Stanford Report, January 18, 2006

Law School moving to quarter system

During the next three years, Stanford Law School will move from a semester- to a quarter-based academic calendar to improve its ability to coordinate classes and programs with the rest of the university, according to Law School Dean Larry Kramer.

The move, which has been under consideration since last winter, is expected to benefit law students and faculty, as well as the broader campus community. The change will facilitate joint degrees and research, and it will enable a variety of innovative courses and programs across campus, Kramer said.

On Dec. 14, Law School faculty voted in favor of a two-step transition to the quarter system that will start during the 2006-07 academic year. The move will alter the fall semester for first-year students so they can take exams before the winter break, and it will eliminate the January Term, or J-Term, so the second semester begins at the same time as the university's winter quarter. If the transition from a modified semester system is successful, the school will be able to switch to a quarter system by the 2009-10 academic year, Kramer said.