Ocean & Coastal Law Concentration

A concentration in Ocean and Coastal Law can enrich your legal education and demonstrates to employers your commitment to this specific area of practice. In this program, you will study the intersection between oceanic law and international relations, environmental law, and laws relating to indigenous peoples’ rights. The concentration is flexible, allowing you to substitute fellowships and research opportunities with coursework if you so choose.

Requirements 


Group A Courses – Must satisfactorily complete the following:

  • LAW 664 Administrative Law
  • LAW 793 Environmental Law
  • LAW 679 Ocean and Coastal Law

Group B Courses – Must satisfactorily complete ​4 courses from the following list: 

  • LAW 771 Advanced Environmental Law Clinic
  • LAW 678 Indian Law
  • ​​​​​​LAW 653 Climate Change Law & Policy
  • LAW 610 Disaster Law
  • LAW 610 Energy & Law
  • LAW 714 Environment & Natural Resources Externship
  • CRES 660 Environmental Conflict Resolution
  • LAW 610 Environmental Justice
  • LAW 770 Environmental Law Clinic
  • LAW 610 Environmental Law & Policy Practicum
  • LAW 691 Environmental Litigation & Practice
  • LAW 707 Environmental Moot Court
  • LAW 693 Human Rights and the Environment
  • LAW 675 Independent Research/Writing (ENR topic)
  • LAW 690 International Environmental Law
  • LAW 761 Journal of Environmental Law & Litigation
  • LAW 668 Land Use Law
  • LAW 658 Local Government Law
  • LAW 794 Natural Resources Law
  • LAW 628 Nonprofit Organizations
  • LAW 679 Ocean & Coastal Law
  • LAW 795 Public Trust Law
  • LAW 790 Tribal Courts & Tribal Law
  • LAW 669 Water Resources Law

Course Substitution

With the approval of the concentration committee, students may fulfill the course requirements by substituting one or two equivalent courses for any one or two listed courses.

Written Work

Students are required to complete an academic research paper of high professional quality concerning ocean and coastal law. This requirement may be fulfilled in conjunction with any of the above listed courses or as an independent study. The paper must be of sufficient depth and quality to satisfy, and may be used to satisfy, the law school’s Writing Requirement.

Approval of Topic for Ocean and Coastal Research Paper (optional):

Any member of the Concentration in Ocean & Coastal Law Committee may grant, upon request, advance approval of the topic on which a student intends to write an academic research paper to fulfill the requirements for the Concentration in Ocean & Coastal Law. This preliminary approval applies only to the suitability of the topic for purposes of the Ocean & Coastal Law Concentration requirement.