The Law School policy states that students shall typically earn at least 82 of their JD credits in residence. Accordingly, a request to attend any fall or spring semester at another institution (to visit out) will be granted only under compelling circumstances that are beyond the control of the student and usually will be given only for a visit at another ABA/AALS approved law school during the third year. Compelling circumstances are those that are both exceptional (i.e., shared by only a minimal number of other students) and extremely serious (i.e., impose a substantial burden on the student that cannot be accommodated to any significant degree by the student's remaining study at Pitt Law.
Determination of whether this standard has been met will include consideration of, among other factors, whether the student's circumstances were reasonably foreseeable when the student entered the Law School. Compelling circumstances do not include the desire to obtain a job (either for the student or a significant other) in another locale, the desire to accompany a significant other employed or enrolled in an educational program in another locale, or the desire to study in another domestic locale.
Approval must be obtained from the Vice Dean and a student must be in good academic standing to have such a request granted. Additionally, it is the responsibility of the student to:
- Submit to the Vice Dean a written request for permission to visit out on or before May 15 that identifies the school(s) the student seeks permission to visit, set forth the student's reasons for requesting permission, and includes any relevant documentation to support those reasons
- Meet all of the curricular requirements (e.g., required credits, legal profession requirement, upper-level legal writing requirement, professional skills requirement) imposed by the Law School
- State the graduation requirements they have yet to complete and the student's plan for satisfying those requirements at the host school
- Complete and submit a Notice of Change of Status Form
If the request is approved, the student must:
- Submit the list of courses to be taken at the host school and descriptions of those courses intended for credit transfer; the Vice Dean will review those courses for approval.
- Notify the Law School Registrar's Office of his or her final decision whether to visit by August 1
- Submit an official transcript of grades received at the host school to the Law School Registrar. For credits to be transferred, the student must earn a grade that meets or exceeds the grade average required for graduation at the host school. All courses for which credit is transferred will be noted on the Pitt Law transcript, but grades received at the host school will neither appear on the Law School transcript nor be considered in calculating the student's grade point average
- Ensure that the Law School's Registrar receives the host school's grades to meet any relevant Law School deadlines. The student is responsible for any fee imposed to cover administrative and other costs incurred by the Law School.
- Furnish an official copy of the transcript from the host school to the State Board of Law Examiners