Distance Education

Distance education offerings use either a fully online format or a hybrid format consisting of in-person and online class sessions. Some students use such offerings in conjunction with in-person course offerings to create greater flexibility in their academic schedule, and in some cases, to create opportunities to participate in unique course offerings available only either online or in hybrid form. A smaller cohort may seek a more intensive academic diet of online offerings. Students may not obtain more than 50% of their law school credits from distance education offerings, except in specially designed programs, such as the Hybrid JD program. Although distance education offerings are varied, both in subject and format, the number of such offerings is more limited than in-person offerings. The school is also currently exploring the selective extension of distance education to the required first-year curriculum. Nevertheless, the Law School also imposes restrictions on distance education offerings to ensure oversight and suitability.

1. Definitions:

a. A distance education (alternatively, "DE") course is one in which students are separated from the faculty member or each other for more than one-third of the instruction, and the instruction involves the use of technology to support regular and substantive interaction among students and between the students and faculty, either synchronously or asynchronously (as defined below).

Distance education courses are categorized in terms of different delivery modes for distance learning as described in (b) and (c) below using the following definitions:

Synchronous: A teaching method where instructors and students interact in real-time through live virtual classes requiring simultaneous participation.
Asynchronous: A flexible teaching method where students access pre-recorded lectures, discussion forums, assignments and forms of assessment, without real-time interaction between the instructor and students.

b. Fully online DE:

Online: any course in which more than two-thirds of the course instruction is delivered online (meaning more than two-thirds of the course contact hours are delivered online person).

Synchronous: an online course in which more than two-thirds of the course instruction is delivered synchronously (meaning that more than two-thirds of the course contact hours for course credit are delivered synchronously).
Asynchronous: an online course in which more than two-thirds of the course instruction is delivered asynchronously (meaning that more than two-thirds of the course contact hours for course credit are delivered asynchronously).
Mixed (A & S): an online course in which at least one-third of the course instruction is delivered synchronously (meaning at least one-third of the course contact hours is delivered synchronously) and at least one-third of the course instruction is delivered asynchronously (meaning at least one-third of the course contact hours is delivered asynchronously).

c. Hybrid DE:

Hybrid: any course in which at least one-third of the course instruction is delivered in-person (meaning at least one-third of the course contact hours is delivered in-person) and more than one-third of the course instruction is delivered online (meaning more than one-third of the course contact hours is delivered online).

Synchronous: A hybrid course in which more than two-thirds of the online course instruction is delivered synchronously (meaning that more than two-thirds of the online course contact hours for course credit are delivered synchronously).
Asynchronous: A hybrid course in which more than two-thirds of the online course instruction is delivered asynchronously (meaning that more than two-thirds of the online course contact hours for course credit are delivered asynchronously).
Mixed (A & S): A hybrid online course in which at least one-third of the online course instruction is delivered synchronously (meaning at least one-third of the course contact hours is delivered synchronously) and at least one-third of the online course instruction is delivered asynchronously (meaning at least one-third of the course contact hours is delivered asynchronously).

d. Enrollment (limited): any online or hybrid course that is subject to a 30 student enrollment cap.

e. Enrollment (unrestricted): any online or hybrid course that is not a limited enrollment DE course.

2. There is no minimum GPA requirement for enrollment in any single DE course in a given semester. However, the number of DE courses in a given semester may be subject to limitations as set forth below.

3. Subject to paragraph 7 below, there is no limit on the number of DE courses a student is permitted to take in a given semester provided (i) the total number of credits sought through DE courses would not cause the student to violate the ABA Standard referenced in Regulation in I(B)(2)(h) and I(C)(2), and (ii) the students GPA for the preceding Fall or Spring semester is not below 3.0. If a student's GPA in the preceding Fall or Spring is below 3.0, the student will be limited to taking no more than 2 DE courses in the following semester.

4. Subject to paragraph 8 below and notwithstanding paragraph 3 above, students on Guided Curriculum are limited to taking no more than 2 DE courses in any Fall or Spring semester. In addition, such students must fulfill the applicable doctrinal course subject matter requirements (i.e., Evidence, Criminal Procedure, Business Entity Fundamentals, Commercial Law Sales/Commercial Law Survey, and Family Law) through in-person course offerings. The Dean of Students may provide a limited waiver with respect to the subject matter requirement in exigent circumstances. If a waiver is granted, the Dean of Students must report any such waivers to the Academic Standing Committee at its next meeting.

5. Subject to paragraph 8 below and notwithstanding paragraph 3 above, students on Academic Warning are limited to taking no more than 1 DE courses in any Fall or Spring semester. In addition, such students must fulfill the applicable doctrinal course subject matter requirements (i.e., Evidence, Criminal Procedure, Business Entity Fundamentals, Commercial Law Sales, and Family Law) in in-person course offerings. The Dean of Students may provide a limited waiver with respect to the one course cap or subject matter requirement in exigent circumstances. If a waiver is granted, the Dean of Students must report any such waivers to the Academic Standing Committee at its next meeting.

6. Subject to paragraph 7, the limitations set forth in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4, shall not apply to enrollment in DE courses offered (i) in the Summer semester, (ii) during intersession, or (iii) that provide no more than a single academic credit.

7. If a student fails to comply with an applicable Distance Education attendance policy in any Distance Education course in any semester, the student cannot enroll in a future Distance Education course, unless the student is granted permission to do so, at the discretion of the Dean's Office.

8. The interpretation and application of any ABA measures temporarily relaxing distance education standards due to public emergency or otherwise will be at the discretion of the Dean's Office.

9. Some jurisdictions place limits on the amount of Distance Education credits a bar applicant can take in law school. Students are responsible for complying with the Distance Education limits, if any, of their intended bar admission jurisdiction.

10. All Distance Education courses set forth in the Law School's electronic course catalog shall describe each Distance Education course offering in terms of its delivery mode using the definitions found in paragraph 1(b) & (c). This paragraph shall not preclude use of additional descriptive terms, such as HJD, as deemed useful by the Office of Academic Services.