I. Introduction........................................................................................................................................................... 3
II. Academic Matters ................................................................................................................................................. 4
A. Academic Records ............................................................................................................................................................ 4
B. Academic Calendar ........................................................................................................................................................... 4
C. Academic Counseling ....................................................................................................................................................... 4
D. Academic Enrichment Program (AEP) ............................................................................................................................. 4
E. Attendance Requirements ................................................................................................................................................. 5
F. Residency Requirements ................................................................................................................................................... 5
G. Semester Course Load Recommendations ........................................................................................................................ 5
H. Employment While Attending Law School ...................................................................................................................... 7
I. Graduation Requirements ................................................................................................................................................. 7
J. Distance Education Credit-Hour Limit ............................................................................................................................. 7
K. Special Courses Rule ........................................................................................................................................................ 8
L. Completing Required Courses .......................................................................................................................................... 9
M. Upper-Level Writing Requirement ................................................................................................................................... 9
N. Credit Hours Applied for Coursework ............................................................................................................................ 11
O. Other Types of Research and Writing Experiences......................................................................................................... 11
P. Dean’s List ...................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Q. Good Standing and Academic Suspension...................................................................................................................... 12
R. Assessments .................................................................................................................................................................... 14
S. Academic Modifications for Students with Disabilities .................................................................................................. 15
T. Academic Modifications for ESL Students ..................................................................................................................... 17
U. Extenuating Circumstances Involving Examinations ...................................................................................................... 17
V. Grades ............................................................................................................................................................................. 18
W. Electing “Pass/Fail” for Some Upper-Level Courses ...................................................................................................... 19
X. Grade Change Policy ...................................................................................................................................................... 21
Y. Grade Appeal Process ..................................................................................................................................................... 21
Z. Special Academic Opportunities ..................................................................................................................................... 22
AA. Obtaining A Transcript ................................................................................................................................................... 26
BB. Graduation ...................................................................................................................................................................... 26
CC. Leaves of Absence/Withdrawal ...................................................................................................................................... 27
DD. Credit for Foreign Study ................................................................................................................................................. 27
EE. General Transfer Rules - (Students from other Law Schools)......................................................................................... 27
III. Procedures of the Application Disclosure Subcommittee of the Admissions Committee .................................. 28
A. Composition of the Subcommittee .................................................................................................................................. 28
B. Duties of the Subcommittee ............................................................................................................................................ 28
C. Pre-Hearing Procedures .................................................................................................................................................. 28
D. Hearing Procedures ......................................................................................................................................................... 29
E. Effect of Application Instructions ................................................................................................................................... 29
F. Sanctions ......................................................................................................................................................................... 29
G. Review of ADS Decision ................................................................................................................................................ 29
H. Confidentiality of ADS Proceedings ............................................................................................................................... 30
I. Protection of Confidential Information ........................................................................................................................... 31
J. Aggravating and Mitigating Factors ............................................................................................................................... 31
IV. Supervised Practice Card (Texas “Bar Card”) .................................................................................................... 33
A. About the Texas Supervised Practice Card ..................................................................................................................... 33
B. Eligibility for the Texas Supervised Practice Card ......................................................................................................... 33
V. Bar Admissions ................................................................................................................................................... 34
A. General Admission Requirements ................................................................................................................................... 34
UH Law Center (UHLC) pg. 1 • (Handbook Part: I) UHLC_StudentHandbook_ver6d_5_28_2024.docx
, B. Texas Bar Information .................................................................................................................................................... 34
C. Law Study Requirement.................................................................................................................................................. 34
VI. Student Information and Services ....................................................................................................................... 35
A. Financial Aid................................................................................................................................................................... 35
B. Emergency Loans............................................................................................................................................................ 35
C. Personal Problems ........................................................................................................................................................... 35
D. UHLC Current Student Grievances and Complaints....................................................................................................... 35
E. General Grievances and Complaints ............................................................................................................................... 36
VII. Complaints that implicate the ABA Standards ................................................................................................... 37
VIII. Student Organizations ......................................................................................................................................... 38
IX. UHLC Policies .................................................................................................................................................... 39
A. Student Records and Confidentiality............................................................................................................................... 39
B. Nondiscrimination Policy and Protected Classes ............................................................................................................ 39
C. UHLC Building Policy.................................................................................................................................................... 39
D. Logo and Brand Content Policy ...................................................................................................................................... 40
E. UHLC Communications Policy ...................................................................................................................................... 40
F. Policy Regarding Computer Use During Class ............................................................................................................... 40
X. Code of Professionalism ..................................................................................................................................... 42
A. Professionalism in Interactions ....................................................................................................................................... 42
B. Professional Behavior in Remote Participation ............................................................................................................... 42
XI. UH Policies ......................................................................................................................................................... 43
XII. Administration .................................................................................................................................................... 44
XIII. Albertus Magnus ................................................................................................................................................. 45
XIV. Version History ................................................................................................................................................... 46
UH Law Center (UHLC) pg. 2 • (Handbook Part: I) UHLC_StudentHandbook_ver6d_5_28_2024.docx
,I. INTRODUCTION
This Student Handbook (“Handbook”) is intended to help you navigate many of the
applicable policies and procedures at the University of Houston Law Center (“UHLC”) and, to
perhaps a lesser extent, the University of Houston (“UH”). The Handbook intends to bring together
rules, policies and procedures from various sources that are important to UHLC students. All
students are responsible for full comprehension of its contents when relevant to a student’s
situation; therefore, students are strongly encouraged to review this Handbook carefully.
