Graduate Law

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Graduate Programs and Requirements

Degrees

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Law

Master of Comparative Law (M.C.L.)

Master of Science (M.S.)

Health Law & Policy (M.S.)

Joint-Degrees

Juris Doctor/Master of Accountancy (J.D./M.Acc.)
Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in Theological Studies (J.D./M.A.T.S.)
Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration (J.D./M.B.A.)
Juris Doctor/Master of Divinity (J.D./M.Div.)
Juris Doctor/Master of Public Administration (J.D./M.P.A.)*
Juris Doctor/Master of Public Health (J.D./M.P.H.)*
Juris Doctor/Master of Science (Bioethics) (J.D./M.S.)
Juris Doctor/Master of Science in Environmental Management (J.D./M.S.E.M.)

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* In cooperation with the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Cumberland School of Law offers three degree programs and one certificate program. The core program is a 90-credit course of study leading to a juris doctor (J.D.) degree. In addition to the J.D. program, the Law School offers a master of comparative law (M.C.L.), a master of science in health law and policy (M.S.), a certificate in paralegal studies, and a paralegal studies minor (available beginning Spring 2017). The Law School also sponsors eight joint-degree programs in connection with the J.D. degree. More information about these programs is available on the law school’s Web site, http://samford.edu/cumberlandlaw.

Juris Doctor

Cumberland School of Law offers a J.D. program that prepares students for satisfying and rewarding careers in the law. Most Cumberland graduates become practicing attorneys, but many choose public service, business, or other careers for which the study of law provides a good foundation. Many Cumberland graduates settle in the Southeast, but the school has alumni living and working in more than 46 states and a number of foreign countries.

The environment is both challenging and nurturing. Cumberland offers everything required for a first-rate legal education. The faculty are drawn from two dozen of the country’s best law schools. They bring to the classroom a rich mix of academic achievement, experience in the practice of law, and public service. They are committed to excellence in the classroom. They also produce an impressive amount of scholarship, ranging from the practical to the theoretical. The size of the school and a low student/faculty ratio facilitate meaningful interaction between the students and the faculty.

The beautiful Samford campus provides an environment most conducive to the study of law. In particular, the School of Law benefits from its state-of-the-art research facility, the Lucille Stewart Beeson Law Library.

The school enjoys a cordial relationship with the outstanding bench and bar in Birmingham and throughout the Southeast. Each year, Cumberland hosts a number of events, bringing to campus some of the country’s leading lawyers, judges, and legal academics to share their experiences and ideas with students and faculty. The school supports numerous activities, journals, moot courts, trial competitions, and student organizations focused on particular areas of the law or public policy, which enrich the quality of life at the school and help equip students for the professional lives awaiting them on graduation.

For additional information, you may contact our admissions office:

Office of Admission
Cumberland School of Law
Samford University
Birmingham, Alabama 35229
Tel: (205)726-2702 or (800)888-7213
E-mail: law.admissions@samford.edu

Master of Comparative Law

The M.C.L. program is a graduate law program. Enrollment is limited to students who have earned their first law degree outside the United States. For further information about this program, please contact Professor Michael D. Floyd, the program director. More information is available at the law school’s Web site: http://samford.edu/cumberlandlaw.

Master of Science

The Cumberland School of Law offers an online master of science degree (M.S.) in health law and policy, a 32-credit, non-thesis program. Through this program, professionals in the fields of compliance, human resources, insurance, and healthcare administration will gain a marketable expertise in the increasingly complex world of health law and policy.

Admission Requirements

3.0 undergraduate GPA from regionally accredited institution.
Two letters of recommendation from faculty or supervisor.
Personal statement indicating career plans and likelihood of success in graduate study.

International Students

Samford University welcomes applications from international students. Please make note of the following if you are applying from outside the United States:

All transcripts from institutions outside the United States must be evaluated by World Educational Services (WES) or Education Credential Evaluators (ECE). Those evaluations must then be sent to our office at the above address by the evaluating agency. Transcripts must indicate the successful completion of a bachelor’s degreeequivalent program.
Students from countries in which English is not the primary language and who have not earned a bachelor’s degree-equivalent from an English-language institution must satisfy one of the following requirements for English language proficiency:
- iBT TOEFL: Total score of 90, minimum 20 on each sub-sector
- IELTS: 7.0, minimum 6.0 on each sub-score

Good Standing and Academic Progression

The minimum acceptable grade in this program is a C. If a student earns a D, he/she must repeat the course, and it must be repeated in the next term offering. If a C (2.0) or better is not earned the second time, the student’s participation in the program is terminated. If a student earns an F in any course, the student’s participation in the program is terminated.

To maintain a status of good standing, students must carry a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in all courses completed in the master of science in health law and policy. Students must complete their degree within seven academic years of the original date of matriculation.

Dismissal and Probation

If a student’s cumulative GPA falls below 3.0, the student is placed on academic probation and is required to show improvement in the GPA in the next semester. If a student on probation does not improve his/her GPA in the next semester, the student will be required to withdraw from the program.

Transfer Credit

Due to accreditation-related curriculum requirements, transfer credit will not be accepted except under extraordinary circumstances. Students with questions relating to the transfer of graduate level coursework should contact the managing director.

Time-to-Degree Completion Plan

Two years of part time study are necessary to complete the degree.

Accreditation

The master of science in health law and policy is accredited by the Compliance Certification Board (CCB)®. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for any of the following credentialing exams offered by the Compliance Certification Board: Healthcare Compliance (CHC)™, Healthcare Research Compliance (CHRC)®, Healthcare Privacy Compliance (CHPC)®, and Compliance and Ethics Professional (CCEP)®. The master of science in health law and policy is not accredited by the American Bar Association, nor are students eligible to sit for the bar examination upon completion of the program.

Programs

Master

Health Law & Policy (M.S.)

Courses

Health Law & Policy

The courses below only apply to the Health Law & Policy program. To see a list of courses applicable to the juris doctor and master of comparative law programs, use the following link: https://www.samford.edu/cumberlandlaw/courses.

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