Academics | Columbia Law School
Cross Registration for Law Classes
Instructions for Non-Law Students Wishing to Register for a Law Course
Law School courses are open only to students enrolled as full-time Columbia University graduate degree candidates. Law School offerings that are NOT open to students from other Columbia divisions are first-year foundation and first-year elective courses, and legal writing, research, clinical and externship offerings. Registration as an Auditor is not permitted for any Law course. NOTE: The policies of the host school apply for all cross-registrations.
The Law School’s Office of Registration Services will accept 2013-14 applications for cross-registration as follows:
- Fall 2013 courses: submit your cross-registration application as early as June, but not later than 5 p.m. on Friday, September 13, the last day of the Law School’s Fall term Add/Drop period.
- Spring 2014 courses: submit your cross-registration application as early as November, but not later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28, the last day of the Law School’s Spring term Add/Drop period.
Requests for registration in Law courses will be processed during the Law School Change of Program period (August 26-September 13 for Fall 2013; January 13-28 for Spring 2014) and students will be notified by e-mail of the Law School’s decision on their request. All applications require the Instructor’s signature, but the Instructor’s approval does not guarantee a seat in the course since admission is based on seat availability and eligibility criteria, and priority for admission to a Law course will be given to Law students. Note that enrollment in Law School seminars is capped at 18 or fewer students. Decisions and processing of all cross-registration applications will be made on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Process for Cross-registering
Cross-Registrants can register for a maximum of two (2) Law courses per term and no more than four (4) Law courses during their entire Columbia course of study.
- Select Law courses from the Columbia Law School Course Guide or the Columbia University Directory of Classes.
- Fill out the Cross-Registration Application for Non-Law students (below).
- Submit the completed form, to include the instructor’s signature, to the Law School’s Office of Registration Services for review. The Office is located in Room 500 of William & June Warren Hall, 1125 Amsterdam Avenue (corner of 115th Street).
Approved applications: Approved applicants will be registered for the course at the Law School and will receive a copy of their original Cross-Registration Application and proof of their registration in the Law class. These forms must be submitted to the student’s degree-granting division and/or official to complete the final registration process with the University (i.e., in the SIS database). Students who cross-register for Law courses will be given access to Lawnet and to the course web page, usually within two (2) business days of their registration.
Dropping a Law course: Students wishing to drop a Law class must notify the Law School’s Office of Registration Services and their home division in order to complete the drop. Drops initiated at the student’s home division or in the University’s Student Services Office will not be honored by the Law School, and in such cases students risk receiving the grade of F (failure) for the Law course. The notation of W (withdrawal) will be recorded for withdrawals between September 13 and October 15 in the Fall 2013 term, and between January 28 and February 15 in the Spring 2014 term. The grade of F (failure) will be recorded for withdrawals after October 15 in the Fall 2013 term, and after February 15 in the Spring 2014 term.
Exam Courses: All students are expected to sit for scheduled Law School exams. Failure to sit for or to complete an exam will result in an automatic grade of F (failure).
Grades in Law Offerings: All Law School classes must be taken for a letter grade, which are A, B, (both with plus and minus) C, and F, and will be assigned to all students.