Study Abroad Programs
Participation in a study-abroad program helps students gain a clearer understanding of the increasingly global nature of the practice of law. The School of Law offers many opportunities for study abroad, from a semester in Hong Kong to a three-week travelling seminar in Europe.
Semester Abroad
Applications for studying abroad in either semester in the 2008-2009 academic year are due on Friday, February 8 in the International Programs office (room 220). If you have questions about the programs or the application process, please contact Dean Davis (leedavis@indiana.edu).
Complete the application for a semester in 2008-2009.
London Law Consortium
We participate in a consortium with seven other law schools to offer a spring semester of study in London. Students enroll in 12 to 15 credit hours of courses taught by faculty from the participating U.S. law schools. In addition, a course is offered by a barrister or solicitor, and students may work as externs with law offices and courts. Classes are held at the Florida State University London Study Center, located on Great Russell Street near the British Museum. Students are eligible for the London program during their second or third year in law school.
Université Pathéon-Assas (Paris II): Paris, France
Paris, FranceDates: mid-September to mid-December
Two students annually have the opportunity to attend the Université Panthéon-Assas (Paris II) Law School in Paris to study law during the fall semester. All courses at Paris II are taught in French, so participants must have functional fluency in French. Students in the program may enroll in a number of law classes, including Advanced Civil Law, Public/Private International Law, European Community Law, Criminal Law, State-Owned Companies, and French Public Law.
Students interested in studying at Paris II may learn more about the university by speaking with Professor Elisabeth Zoller, faculty member at Paris II, when she visits the Law School each spring. Interested students should also contact returned study abroad students and French Paris II students studying at IU in the fall semester.
ESADE Law School
Barcelona, SpainDates: Fall Semester-late September to late December;
Spring Semester: mid-February to late June
Our student exchange program with the ESADE (Escuela Superior de Administracion y Derecho de Empresas) Law School in Barcelona, Spain, provides an opportunity for two second- or third-year law students to study in the Spanish legal education system in the fall or spring semester. Advanced Spanish proficiency is required. A wealth of classes at ESADE are open to exchange students, including European Union Law, Roman Case Law, Spanish Court Procedures, Banking and Stock Exchange Law, and European Law on Competition. There is an optional two-week intensive language class that begins in mid-September (free of charge).
Interested students should speak with returned study abroad students and ESADE students studying at IU in the fall semester.
Bucerius Law School
Hamburg, GermanyDates: early September to mid-December
Up to three students may enroll during the fall semester at Bucerius Law School in Hamburg, the first private law school in Germany. Courses for international students are taught in English. Subjects include Survey of German Law (required), European law, business-related areas of international law, and the German legal system.
Interested students should speak to returned study abroad students and Bucerius students studying at IU in the fall semester.
Friedrich-Schiller University
Jena, GermanyDates: mid-April to mid-July
Up to two students may study in the Faculty of Law of Friedrich-Schiller University in Jena, Germany during their "Summer Semester" (April-July). Jena was the intellectual center of Saxony in the 17-19th centuries and Leibniz, Schiller, Goethe and Hegel all studied or taught at Jena. This is a rare opportunity for students with excellent German language skills to study German private, public and criminal law; as well as European and international law. A small selection of courses in the Law and Language Program are offered in English, French, Italian and Russian. While in Jena, students are advised by Sharon Byrd, the American director of the Law and Language Center.
Interested students should speak to FSU students studying at IU in the fall semester, as well as to Professors Roger Dworkin, John Applegate and Joseph Hoffmann, who have all spent time in Jena.
China University of Political Science and Law
Beijing, ChinaStudents with advanced Mandarin language skills have an opportunity to participate in a one-semester exchange at the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL) in Beijing. The Law School has had an active partnership with CUPL since 2000. Qualified students may attend courses taught in the undergraduate and graduate law programs at CUPL's two Beijing campuses. Students may also attend classes taught in CUPL's School of American and Comparative Law. For more information, contact Assistant Dean Lesley Davis, or speak with CUPL faculty members pursuing LLM and SJD degrees at the Law School.
University of Hong Kong
Hong KongDates: Fall Semester: early September to mid-December
Spring Semester: late January to late May
Every year, two to four students have an opportunity to spend either the fall or spring semester attending classes in the Law School at University of Hong Kong (HKU), one of the most prestigious law schools in East Asia. Students may take a wide variety of courses in the areas of International Human Rights, Chinese Law, and Public and Private International Law. All courses at HKU are taught in English.
