Curriculum & Advisement

Baylor stands today at the forefront of practice-oriented law schools nationally. Consistent with Baylor's traditional mission of preparing students to be outstanding practicing attorneys, the academic program has been developed to achieve three basic objectives.

First, the curriculum assists students in developing the intellectual and analytical skills necessary to practice law. These skills include the ability to identify legal problems, to identify the legal principles applicable to the problems, to use the relevant principles to resolve the problems, and to think critically about law and legal systems.

Second, the curriculum exposes students to the fundamental legal doctrine and values necessary to function as competent and literate professionals, while also offering students an opportunity for more specialized study in areas of interest.

Third, the curriculum offers all students skills training in advocacy (including both trial and appellate advocacy), client counseling, planning, drafting, negotiating, legal writing, and legal research.

To accomplish these objectives, Baylor requires students to complete a broad course of study in the fundamentals of legal theory and doctrine. The extensive required curriculum is essential to Baylor's central educational mission of providing students with the knowledge, skills and values necessary to be competent beginning attorneys.

In addition to legal theory and doctrine, the development of lawyering skills is a significant part of the Law School curriculum. While many law schools focus primarily on teaching legal theory, at Baylor emphasis is given in virtually every course to the practical application of legal theory and doctrine. Students learn legal theory as it exists on a nationwide basis; however, specific emphasis is placed on Texas jurisprudence, where appropriate, because most of our graduates choose to practice in Texas.

Professional responsibility is addressed in all coursework. Legal employers value Baylor graduates precisely because of the well-rounded exposure to fundamentals that our students receive. Moreover, because of their broad exposure to legal fundamentals, our graduates traditionally have enjoyed unequaled success on the Texas bar examination.