A Comprehensive Curriculum | Southwestern Law School
Southwestern
Law School
Los Angeles
A Comprehensive Curriculum
Southwestern’s academic offerings enable our students to follow either a broad-based or a personalized curriculum focusing on a particular area of law while earning the 87 units required for the J.D. degree. Beyond the 18 required courses,* you can select from 200+ elective courses, and numerous experiential opportunities to design your individual program of study.
First-Year Curriculum
All first-year students at Southwestern are required to take a six-unit, year-long course entitled
Legal Analysis, Writing, and Skills (LAWS)
. The course introduces students to key lawyering skills and helps prepare them for the real-world demands they will face as attorneys.  In the Spring semester, LAWS II enables students to apply their new skills in a hands-on advocacy experience.
*The SCALE 2-Year J.D. has its own set of required courses.
The Online J.D. Program has a slightly different curriculum
Making it Yours
Southwestern students can enroll in one of our official Concentrations or put together their own focus areas drawing from a selection of courses, clinics, externships, and even student groups.  (See left side bar.)
Students can further enrich their law school experience by participating in Honors Programs, Law Reviews and Journals, etc.  Please explore the below links to get a better idea of all Southwestern has to offer.
Use the left sidebar to access course listings and academic calendars, as well as to learn more about learning outcomes and our academic success program.  Academic Success provides resources for law school studies and bar preparation.
For the LL.M. curriculum, visit the
LL.M. pages
Biederman Entertainment and Media Law Institute
Award Winning Biederman Blog
Biederman Scholars
Industry Connections
Concentrations & Customizations
Civil Litigation & Advocacy
Criminal Law
Critical Race, Gender and Sexuality Studies
Entertainment & Media Law
Labor and Employment Law
Public Interest
Technology Law & Entrepreneurship
Honors Programs
Moot Court
Negotiations
Trial Advocacy (TAHP)
Interdisciplinary Study
J.D./M.B.A. at Drucker School of Management
Law Reviews & Journals
Southwestern Law Review
Southwestern Journal of International Law
Journal of International Media & Entertainment Law
Upper-Division Curriculum Highlights
Experiential Requirement
Writing Requirement
Intersession / Capstone / Mini-Term
Apply Now
Related Videos
Southwestern Quick Facts - Curriculum