J.D. Fall 2024 Registration Information

Begin by familiarizing yourself with LionPATH - Student Help to understand how LionPATH functions.

Pre-Registration Steps:

1. Log in to your Student Center in LionPATH and complete the Pre-Registration Activity Guide for fall 2024 under your To-Do List. 
2. Resolve any holds on your record that will prevent you from registering for the fall 2024 semester.
3. Note your enrollment dates in your Student Center for fall 2024 registration.

Academic Advice: Take the initiative to ask for advice. Law faculty members are happy to help you select courses, provide advice about the sequence of related courses, and explain how courses relate to law practice. You can visit one of your current professors during office hours. Ask for an appointment with a faculty member who teaches or writes in a field of law that interests you. The website lists faculty by specialized fields of study. You may also ask for an appointment with your assigned faculty advisor, whose name is available in your Student Center in LionPATH, or any law faculty member.  

Courses: Access the fall 2024 Schedule of Courses by selecting "Find Classes" in LionPATH. Remember, all Penn State Law courses are listed under the course career "Penn State Law". 

Degree Audit (Academic Requirements Report): Your Degree Audit (Academic Requirements report) is available in your Student Center in LionPATH.  You can use your Degree Audit (Academic Requirements report) along with your  J.D. Requirements information to ensure you are staying on track to meet your graduation requirements. How to access your Degree Audit (Academic Requirements report) in LionPATH.

Drop/Add Deadlines: You can drop or add courses from your Student Center in LionPATH at any time before the deadlines. However, you cannot drop or add courses after the deadlines except with permission of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs which will be granted only in compelling circumstances.

Drop Deadline: Saturday, August 31, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. (ET)
Add Deadline: Sunday, September 1, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. (ET)

Employment While Enrolled: Law school course work requires full-time application, students are cautioned not to place excessive reliance on employment for financial support.  J.D. students are forbidden from working more than twenty hours per week.  By registering for classes each semester, students certify compliance with this throughout the semester.  Employment inconsistent with this rule is a violation of the Honor Code.  Under the Academic Standing Rules, the Rules Committee will not consider employment during the semester as an excuse for poor academic performance.

Grading Deadlines: Grades are due from faculty no later than Tuesday, January 14, 2025.

Important Registration Rules and Tips: Consult the Student Academic Handbook for information about J.D. degree requirements and other academic rules, including the rules on Co-Curricular Credits, Independent Study, Pass-Fail Rules, Upper-Level Writing Seminar and Experiential Learning credits requirements. You are responsible for satisfying all degree requirements and complying with all academic rules. Law students cannot register for more than 17 credits per semester. Students may not register for courses with overlapping meeting times.

Planning Your Schedule:

• Before you register, take time to gather the information and advice you need to plan for next semester. Use the Schedule Builder in LionPATH to plan your schedule. Learn more about the LionPATH Schedule Builder.
• For information about enrolling in a clinic or externship, including course requirements and application deadlines, visit Clinics and Externships. 
• For information about courses with content tested on the bar examinations see Information About Bar Admissions and Exam or contact the Associate Dean for Academic Success.

Registration Wait List: The law school uses the University's Wait List in LionPATH.  You are encouraged, before you register, to learn more about the LionPATH Wait List. The information is located under Enrollment. A procedure runs hourly to monitor the Wait List. As a courtesy to your classmates, please remove your name from a course wait list if you are no longer interested in the course. 

Important Note: You will not be registered in a class from the wait list if any of the following apply to you:

1) You have an active registration hold.

2) Course controls prevent your registration in the course.

3) There is a day/time conflict with a course already on your registration.

4) The addition of the course will cause the 17 credit registration limit to be exceeded.

To avoid # 3 and #4, the course that is being Wait Listed must be added using the course swap feature in LionPATH at the time the Wait Listed registration is being added.  See the LionPATH Wait List help for more information.