Course Loads and Special Courses Registration
Course Load Requirements
A standard load for a full-time student during a regular semester (Fall/Spring) is 12 to 16 credit hours. Students have the option of attending during the summer, subject to a maximum of seven hours in one session or 12 hours across the summer for full-time students. Part-time students may take no more than one course in each summer session and seven hours across the summer. Students may take only one concurrent course in a mini or intersession term.
LLM students must maintain enrollment of at least three hours each fall and spring semester. Underloads must be approved by the student’s faculty advisor and submitted to Director, Graduate Legal Studies , llm@uh.edu in the Law Center LL.M. Office.
Overloads/Underloads
Course overloads and underloads must be approved by the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs via a petition (https://www.law.uh.edu/OSA/petition.pdf?) to the Office of Student Affairs (OSA). Petitions should be submitted to OSA (lawOSA@uh.edu) at least one week prior to registration.
An overload for a full-time student is considered a load of more than 16 credit hours.
An overload for a part-time is considered a load of more than 11 hours.
An underload for a full-time student is considered a load of less than 12 hours. An underload for a part-time is considered a load of less than 6 hours. Please be sure to confer with the Assistant Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid ( lawfinaid@uh.edu) because an underload may influence your financial aid.
Special Research & Writing
Enrollment in Special Research & Writing requires that the student complete a petition (https://www.law.uh.edu/OSA/spresearch.pdf?). The student must obtain the professor’s signature then submit the petition to OSA (lawOSA@uh.edu) for review. If approved, the course will be added to the student's schedule. (Students can receive a maximum of 4 credits towards graduation.)
Graduate Non-Law Courses
Once you have completed 45 credit hours of law-school coursework. Students in good academic standing may submit a petition during registration for the semester in which they will complete their 45th hour. Non-law courses for JD credit require advance approval, must be graduate-level courses taken at UH, may not be pass/fail, and require a grade of C or better. The petition is available on OSA’s website (https://www.law.uh.edu/OSA/GraduateNon-LawCoursePetition.pdf?).
If approved, you will need to contact the college offering the course for their permission and to get enrolled. That college has final approval as to whether you can take the course.
The course must be at the graduate level. Undergraduate courses that may be used for graduate students in that major do not meet the requirement for law students. You must meet any prerequisites listed for the course.
NOTE: Graduate non-law petitions must be submitted to OSA no later than the week before a term starts. OSA will not accept petitions once a term starts!
Business School Courses
There are a limited number of seats available for non-business students. If you are interested in taking a course at the C.T. Bauer College of Business, please submit a petition (https://www.law.uh.edu/OSA/GraduateNon-LawCoursePetition.pdf) to OSA (lawOSA@uh.edu). If approved, your information will be forwarded to a business school academic advisor and if space is available, you will be enrolled in the course. Enrollment decisions will be made one week before classes start. OSA advises that you enroll in other courses until the business school decides on your request.
OSA generally does not approve courses that overlap subject matter covered in law courses.
