent research and writing project (LAW 610- Independent Research) under the direct supervision of a member of the faculty. The project may not duplicate research or writing conducted in the course of the summer internship, but must generally relate to its subject matter.

Students may earn a maximun of two ungraded credits for unpaid summer work over the course of their academic career. There is no additional tuition charged for summer academic credit. The application process for both U.S. Citizens and F-1 Visa holders is outlined in a detailed memo published each spring by the Office of Career Strategy.