In particular, the materials in part II, approximately twenty pages, are critical to have in mind.
Although every effort has been made to make this Handbook accurate, the information
provided is subject to change or correction. This Handbook does not necessarily state every policy
and procedure applicable to students, but it strives for coverage of the most important items arising
from UHLC faculty action and administration action, American Bar Association (ABA) standards
or requirements, and other major inputs to the program of legal education at UHLC.
Certain officials at UHLC may have the authority to provide exceptions to some items in
this Handbook. Some of these officials are also the custodians of this Handbook. As such, it helps
to identify these roles. First, there is a staff dean, a J.D. who is a UHLC employee, who leads the
UHLC Office of Student Affairs (“OSA”). This role will be denoted by the acronym ADSA, for
Assistant/Associate Dean of Student Affairs. Second, there is a full-time faculty member, typically
a tenured full professor, who holds the role of Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and that role
is referred to by the acronym ADAA in this Handbook.
UH Law Center (UHLC) pg. 3 • (Handbook Part: I) UHLC_StudentHandbook_ver6d_5_28_2024.docx
, II. ACADEMIC MATTERS
A. Academic Records
OSA maintains each student’s complete academic record in conjunction with the UH
systems that maintain student information.
B. Academic Calendar
There are two academic calendars that influence a semester at UHLC. The first is the UH
academic calendar. Many UHLC operations use the dates and deadlines on the UH academic
calendar. There are, however, additional or revised dates and deadlines that are important for
UHLC students. As a result, UHLC publishes its own academic calendar, which can be found
here:
http://law.uh.edu/calendar/academic-calendar.asp
Full familiarity with the entries in the UHLC academic calendar is important to take full
meaning from this Handbook. The intent of the UHLC academic calendar is to eliminate, in most
cases, the need for UHLC students to refer to the UH academic calendar.
C. Academic Counseling
OSA holds advising sessions to assist students with course selection and understanding
course sequence. Students are also encouraged to meet with faculty members and/or an academic
advisor in OSA for individual guidance.
Some factors to consider when planning your course schedule are:
i. When selecting electives, students should weigh the importance of taking the second-
year preference courses (i.e., Evidence, Business Organizations, and Federal Income
Tax) before more specialized coursework is taken. It may be challenging to register for
these courses in the third year.
ii. The benefit of taking courses from instructors that the student likes.
iii. The need to schedule around part-time employment or personal commitments.
iv. The value of balancing theory courses with experiential courses.
v. The potential need to take Professional Responsibility or Evidence as a prerequisite to
some clinic or advocacy courses.
D. Academic Enrichment Program (AEP)
The Academic Enrichment Program (AEP) is designed to provide academic support,
counseling, and advice to first-year students. To assist new students with developing the skills
necessary for successful completion of law school, AEP offers tutorial programs during the
academic year. Second and third-year law students with strong academics serve as AEP Tutors for
first-year fall courses and sometimes for other courses. The tutors meet regularly with students in
those courses to assist them with enhancing their law school study skills and substantive
knowledge.
