Curriculum and Planning Resources
The resources below will help you explore HLS course offerings and connect with others that can assist in planning your path through and beyond HLS.
Overview of the Course and Clinic Selection Process
Course and Clinic Selection at HLS is a multi-phase process with different periods and rounds throughout the year. LL.M. students generally register for the full year in the summer prior to matriculation. Upper-level J.D. students have various rounds in mid to late-fall and late-spring. 1L J.D. students are assigned a course schedule in the summer prior to matriculation, and then have JET and spring elective rounds in mid to late-fall.
Once each registration period concludes, all HLS students are generally able to add and drop courses and clinics until the add/drop deadline for a given term. Note that some courses and clinics may have add/drop deadlines earlier than the term deadline; if an earlier deadline exists, it will be reflected in the course catalog description. In the fall and spring terms, the Firesale takes place immediately following the add/drop deadline, giving students one last chance to enroll in courses with open seats for which they have been on the waitlist.
Planning Your Time at HLS
Use the Handbook of Academic Policies, degree requirement quick-reference guide, and Programs of Study to plan your time at HLS. Additionally, use Amicus to connect with your faculty advisors, BSAs, other students, or mentors. Don’t forget to check on your degree progress with the Degree Audit (available in the Academic Records tab) in HELIOS!
Course Registration Procedures and Resources
The below resources can assist in guiding you through the registration process.
HLS Course Registration Procedures
Find out more about the process of each registration round, add/drop and waitlist functionality in HELIOS, the Firesale, and how the enrollment algorithm works.
Important Dates
Course Information
View the courses that are part of an upcoming registration round or courses that will satisfy a particular graduation requirement. The Course Reference Guide is a list of all courses, including scheduling and program capacities, to assist in the course selection process. Note that by-permission courses are not included in course preferencing registration rounds; these courses typically involve an application process and admittance is processed outside of HELIOS.
Resources for the 2024-2025 academic year will be posted here shortly after catalog release.
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Course Reference Guide
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By-Permission Courses
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Multi-Section Courses
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Experiential Learning Courses (Filtered Catalog List)
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International/Comparative Courses (Filtered Catalog List)
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Negotiation/Leadership Courses (Filtered Catalog List)
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Professional Responsibility Courses
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Upper-Level J.D. and LL.M. Writing Groups
Clinic Registration
HLS offers a variety of in-house, externship, and other clinical opportunities that can enhance your legal education. Explore these opportunities and the clinical registration process through the links below.
Detailed information regarding the clinical curriculum and associated registration deadlines can be found on the Clinical Registration page. Please note that clinics and their associated clinical seminars and courses have earlier drop deadlines than regular classes. Students enrolled in a clinic should pay special attention to the clinic’s drop deadline as they plan their schedules. More information about these deadlines can be found in each of the clinic’s description in the HLS Course Catalog.
Students interested in clinics are encouraged to attend ClinicTalks or schedule an appointment with a clinical advisor.
Cross-Registration
Most LL.M. and upper-level J.D. students may cross-register at other Harvard schools, the Fletcher School at Tufts, and at MIT, which may complement your studies at HLS. The cross-registration petition and enrollment periods typically happen right before the beginning of each term. J.D. students eligible to cross-register may apply up to 12 credits toward the J.D. degree, and LL.M. students may apply up to six credits toward the LL.M. degree.
Written Work Registration
All J.D. and LL.M. students have a written work requirement for graduation, and in addition, can enroll in optional written work beyond the graduation requirement. Registration for writing credit and for the graduation requirement are paper processes completed outside of HELIOS.