Co-Curricular Credit Rules

The co-curricular credit rules below are effective through the end of the spring 2023 semester. 

A.  Credit Caps for Certain Elective Courses
(Note: Courses with the code 'EXPR' are not counted as co-curricular credits)

Students may enroll in no more than:

1. 11 credits for in-house clinical courses or externships, not including the externship portions of the Semester in Washington Program, or the Externships Everywhere Program.
   
   With the approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and subject to the 18 credit maximum cap set forth in Section B below, a student may enroll in and earn credit for more than 11 credits for in-house clinic courses or externships, however, no more than 11 credits will count toward the 88 credits required for the J.D. degree, and no more than 11 credits of grades will be used in calculating the student’s grade point average.  Credits for in-house clinical courses and externships will not be divided.  For any courses that would raise a student’s in-house clinic or externship credit total over 11, the courses will be designated as “not for degree credit,” credits for the courses will not count toward the 88 required credits, and the grades will not be used in calculating the student’s grade point average.
    
2. 6 credits for courses offered by law schools other than Penn State Law, when approved to visit away by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
    
3. 12 credits for Penn State University advanced undergraduate (400-499) and graduate-level (500 and higher) courses, subject to the generally applicable rules and exclusions set forth in the Student Academic Handbook.  J.D. students enrolled in an approved joint degree program or 3+3 program are subject to the specific rules of that program.
    
4. 4 credits for Independent Study courses.  A student may register for no more than two Independent Study courses during law school, and no more than one Independent Study course per semester. Graduate level Individual Studies (596) credits will not be applied to the J.D. degree.
    
5. 3 credits for Individual Research and Writing Seminar course.
    
6. 6 credits for law review or journal membership. 
    
7. 4 credits for Moot Court Board membership and VIS competition.
    
8. 6 credits for membership on a mock trial competition team.

B.  Credit Cap for Study Outside the Classroom
(Note: Courses with the code 'EXPR' are not counted as co-curricular credits)

Subject to the credit caps for certain elective courses stated above, students may enroll in no more than 18 credits for the following courses or activities.

1. In-house clinical courses or externships, including the externship portions of the Semester in Washington Program, and the Externships Everywhere Program.  (The externship portions of the Semester in Washington Program, and the Externships Everywhere Program do not count toward the 11 credit cap in Section A.1 above, but do count toward the 18 credit cap in this section).
    
2. Courses offered by law schools other than Penn State Law (maximum of 6 credits may count toward the J.D. degree without approval from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs as set forth in Section A.2 above). 
    
3. Penn State University course credits: advanced undergraduate (400-499) and graduate-level (500 and higher) courses (maximum of 12 credits may count toward the J.D. degree).
    
4. Independent Study courses (maximum of 4 credits may count toward the J.D. degree).
    
5. Individual Research and Writing Seminar course (maximum of 3 credits may be taken)
    
6. Law review or journal membership (maximum of 6 credits may count toward the J.D. degree).
    
7. Moot Court Board membership and VIS competition (maximum of 4 credits may count toward the J.D. degree).
    
8. Membership on a mock trial competition team (maximum of 6 credits may count toward the J.D. degree).