The University of Tulsa College of Law fosters a supportive academic environment, encouraging students to reach their full potential. The Academic Support Program provides assistance to law students throughout law school.
Academic support is embedded in the following College of Law programs:
- The Foundations of Legal Study, a one-week orientation program prior to the start of the first semester, which prepares students for academic and personal success at the College of Law, with specific instruction in basic research skills, case-briefing, and the United States legal system.
- The Dean’s Seminar on the Legal Profession, a one-credit required course in the fall semester, co-taught by the Dean and the Director of Professional Development, which encompasses many academic support goals, including focusing students on the importance of professional behavior, time-management skills, ethical obligations, lawyer effectiveness skills, workplace values training, curricular planning, and development of a personal strategic plan for career development. Second-year students are required to attend a Professionalism Day, in which a series of speakers and activities reinforce similar themes.
- The three-semester required Legal Writing program. In Legal Writing I, a small-section course that is required in the first semester of law school, encompasses not only legal research and writing skills, but case-briefing, time management, note-taking, outlining, and exam-writing skills. In addition, each student meets one-on-one with the Legal Writing professors for individual feedback on writing and analysis in Legal Writing I, II, and III during the first three semesters. Graduate students from The University of Tulsa English Department keep regular office hours in the law school several times per week to provide advice on basic writing skills and assistance with writing projects during the academic year.
- Strategies and Skills for Bar and Practice, a required one-credit bar support course during the final semester of law school, in which students receive bar skills instruction from BARBRI instructors and supplemental instruction from a full-time College of Law faculty member on studying, essay-writing, and time management skills.