Academic Q&A

What is the Grading Scale?

  • The law school operates under a 65-100 grading scale. The lowest passing grade under this scale is 70. Thus, any grade of 65-69 inclusive is a failing grade and, in required courses, may require the course to be repeated.
    • Individual grades are and will remain, the exclusive province of the individual faculty member.
  • Faculty tend to follow some guidelines in first-year courses and required upper-level courses. The median grades in those courses tend towards:
    • First-year courses, both semesters — median of 84.5.
    • Upper level required courses (Constitutional Law, Evidence, Professional Responsibility, Criminal Procedure) — median of 85.
  • The rules for dismissal and probation are available here.

What is my official GPA? How do I get it and/or a transcript?

  • Your grades, GPA, and course schedule are all available in the Student Center section of myZou.
  • You can also request e-mailed and hard copy transcripts using the Academic Records section of your Student Center. All transcript requests must come through this system and are not available from Hulston Hall.
  • For an unofficial transcript, you can view in PDF form, select “Request Student Academic Profile” in the Academic Records section of your Student Center. The unofficial academic record will be sent to your Mizzou e-mail address.

When will I get my class rank?

  • Class ranks are calculated following both the fall and spring semesters and are not recalculated after summer school.
  • Class ranks post as soon as possible after grades are released in myZou, following both the fall and spring semesters.
    • Any grades earned in summer school will immediately appear in your law school cumulative grade point average in myZou, but they will not be reflected in your class rank until the end of the fall semester.

What is the Upper-Level Writing Requirement?

  • All students at the School of Law must complete an upper-level writing requirement. The writing requirement is defined as “a writing experience that results in a paper at least 20 pages, based on independent research, with both a draft and a redraft, and under the supervision of a full-time faculty member.”
  • The Upper-level writing requirement can be satisfied through:
    • A writing course (e.g., Law & Literature)
    • Independent research
    • Writing for one of the journals
    • A writing section of a regular course (designated by a “W” in the class list).
      • A “writing section” is a course specifically designated for that purpose, by requiring a paper of at least 20 double-spaced pages; requiring that after a draft of the paper is completed, there is a meeting between a faculty member and student about the paper; and by requiring a redraft of the paper.

Where can I find the student handbook?