UH Law Center (UHLC) pg. 4 • (Handbook Part: II) UHLC_StudentHandbook_ver6d_5_28_2024.docx
II. Academic Matters ................................................................................................................................................. 4
A. Academic Records ............................................................................................................................................................ 4
B. Academic Calendar ........................................................................................................................................................... 4
C. Academic Counseling ....................................................................................................................................................... 4
D. Academic Enrichment Program (AEP) ............................................................................................................................. 4
E. Attendance Requirements ................................................................................................................................................. 5
F. Residency Requirements ................................................................................................................................................... 5
G. Semester Course Load Recommendations ........................................................................................................................ 5
H. Employment While Attending Law School ...................................................................................................................... 7
I. Graduation Requirements ................................................................................................................................................. 7
J. Distance Education Credit-Hour Limit ............................................................................................................................. 7
K. Special Courses Rule ........................................................................................................................................................ 8
L. Completing Required Courses .......................................................................................................................................... 9
M. Upper-Level Writing Requirement ................................................................................................................................... 9
N. Credit Hours Applied for Coursework ............................................................................................................................ 11
O. Other Types of Research and Writing Experiences......................................................................................................... 11
P. Dean’s List ...................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Q. Good Standing and Academic Suspension...................................................................................................................... 12
R. Assessments .................................................................................................................................................................... 14
S. Academic Modifications for Students with Disabilities .................................................................................................. 15
T. Academic Modifications for ESL Students ..................................................................................................................... 17
U. Extenuating Circumstances Involving Examinations ...................................................................................................... 17
V. Grades ............................................................................................................................................................................. 18
W. Electing “Pass/Fail” for Some Upper-Level Courses ...................................................................................................... 19
X. Grade Change Policy ...................................................................................................................................................... 21
Y. Grade Appeal Process ..................................................................................................................................................... 21
Z. Special Academic Opportunities ..................................................................................................................................... 22
AA. Obtaining A Transcript ................................................................................................................................................... 26
BB. Graduation ...................................................................................................................................................................... 26
CC. Leaves of Absence/Withdrawal ...................................................................................................................................... 27
DD. Credit for Foreign Study ................................................................................................................................................. 27
EE. General Transfer Rules - (Students from other Law Schools)......................................................................................... 27
III. Procedures of the Application Disclosure Subcommittee of the Admissions Committee .................................. 28
A. Composition of the Subcommittee .................................................................................................................................. 28
B. Duties of the Subcommittee ............................................................................................................................................ 28
C. Pre-Hearing Procedures .................................................................................................................................................. 28
D. Hearing Procedures ......................................................................................................................................................... 29
E. Effect of Application Instructions ................................................................................................................................... 29
F. Sanctions ......................................................................................................................................................................... 29
G. Review of ADS Decision ................................................................................................................................................ 29
H. Confidentiality of ADS Proceedings ............................................................................................................................... 30
I. Protection of Confidential Information ........................................................................................................................... 31
J. Aggravating and Mitigating Factors ............................................................................................................................... 31
IV. Supervised Practice Card (Texas “Bar Card”) .................................................................................................... 33
A. About the Texas Supervised Practice Card ..................................................................................................................... 33
B. Eligibility for the Texas Supervised Practice Card ......................................................................................................... 33
V. Bar Admissions ................................................................................................................................................... 34
A. General Admission Requirements ................................................................................................................................... 34
UH Law Center (UHLC) pg. 1 • (Handbook Part: I) UHLC_StudentHandbook_ver6d_5_28_2024.docx
, B. Texas Bar Information .................................................................................................................................................... 34
C. Law Study Requirement.................................................................................................................................................. 34
VI. Student Information and Services ....................................................................................................................... 35
A. Financial Aid................................................................................................................................................................... 35
B. Emergency Loans............................................................................................................................................................ 35
C. Personal Problems ........................................................................................................................................................... 35
D. UHLC Current Student Grievances and Complaints....................................................................................................... 35
E. General Grievances and Complaints ............................................................................................................................... 36
VII. Complaints that implicate the ABA Standards ................................................................................................... 37
VIII. Student Organizations ......................................................................................................................................... 38
IX. UHLC Policies .................................................................................................................................................... 39
A. Student Records and Confidentiality............................................................................................................................... 39
B. Nondiscrimination Policy and Protected Classes ............................................................................................................ 39
C. UHLC Building Policy.................................................................................................................................................... 39
D. Logo and Brand Content Policy ...................................................................................................................................... 40
E. UHLC Communications Policy ...................................................................................................................................... 40
F. Policy Regarding Computer Use During Class ............................................................................................................... 40
X. Code of Professionalism ..................................................................................................................................... 42
A. Professionalism in Interactions ....................................................................................................................................... 42
B. Professional Behavior in Remote Participation ............................................................................................................... 42
XI. UH Policies ......................................................................................................................................................... 43
XII. Administration .................................................................................................................................................... 44
XIII. Albertus Magnus ................................................................................................................................................. 45
XIV. Version History ................................................................................................................................................... 46
UH Law Center (UHLC) pg. 2 • (Handbook Part: I) UHLC_StudentHandbook_ver6d_5_28_2024.docx
,I. INTRODUCTION
This Student Handbook (“Handbook”) is intended to help you navigate many of the
applicable policies and procedures at the University of Houston Law Center (“UHLC”) and, to
perhaps a lesser extent, the University of Houston (“UH”). The Handbook intends to bring together
rules, policies and procedures from various sources that are important to UHLC students. All
students are responsible for full comprehension of its contents when relevant to a student’s
situation; therefore, students are strongly encouraged to review this Handbook carefully.
