Academics
Prepare for the practice of law through rigorous study, practical experience, and the Catholic intellectual tradition. At Ave Maria School of Law, faith and reason inform an education grounded in human dignity, ethical judgment, and service.
A DISTINCTIVE FOUNDATION
At Ave Maria School of Law, legal education brings faith and reason into conversation. Students examine the principles that shape the law while developing the knowledge, judgment, and skills to serve clients and the common good.
Natural law, human dignity, and professional responsibility give depth to the study of justice and the work of a lawyer.
This approach gives students a deep appreciation for the origins of law and the moral and intellectual principles that shape the American legal system, including unalienable rights, federalism, and separation of powers.
Through the study of jurisprudence, professional responsibility, and the Catholic intellectual tradition, students examine the philosophy of law and the foundations of American democracy. They explore the relationship between law, ethics, and Catholic moral and social principles, learning to apply these principles to legal questions.
Moral and ethical questions extend throughout the curriculum. Faculty members address these issues within substantive courses, including Criminal Law and Constitutional Law.
In Criminal Law, a discussion might examine Catholic teaching on capital punishment. In Constitutional Law, students might consider human rights, society’s responsibility to the poor, and the culture of life.
Electives such as Catholic Social Teaching, Bioethics, and Law, Ethics, and Public Policy offer opportunities for further exploration.
YOUR ACADEMIC JOURNEY
FIRST YEAR
Develop your understanding of core legal subjects alongside the habits of careful reading, sound analysis, legal research, and effective writing.
SECOND & THIRD YEARS
Advance through required courses, explore areas of interest, and put your learning to work through experiential study and preparation for professional practice.
LEARNING THROUGH PRACTICE
Connect classroom learning with the responsibilities of serving clients under faculty supervision.
Explore business law and develop practical skills through focused learning and transactional advocacy.
Strengthen your voice through moot court, legal scholarship, and opportunities to research, write, and argue.
OUR FACULTY
Explore the scholars and practitioners whose teaching connects legal principles, professional experience, and the Catholic intellectual tradition.
SUPPORT THROUGHOUT YOUR EDUCATION
Build effective approaches to legal study, analysis, and examination preparation with support throughout your academic journey.
Sharpen your legal communication and connect your academic preparation with the demands of the bar examination.
Explore preparation and support →
EXPLORE THE DETAILS
| Fall Semester | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Civil Procedure I | 3 |
| Contracts I | 2 |
| Law and the Human Person | 1 |
| Legal Analysis, Writing & Research I | 3 |
| Legal Case Analysis/Skills Enrichment | 1 |
| Property I | 3 |
| Torts I | 3 |
| Fall Semester Total | 16 |
| Spring Semester | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Civil Procedure II | 3 |
| Contracts II | 2 |
| Criminal Law | 3 |
| Legal Analysis, Writing & Research II | 2 |
| Property II | 3 |
| Torts II | 3 |
| Spring Semester Total | 16 |
| First-Year Total | 32 |
| Subjects | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Advanced Essay Writing or Florida Legal Practice | 2 |
| Advanced Legal Analysis-Multistate | 4 |
| Applied Learning Labs* | 2 |
| Bioethics† | 2 |
| Business Organizations | 3 |
| Catholic Social Teaching and the Law† | 2 |
| Common Law Synthesis* | 2 |
| Constitutional Law | 4 |
| Criminal Procedure | 3 |
| Equality and the Law† | 2 |
| Evidence | 4 |
| Fourteenth Amendment† | 2 |
| Jurisprudence | 3 |
| Law, Ethics, and Public Policy† | 2 |
| Moral Foundations of the Law | 2 |
| Professional Responsibility | 3 |
| Protection of Human Life in Law & Public Policy† | 2 |
| Religious Freedom† | 2 |
| Legal Analysis, Writing and Research III | 2 |
| Wills, Trusts, and Estates | 3 |
|
Experiential Learning Credits may be selected from clinics, externships, simulations, and experiential courses. |
6 |
| Total Required Upper-Level Credits | 41–45 |
*
Common Law Synthesis and the two Applied Learning Labs are required for all students falling below the class median after the spring semester of the 1L year.
†
Students select one of the marked courses to fulfill the 3L Mission Course requirement.
The upper-level total includes one 2-credit Mission Course. The 45-credit total includes the additional 4 credits of conditional coursework marked with an asterisk.
Ave Maria School of Law requires 90 credit hours for graduation, including required coursework, electives, and six experiential credits. A cumulative grade point average of 2.0 is required for continued enrollment and graduation.
Students begin their first year with Legal Case Analysis/Skills Enrichment, a one-credit course that begins during orientation and introduces the fundamental principles of legal analysis. First-year students also study Law and the Human Person and Criminal Law, along with two-semester sequences in Contracts, Torts, Civil Procedure, Property, and Legal Analysis, Writing, and Research.
Throughout law school, students develop their critical reading, writing, research, and analytical skills. The Legal Analysis, Writing, and Research courses address legal analysis, legal research, counseling, and effective written and oral advocacy.
In the second and third years, required courses include Moral Foundations of the Law, Jurisprudence, and Professional Responsibility. Students also select a course to fulfill the 3L Mission Course requirement. These studies invite students to examine the foundations of legal systems and the relationship between law, ethics, and moral responsibility.
Additional required courses include Business Organizations, Constitutional Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Legal Analysis, Writing and Research III, and Wills, Trusts, and Estates. Electives provide opportunities to pursue individual interests and develop expertise.
Students further develop their legal skills through six experiential credits selected from clinics, externships, simulations, and skills-focused courses such as Legal Drafting, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Advanced Legal Research, and Trial Advocacy. Additional coursework, including Advanced Legal Analysis-Multistate and Advanced Essay Writing or Florida Legal Practice, supports preparation for the bar examination.
To fulfill its Mission, Ave Maria School of Law is committed to ensuring that Ave Maria School of Law graduates have achieved competency in the following areas:
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