Fudan University
Shanghai, ChinaSince the 1950s, Fudan University has enrolled international students—one of the first few institutions in China to do so. The Law School is pleased to offer students with advanced Mandarin language skills the opportunity to participate in a one-semester exchange at Fudan University Law School. Please see Assistant Dean Lesley Davis for more information.
Zhejiang University
Hangzhou, ChinaDates: fall/winter quarters: September to January; Spring/Summer quarters: late February to early July
In the fall of the 2007, Indiana University and Zhejiang University formally strengthened the partnership between the two universities by signing a new agreement that renews an agreement first signed in 1982. The Law School's exchange program with ZJU's Guanghua Law School is one of the centerpieces of this new agreement. Up to two students per year may spend either semester in Hangzhou studying law in both English and Mandarin. To be eligible, students should have at least intermediate proficiency in Mandarin. Situated in the city of Hangzhou, one of the ancient capitals of China, Zhejiang University, with an enrollment of about 43,000 students, is considered to be one of the top five institutions of higher education in China. It is located in Zhejiang Province, known as China's Silicon Valley, and has among the strongest economies in all of China.
Warsaw University Faculty of Law and Administration
Warsaw, PolandDates: mid-February to late June
Up to two students may study in the Warsaw University Faculty of Law and Administration in Warsaw, Poland in the spring semester. Students take classes in Warsaw's School of Polish Law where all courses are in English. Courses include subjects such as Introduction to the Polish Legal System, Constitutionalism in Poland, Harmonization of Polish Law with the European Legal System, and Administrative Law. Students with adequate proficiency in Polish are also eligible to take courses in Polish. The School also offers the Polish language and culture course in co-operation with Polonicum (the Warsaw University Institute teaching Polish as a foreign language).
University of Auckland
Auckland, New ZealandDates: Semester 2: mid-July to mid-November;
Semester 1: early March to late June
The IU School of Law began an exchange program with the University of Auckland Faculty of Law in Auckland, New Zealand in July 2005. Up to two IU students per year are eligible to study in all law subject areas in University of Auckland LLB and LLM programs in either semester. Subjects include a full range of domestic, comparative, and international law, including courses specifically related to "Treaty Issues", that is, the unique Treaty of Waitangi that, together with English common law, forms the basis of contemporary New Zealand law. All courses are in English.
For more information on all Semester Abroad opportunities, contact Lesley Davis, Assistant Dean for International Programs.
Summer Programs
USD Institute on International and Comparative Law
We offer our students the opportunity to study law abroad as part of a special joint relationship with the Institute on International and Comparative Law, a summer-study program sponsored by the University of San Diego School of Law. Programs in England, France, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, and Spain introduce students to foreign and international legal institutions during an intensive four- to five-week academic session. Each session offers courses that take advantage of the resources of the city in which it is held. All courses are taught in English. Students can earn from 4 to 6 credits. The institute's programs include:
- London: The London Institute specializes in the legal aspects of international business, with courses in Taxation, Corporations, Banking, Labor Law, and Antitrust.
- Oxford: In Oxford, students examine and compare English and American law, with an emphasis on civil liberties, criminal law and procedure, environmental law, family law, and energy development.
- France: The Paris Institute examines international and comparative law, focusing on cultural differences that influence international dealings. Courses are offered in public international law, European Union law, and international business transactions and related areas.
- Ireland: The Dublin Institute concentrates on human rights, with courses in human rights, comparative civil rights, and comparative criminal justice.
- Italy: Laws that deal with artistic and intellectual productions are the focus of the Florence Institute. Courses in International Art Law and International Intellectual Property are generally offered, as well as courses in Immigration Law, International Negotiations, International Litigation, International Entertainment Law, and International Contracts.
- Spain: The Barcelona Institute specializes in European law, offering courses in EU Law, International Contracts, International Environmental Law, and International Corporations.
Questions about these programs should be directed to the Dean for Students. You can read more detailed information online at the institute's Web site. Please note that some information on this Web site will not apply to IU students. The IU School of Law's participation in the program is administered entirely through its own Office of the Dean for Students. Program details are subject to change.
Other Opportunities
Other, independent study abroad opportunities--and some restrictions--exist. Please see Dean Fromm or Dean Davis if you are interested in a pursuing study abroad opportunities not sponsored by the Law School.