In particular, the materials in part II, approximately twenty pages, are critical to have in mind.
Although every effort has been made to make this Handbook accurate, the information
provided is subject to change or correction. This Handbook does not necessarily state every policy
and procedure applicable to students, but it strives for coverage of the most important items arising
from UHLC faculty action and administration action, American Bar Association (ABA) standards
or requirements, and other major inputs to the program of legal education at UHLC.
Certain officials at UHLC may have the authority to provide exceptions to some items in
this Handbook. Some of these officials are also the custodians of this Handbook. As such, it helps
to identify these roles. First, there is a staff dean, a J.D. who is a UHLC employee, who leads the
UHLC Office of Student Affairs (“OSA”). This role will be denoted by the acronym ADSA, for
Assistant/Associate Dean of Student Affairs. Second, there is a full-time faculty member, typically
a tenured full professor, who holds the role of Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and that role
is referred to by the acronym ADAA in this Handbook.
UH Law Center (UHLC) pg. 3 • (Handbook Part: I) UHLC_StudentHandbook_ver6d_5_28_2024.docx
, II. ACADEMIC MATTERS
A. Academic Records
OSA maintains each student’s complete academic record in conjunction with the UH
systems that maintain student information.
B. Academic Calendar
There are two academic calendars that influence a semester at UHLC. The first is the UH
academic calendar. Many UHLC operations use the dates and deadlines on the UH academic
calendar. There are, however, additional or revised dates and deadlines that are important for
UHLC students. As a result, UHLC publishes its own academic calendar, which can be found
here:
http://law.uh.edu/calendar/academic-calendar.asp
Full familiarity with the entries in the UHLC academic calendar is important to take full
meaning from this Handbook. The intent of the UHLC academic calendar is to eliminate, in most
cases, the need for UHLC students to refer to the UH academic calendar.
C. Academic Counseling
OSA holds advising sessions to assist students with course selection and understanding
course sequence. Students are also encouraged to meet with faculty members and/or an academic
advisor in OSA for individual guidance.
Some factors to consider when planning your course schedule are:
i. When selecting electives, students should weigh the importance of taking the second-
year preference courses (i.e., Evidence, Business Organizations, and Federal Income
Tax) before more specialized coursework is taken. It may be challenging to register for
these courses in the third year.
ii. The benefit of taking courses from instructors that the student likes.
iii. The need to schedule around part-time employment or personal commitments.
iv. The value of balancing theory courses with experiential courses.
v. The potential need to take Professional Responsibility or Evidence as a prerequisite to
some clinic or advocacy courses.
D. Academic Enrichment Program (AEP)
The Academic Enrichment Program (AEP) is designed to provide academic support,
counseling, and advice to first-year students. To assist new students with developing the skills
necessary for successful completion of law school, AEP offers tutorial programs during the
academic year. Second and third-year law students with strong academics serve as AEP Tutors for
first-year fall courses and sometimes for other courses. The tutors meet regularly with students in
those courses to assist them with enhancing their law school study skills and substantive
knowledge.
UH Law Center (UHLC) pg. 4 • (Handbook Part: II) UHLC_StudentHandbook_ver6d_5_28_2024.docx
