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Learning Outcomes, Assessment Plans, and NYS Certifications

Introduction

The Law School's learning outcomes describe the foundational lawyering competencies that each student will develop by graduation. Every course in the Law School's curriculum is designed to achieve some, but not necessarily all, of the student learning outcomes below, with each course emphasizing different outcomes and each student pursuing different career goals.

Institutional Learning Outcomes

Albany Law School’s Institutional Learning Outcomes are designed to identify a range of student expectations upon completion of any of our academic programs (JD, LLM, MS, and Certificates). Please refer to each programmatic outcome for relevant, specific, and measurable learning outcomes.Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of substantive and procedural law.

  1. Demonstrate competence in use of professional legal skills.
  2. Demonstrate understanding of, and the ability to exercise, professional ethics and values. 

Learning Outcomes for J.D. Graduates

  1. Demonstrate foundational knowledge and understanding of substantive and procedural law.
  2. Demonstrate ability to communicate effectively in the legal context, in writing and orally.
  3. Demonstrate basic legal research, legal analysis, legal reasoning and problem-solving skills.
  4. Demonstrate the ability to exercise proper professional and ethical responsibilities to clients and to the legal system.
  5. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the Lawyer’s professional responsibility to advance the mission of service to the underrepresented so that all individuals have equal access to the privileges of our justice system.
  6. Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to be competent and effective lawyers in a multicultural world.


Learning Outcomes for International LL.M. Graduates

  1. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the US legal system.
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of the US law that is relevant to their field(s) of interest and/or foreign-based practices.
  3. Demonstrate ability to communicate effectively in English, generally, and about legal topics in particular, both orally and in writing.
  4. Demonstrate a familiarity with US case analysis, legal reasoning, the skills needed to conduct legal research and draft legal memoranda and other legal communications.
  5. Demonstrate the ability to exercise proper professional and ethical responsibilities to clients and to the legal system.
  6. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the lawyer’s professional responsibility in the United States to advance the mission of service to the underrepresented and to ensure all individuals have equal access to the privileges of our justice system.

Learning Outcomes for LL.M. Programs

  1. Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the core doctrines of law that are relevant to their legal practice and career or relevant to their area of concentration.
  2. Demonstrate ability to communicate effectively in the legal context, in writing and orally.
  3. Demonstrate advanced legal research, legal analysis, legal reasoning, problem-solving skills, understanding of contemporary legal scholarship.
  4. Demonstrate the ability to exercise proper professional and ethical responsibilities to clients and to the legal system.

Learning Outcomes for Master’s Programs

  1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of fundamental substantive and procedural law as it relates to the student’s chosen area of concentration.
  2. Demonstrate ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally.
  3. Demonstrate basic research, analysis, reasoning and problem-solving skills.
  4. Demonstrate the ability to exercise proper professional and ethical responsibilities to clients and to the legal system.

Learning Outcomes for Advanced Certificate Programs

  1. Demonstrate familiarity with established principles and practices in an area of law.
  2. Demonstrate the ability to interpret, synthesize, and apply legal information.
  3. Demonstrate writing capacity within the context of law.

Assessment Plan

Assessment refers to a process of (1) defining student learning outcomes for a course or degree program, (2) measuring the extent to which students are achieving the identified learning outcomes, (3) analyzing the results, and (4) suggesting ways to make changes in the curriculum to improve student learning. This assessment plan articulates a process for ongoing assessment of Albany Law School’s learning outcomes for each degree program.

CURRICULUM MAP

In Fall 2016 and in Spring 2017, a syllabus from each course taught was collected and an analysis conducted to identify which of the learning outcomes were covered in which courses. Every course in the law school’s curriculum is designed to achieve some, but not necessarily all, of the student learning outcomes set out above. The Curriculum Map identifies where each of our learning outcomes is being covered in our required, core, and elective curriculum. The Curriculum Map was last updated in 2022 and is provided below.


IMPLEMENTATION AND ROLES

The Assessment Committee will play the leading role in coordinating our institutional assessment activities, as per the following:

During each year, Albany Law School will assess two or more learning outcomes using a combination of direct and indirect measures in accordance with the timeline, such as that set forth in the chart below.

Each fall, the Assessment Committee will meet to discuss the method(s) by which each outcome scheduled to be reviewed will be measured.  The Committee will identify the direct and indirect measures it will use to collect data and develop rubrics, surveys, or other instruments as necessary.  Performance indicators may be modified as a majority of the committee deems appropriate.

During the following academic year, the committee will gather data for each outcome, the Assessment Committee will analyze the data and report its findings to the Dean & and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. 

The Assessment Committee will also make recommendations regarding changes to the academic program to the Academic Dean and Academic Affairs Committee based on its findings as to whether outcomes were achieved.

At the end of every two academic years, the Assessment Committee will deliver an biennial report on assessment to the Dean, representing a full assessment cycle for all programs.

CONDUCTING THE ASSESSMENT

At the beginning of each assessment cycle, the Assessment Committee will create a plan for assessment of the program outcomes identified for the following year. The plan will identify what data will be collected and how the Committee will gather and analyze the data. For each learning outcome that is assessed, the Assessment Committee must use at least two measures, at least one of which is “direct,” and compare the results. 

Assessment data will be analyzed and reported in an aggregated fashion. Identifiable student and faculty information will be redacted. The Assessment Committee will document findings. In addition, in accordance with ABA Standard 315, the Assessment Committee is charged with conducting an ongoing evaluation of the assessment process itself. Below is a copy of the 2023-2015 assessment timetable and the last two biennial reports from the Committee.

 

New York State Skills Competency Requirements

In December 2015, the Court of Appeals adopted a Skills and Values Requirement ("Skills Requirement") for admission to the bar in New York, which is in effect for J.D. students who commenced their law school studies in August 2016 or later and LL.M. students who commenced their studies in August 2018 or later. This Skills Requirement offers applicants a choice among five different "Pathways" to establish that they have acquired the skills and are familiar with the professional values necessary to practice law competently. These Pathways represent requirements for admission solely to the New York bar; they are not additional graduation requirements. For more information see 22 NYCRR 520.18 at the following link: https://www.nycourts.gov/ctapps/520rules10.htm#B18

The five Pathways are described below:

Pathway #1

Pathway #1 for the JD is satisfied if you complete your graduation requirements, which includes six experiential course credits, with at least one clinical course. Pathway #1 for the International LLM is satisfied if you complete your graduation requirements.

Here is the language of the Law School’s certification plan under Pathway #1.

 

Pathway #2

Pathway #2 is satisfied if you complete fifteen credits of experiential coursework, of which up to six “credits” can come from paid or unpaid “non-credit bearing summer employment supervised by an attorney in good standing in any state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.”

  1. The employment "credits" are used solely for the purpose of meeting the Skills Requirement. They will not appear on your transcript and will not count towards your overall graduation requirements. Fifty (50) hours of work constitutes one summer employment credit.
  2. You and your supervising attorney must complete a form available in the Registrar’s Office if you want to ensure that your summer legal employment counts toward Pathway #2.

Pathway #3

Pathway #3 is satisfied if you are accepted into and complete the Pro Bono Scholars Program in the spring of your last year.

The requirements for Pathway #4 and Pathway #5 are fulfilled outside of your law school study. For more information, refer to the Skills Requirement on the Court of Appeal’s website.

The Court of Appeals has also created a thorough FAQ document that answers many questions about the Skills Requirement.
New York State Skills Competency Requirements