A standard load for a full-time student during a regular semester (Fall/Spring) is 12 to 18 hours. Students have the option of attending during the Summer and may take up to a maximum of 7 hours in an individual summer session (1, 2, or 4) or 12 hours over the entire summer.
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.
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 18 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.
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.)
Once you have completed three long semesters (fall/spring/fall) at the Law Center and you are in good standing, you may petition to enroll in non-law graduate courses for credit toward your JD. When submitting the petition, you should attach a course description and a reason for requesting to take the course. 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 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!
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.
