ASL’s NextGen Bar Exam Curriculum

ASL became the first law school in the U.S. to announce a fully-revised Curriculum designed to meet the requirements of the NextGen Bar Exam. This “NextGen Curriculum” is the product of a nearly two-year self-assessment process by ASL that utilized faculty surveys to understand how the current curriculum incorporates the 28 Foundational Skills and 9 doctrinal subjects tested on the NextGen Bar Exam. Then, ASL developed a revised curriculum that is crafted specifically to address the skills and subjects that had not been included in previous bar exams. ASL was able to fully revise and unanimously adopt its NextGen Curriculum to apply to students who entered ASL in Fall, 2024. Since then, ASL has continued to survey its curriculum and make necessary adjustments to ensure its students are fully prepared for the implementation of the NextGen Bar Exam. The NextGen Bar UBE first rolled out in a handful of U.S. jurisdiction in July, 2026 and will expand to be used in 47 states by July, 2028. ASL looks forward to having its first graduates take the NextGen Bar Exam in 2027 and 2028 and will utilize data from those results to continue to improve its NextGen Curriculum.

Click here to view a sample Plan of Study utilizing ASL’s NextGen Curriculum.

Click here to view an article by Professor Dawn Figueiras (chair of ASL’s Curriculum Committee) that discusses ASL’s NextGen Curriculum process. “Toward a NextGen Law School Curriculum,” 52 Rutgers L. Rec. 28 (2024).

Curricular Learning Outcomes

Beginning with the 2021 – 2022 academic year, ASL adopted the following Curricular Learning Outcomes for the J.D. program:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of substantive and procedural law;
  2. Demonstrate legal analysis, legal reasoning, legal research, problem-solving, and communication skills;
  3. Demonstrate proper professional and ethical responsibilities;
  4. Demonstrate professional skills needed for competent and ethical participation as a member of the legal profession in the Appalachian region and beyond; and
  5. Demonstrate, develop, and embrace a sense of civic responsibility and leadership by working to address community needs and problems.

Self-Assessment & Curriculum Mapping

In 2023, ASL began an ongoing self-assessment process for measuring success in achieving the Juris Doctor Program’s Learning Outcomes. This resulted in a Curriculum Mapping project analyzing how well each course was addressing the Learning Outcomes. The process of self-assessment and measurement of success in achieving the Learning Outcomes is an ongoing process. ASL’s attention to detail in outcome assessment helps it ensure students are well-prepared for the bar exam and for the practice of law.

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