Academic Advising
Resources
The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs is the primary resource for academic advising. The Associate Dean is available throughout the academic year to meet with students who need advice on planning their course of study or other academic matters. In addition, students may seek advice from the Director and Associate Directors of the Academic Support program. The law school also provides a comprehensive online guide for students, Planning Your Course of Study.
First-Year Faculty Advisors
First-year students will be assigned a faculty advisor at the beginning of the fall term. Advisors will meet with students in both a group setting and individually. Faculty advisors will focus on academic expectations, professionalism, curriculum and career advice, or simply answering questions about law school.
In early fall, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will give a presentation for 1L students to review the law school's academic standards and graduation requirements, honor system rules, and student code of conduct. Attendance is required.
Prior to registration in the spring for the fall semester, first-year students will be required to meet with their faculty advisors to assist them in planning their course of study. First-year students will not be able to register for fall classes without meeting with their faculty advisors or the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. At that meeting students may also be referred to professors teaching upper level courses in practice areas in which students have expressed an interest.
Each spring semester, before students meet with their faculty advisors, the law school will hold one or more information sessions for 1L students who will be registering for upper division courses for the first time. These sessions will include the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, a representative from Student Services, and/or the Director or Assistant Director of Academic Support. These sessions will cover the registration process, an overview of graduation requirements and the curriculum, course selection, the Texas Bar Exam and an introduction to the registration process. Attendance is required.
Upper-Division Advising
We have divided our curriculum into 17 practice areas. Students may contact the professors who teach in a particular practice area for curriculum and career advice.
In addition, during the week prior to registration, faculty members will set aside five hours where students will have the opportunity to discuss their course schedules for the next semester.