<p>How many units is a J.D.?</p>
<p>I suppose you are asking how many credit hours you must have to get a JD? The number of credit hours differs by school, if only because each law school can determine for itself how many credits to attribute to classes. </p>
<p>The American Bar Association, which is the accrediting body for law schools, has the following regulations that law schools must follow:</p>
<p>
[quote]
Standard 304. COURSE OF STUDY AND ACADEMIC CALENDAR. </p>
<p>(a) A law school shall have an academic year of not fewer than 130 days on which classes are regularly scheduled in the law school, extending into not fewer than eight calendar months. The law school shall provide adequate time for reading periods, examinations, and breaks, but such time does not count toward the 130-day academic year requirement.</p>
<p>(b) A law school shall require, as a condition for graduation, successful completion of a course of study in residence of not fewer than 58,000 minutes of instruction time, except as otherwise provided. At least 45,000 of these minutes shall be by attendance in regularly scheduled class sessions at the law school. </p>
<p>(c) A law school shall require that the course of study for the J.D. degree be completed no sooner than 24 months and not longer than 84 months after a student has commenced law study at the law school or a law school from which the school has accepted transfer credit. </p>
<p>(d) A law school shall require regular and punctual class attendance.</p>
<p>(e) A law school shall not permit a student to be enrolled at any time in coursework that, if successfully complete, would exceed 20 percent of the total coursework required by that school for graduation (or a proportionate number for schools on other academic schedules, such as a quarter system). </p>
<p>(f) A student may not be employed more than 20 hours per week in any week in which the student is enrolled in more than twelve class hours.
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<p>Generally, you need to complete three full time years of study in order to graduate with a JD. Most law schools also have both lower level (first year) and upper level writing requirements. You should check with the law schools you are considering for any more specific requirements of those schools.</p>
<p>sally brilliant post.</p>