Students who earn the certificate for this concentration not only develop an understanding of one or more of the major areas of International Law and Policy, such as International Human Rights, Dispute Resolution, Environmental, Health, Tax and Criminal Law, but also get the opportunity to develop a literacy in the language of international relations, which can prepare them to advocate, negotiate, mediate and litigate globally as well as locally. Skill development focuses on cross-cultural understanding, negotiation and a general proficiency in law on an international stage. As outlined below, the requisites for the International Law and Policy concentration include coursework, an international experience and a writing component.
For specific information on the program offerings, please contact:
Professor John Thomas
Professor Charles Pillsbury
Co-Directors, International Law and Policy Concentration
Quinnipiac University School of Law
275 Mount Carmel Avenue, Hamden, CT 06518
Phone: 203-582-3264 (Prof. Thomas); 203-582-8145 (Prof. Pillsbury)
Fax: 203-582-3244
Email: john.thomas@qu.edu or charles.pillsbury@qu.edu
International Law and Policy Concentration
Requirements
1. Coursework
Certificate recipients must earn 18 international law credits from the following categories of courses (not all courses are offered every year), including at least 11 credits from the following required and core courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required courses | ||
| LAWS 361 | International Law | 3 |
| LAWS 516 | International Business Trans. | 3 |
| Core courses | ||
| LAWS 360 | International Criminal Law | 3 |
| LAWS 363 | International Comparative Health Law | 2 |
| LAWS 429 | International Human Rights | 2 |
| LAWS 430 | International Trade | 3 |
| LAWS 477 | International Tax | 2 |
| LAWS 517 | Int'l Humanitarian Law of Armed Conflict | 2 |
| LAWS 634 | Int'l Human Rights Law & Trans. Justice | 1-2 |
| Elective courses | ||
| Certificate recipients must earn the balance of their 18 credits from the following courses (not all of these courses are offered every year). In addition, a concentration co-director may approve, on an ad hoc basis, courses that, in a particular semester, have a significant international content. | ||
| LAWS 362 | National Security Law | 2-3 |
| LAWS 367 | Counterterrorism Law | 2 |
| LAWS 374 | Introduction to Mediation | 2 |
| LAWS 379 | Environmental Law | 3 |
| LAWS 428 | Negotiation | 2-3 |
| LAWS 437 | Computer and Internet Law | 2 |
| LAWS 515 | Alternative Dispute Resolution Exp. | 2-3 |
| LAWS 572 | Immigrat'n & Natural'n Law | 3 |
| Other university courses | ||
| You may apply toward the 18 credits you need to earn for the International Law and Policy concentration up to 6 credits earned in other Quinnipiac University departments. You must obtain the permission of the professor teaching the course, a concentration co-director, and the law school’s associate dean for academic affairs before enrolling in these courses. | ||
| EC 350 | International Economics | 3 |
| IB 201 | Globalization and International Business | 3 |
| IB 311 | International Marketing | 3 |
| IB 324 | Negotiating Internationally | 3 |
| PL 337 | Human Rights: Theory and Practice | 3 |
| PO 211 | Introduction to International Relations | 3 |
| PO 311 | Topics in International Relations | 3 |
| PO 331 | Topics in Comparative Government | 3 |
| Modern Languages | ||
| You may apply up to 6 credits of modern language study toward your concentration requirements. | ||
2. International Experience Requirement
Concentration earners must also complete one of these international experiences:
- Participation in the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, in conjunction with the International Human Rights Law and Transitional Justice course
- Participation in the Law School’s delegation to the Oxford University Human Rights and Humanitarian Action Seminar
- Participation in the Law School’s delegation to the annual Human Rights and Humanitarian Action Seminar at Yale, Quinnipiac, and the United Nations
- Participation in the Law School/International Human Rights Law Society Nicaragua experience
- Participation in the Law School’s summer program at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland (the 6 credits from this program apply toward the concentration requirements)
- Domestic or international externship or other experiences approved by both a concentration co-director and the associate dean for academic affairs; if an externship, the placement must also be approved by the externship professor
3. Writing Requirement
Students must complete a paper of a quality that would satisfy the Advanced Writing Requirement (Section I.E.) and that addresses an international law topic approved by a concentration co-director. A concentration co-director must approve the topic in advance, unless the paper is written in connection with one of the listed required or core courses. A paper written for a journal may qualify if a concentration co-director approves the topic in advance.
4. Options
A student may designate any course or paper as not counting toward the concentration, so long as it is not required for the concentration and the student meets the concentration requirements with another course or paper.
5. Waiver
A concentration co-director and the associate dean for academic affairs may waive any requirements for the concentration (other than the GPA requirement), if they both agree to do so.