Academics Programs

Requirements

The concentration in International Law recognizes the growing internationalization of the practice of law. Virtually all areas of the law are influenced by this trend: international and foreign law rules often affect U.S. policy-making and frequently apply to the claims of U.S. persons in U.S. courts. As U.S. firms increasingly operate across borders, U.S. lawyers must rely upon international and foreign law to protect their clients' commercial and intellectual property interests and may need to utilize international or foreign procedures to settle their disputes.

Once students have decided to pursue a concentration, they should complete an Online Intent to Concentrate Form (also available in the Registrar’s Office). In the final semester, students will receive a Concentration Completion Form from the Registrar’s Office to show the course work and written work that satisfies the concentration requirements.

Program Requirements

A student may be certified as having completed the Concentration in International Law by meeting the following requirements:

  1. Satisfactory completion of a minimum of seven course offerings from the following lists of courses and seminars in international, foreign and comparative law. The lists are updated annually to reflect changes in course offerings.

  2. Satisfactory completion of substantial written work on an international, foreign or comparative law topic. This requirement can be satisfied by the same written work that satisfies the School's Upperclass Writing Requirement or by written work that satisfies the requirements of a course or seminar for which credit is given towards the Concentration in International Law. With the approval of the concentration advisor, this requirement may also be satisfied by written work completed in a context other than a course or seminar for which credit is given towards the Concentration in International Law. If the paper was done in a course, seminar, or for another purpose and the supervising professor is an adjunct (part-time) faculty member, then the faculty concentration advisor must review the paper and confirm that it satisfies the concentration paper requirement.

  3. Satisfactory completion of Introduction to International Law.

  4. Satisfactory completion of six additional approved course offerings, at least four of which must come from the following BU Law courses or seminars in international, foreign or comparative law. Students are advised to include in their selections at least one course offering in comparative law and two course offerings related to transnational business activities.

    Comparative Law (S)
    Comparative Constitutional Law (S)
    European Union Law
    European Financial Law (S)*
    European Intellectual Property (S)*
    Global Climate Change (S)
    Globalization of the Legal Profession (S)
    Immigration Law
    International Business Arbitration (S)
    International Business Transactions
    International Criminal Law (S)*
    International Human Rights (S)
    International Intellectual Property (S)
    International Tax I***
    International Trade Regulation
    Law & Development (S)
    Tax Aspects of International Banking (offered through Banking Law Program)****
    Transnational Criminal Law
    Independent Study in International, Foreign or Comparative Law**

    5. * Not offered 2008 -2009
    ** In order for the Independent Study to qualify as a course in this list, the Independent Study topic must be approved in advance by the Concentration Advisor.
    *** Offered through the Graduate Tax Program. Students must register through the Graduate Tax Program Office.
    **** Offered through Banking and Financial Law Program. Students must register through the Morin Center for Banking and Financial Law.

  5. To the extent that additional course offerings or credits are needed to complete the required minimum of seven courses, satisfactory completion of one or more of the following related BU Law courses or seminars:

    Conflict of Laws
    E-Commerce, Intellectual Property and the Business Lawyer (S)
    English Legal History*
    Health Law, Bioethics, and Human Rights (S)*
    Immigration Law and Policy (S)
    International Business Agreements (S)
    International Economic Institutions (offered through Banking Law Program)**
    International Project Finance (S)
    International Securities Transactions (offered through Banking Program)**
    Jewish Law (S)
    Military Law (S)
    National Security Law (S)
    Negotiation and Theory
    Refugee and Asylum Law (S)*
    The Constitution and Foreign Affairs (S)
    Transnational Lending (offered through Banking Law Program)**

    * Not offered in 2008-2009
    ** Subject to availability. Must obtain approval of Banking Program.

  6. Students who wish to receive concentration credit for course offerings not listed above in satisfaction of any of the above requirements may do so with the approval of the faculty concentration advisor. Approval for course offerings taken outside of BU Law is limited to graduate-level courses in international, foreign or comparative law. Such course offerings may include courses taken in the dual degree program with the Department of International Relations, courses taken in a BU Law overseas program and courses taken at other law schools or in other graduate programs at Boston University or elsewhere. A maximum of two course offerings may be approved for any student under the provisions of this paragraph.


    Students who receive at least a 3.5 grade point average in BU Law course offerings taken to satisfy the requirements of the concentration will be certified as earning Honors in the Concentration in International Law. To be eligible for Honors, a minimum of five concentration courses comprising at least 15 credit hours must be in BU Law course offerings. In accordance with BU Law regulations, only BU Law course offerings are included in calculating a student's grade point average, and only such course offerings will be used to determine whether a student has earned Honors in the Concentration in International Law.

    To ensure maximum flexibility for students in their future career decisions, transcripts of students who elect the Concentration in International Law will not reflect the concentration. Rather, the BU Law Registrar's Office will record completion of the concentration and the award of honors in the concentration and will make available official documentation of these accomplishments at the student's request.