III. Substantial Writing Courses
Substantial writing courses provide a rigorous writing experience in a legal context in conformity with ABA Standard 303. Factors considered in evaluating rigor include the number and nature of writing projects, the form and extent of individualized assessment, and the number of drafts required. (ABA Interpretation 303-2).
Meeting the Requirement
There are a number of ways to meet the substantial writing course requirement, including through designated courses and faculty supervised independent writing credit. For a list of designated courses each semester, check course descriptions in CourseLink.
Independent Writing & Law Review
Students wishing to enroll in law review writing or independent research for writing credit must submit a completed application to the Registrar's Office in the semester they plan to begin the project. Please note:
- Special add/drop deadlines apply for independent writing.
- Three-credit independent writing projects must be approved by the Vice Dean.
- Upon completion, the faculty member must submit the final grade along with a signed Supervised Writing Completion form and a copy of the student paper.
Access all forms here.
Courses That Do Not Satisfy the Requirement
- One-credit courses do not satisfy the writing requirement.
- Courses about research and writing techniques do not satisfy the writing requirement.
Important Limitations
- No course may satisfy more than one of the three distribution requirements.
- Only nine externship credits may be counted towards the minimum 88 credits required for graduation.
Miami Law Clinics - Writing and Skills Requirements
Certain Miami Law clinics may satisfy the writing requirement, skills requirement, or either requirement, depending on the clinic and semester of enrollment.
Year-Long Clinics
Fall: Writing Requirement | Spring: Skills Requirement
The following year-long clinics satisfy the writing requirement in the fall semester and the skills requirement in the spring semester. Each semester satisfies one requirement.
- Children and Youth Law Clinic
- Environmental Justice Clinic
- Human Rights Clinic
- Health Rights Clinic
- Immigration Clinic
- Investor Rights Clinic
Year-Long Clinics - Skills Only
The following year-long clinic satisfies the skills requirement only:
Semester-Long or Summer Clinics
Writing or Skills Requirement – Student’s Choice
Semester-Long Clinics - Skills Only
The following clinic satisfies the skills requirement only:
Important: A single course may not satisfy both the writing and skills requirements..
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