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International and Comparative Law Certificate Program
The International and Comparative Law Certificate Program is offered in conjunction
with the law school’s Center for Law and Global Justice. The Center for
Law and Global Justice was established to expand the law school's commitment to
international justice. The Center develops and implements international rule of
law projects. Students may participate in research projects, Center sponsored
internships in numerous countries, and the student published Journal of Law and
Social Challenges.
To receive the International and Comparative Law Certificate (ICL Certificate),
students must complete all of the specific requirements for this certificate
as well as complete all requirements for the J.D. degree. Students intending
to complete the requirements for the ICL Certificate are subject to all of the
law school’s academic policies, including rules governing enrollment priorities.
Course Requirements
To earn an ICL Certificate, a student beginning his or her second year in or
after fall 2007 must complete at least 15 units of approved course work in the
subject area, including at least two of the following core courses. A student
who began his or her second year prior to May 2007 must complete 12 units of
approved course work in the subject area, including at least two of the following
core courses:
Comparative Law
International Business Transactions
International Business and Civil Dispute Resolution
Public International Law
Any remaining units (to reach the required total) must be completed by taking
additional core courses and/or courses selected from the list of approved
ICL Certificate elective courses.
Scholastic Requirements
ICL Certificate recipients must achieve a grade of C+ or higher in each course
applied to meet the requirements for the certificate, and, in addition, achieve
a cumulative grade point average of 2.700 or higher for all courses applied
to the certificate.
A student achieving a cumulative grade point average of 3.500 or higher for
all courses applied to meet certificate requirements of the certificate is awarded
the certificate “with honors”.
All course work for the certificate must be taken for a letter grade except
for any approved elective course in which credit/no credit or pass/fail grading
is mandatory. For any course in which a letter grade is not provided, a “credit”
or “pass” must be achieved in order for the course to be applied
to meet the certificate requirements.
Writing Requirement
To earn the certificate, a student must complete a substantial research paper
analyzing a relevant issue or problem related to international or comparative
law. The paper must demonstrate the ability to identify, describe and analyze
issues or problems in the area and should, where possible, propose a resolution.
The paper must meet the standards for an Upper Level Research and Writing Requirement
project and may be used to satisfy that requirement and/or the requirements
of a course taken for credit. The paper must meet these standards even if it
is not used to satisfy the Upper Level Research and Writing Requirement.
Study Abroad
The University of San Francisco School of Law offers numerous summer study
abroad opportunities. Participation is not required, but it is strongly recommended
that Certificate applicants participate in at least one of these programs.
Transfer Units
All course work must be taken at USF except one elective course, for a maximum
of three units of credit, may be taken at another law school and applied to
meet the requirements of the ICL Certificate with prior approval by the Assistant
Dean for Academic Services. The course must be a letter graded classroom course
in which a grade of C+ or higher is earned.
A course taken at another law school will be transferred only as a credit for
purposes of determining the ICL Certificate grade point average as well as for
calculating the USF semester and cumulative grade point averages.
Applying for the Certificate
To be eligible to receive an ICL Certificate, a student must submit an application
to the Office of the Law Registrar. Applications will not be accepted until
the student’s last semester, and they must be submitted on or before the
last day to add classes in that semester.
Students may obtain only one certificate. No student shall be awarded more
than one certificate upon completion of the J.D. degree notwithstanding that
the student may have completed all requirements of more than one certificate
program.
It is each student’s responsibility to insure that all requirements for
the ICL Certificate are satisfied in a timely manner.
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