It is expected that graduates of this certificate program will have mastered the fundamentals of public international law, conflict of laws, international business transactions, international litigation and arbitration, and comparative law. With the guidance of faculty advisors, each graduate will also be expected to have developed a practical understanding of two or more of the following specialty subjects: civil law traditions in Europe, Latin America and East Asia; human rights law; conflict of laws; comparative constitutional law; admiralty law and ocean resources; immigration law; and international taxation.
Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the above through the completion of several required courses, each of which has more specific learning outcomes and assessment methods.
Although the specific selection of courses will vary among the certificate holders, they should have a command of basic doctrines, institutions, ethics, methodologies and technical skills to integrate international and comparative insights into their future law practice or other professional activity, ranging from family law to commercial and maritime law. Some graduates will also be expected to have developed professional skills through the college’s Clinical Law Program, international law journal, international law moot competition, research assistantships and overseas externships. The certificate program does not specifically seek to train full-time practitioners in the fields of international and comparative law, but an expected learning outcome of the program is to enable graduates to do so.
Adopted unanimously by the Willamette University School of Law faculty, March 20, 2017.