Certificates of Study

Within the three year JD program, students have the opportunity to earn a Certificate of Study in one of several disciplines.� Typically, these programs require that the students take three or four courses in the granting department and one or two courses from a prescribed topic area at the Law School.� There are no admissions requirements:� all students who successfully complete the requirements are granted the Certificate.�Please note that there is a nominal administrative fee for students earning a certificate.

Information on the Certificate Program for LLMs can be found here.

The Penn Law faculty has approved the following JD Certificates:

Environmental Studies

Environmental Policy in the Environmental Studies Institute
Environmental Science in the Environmental Studies Institute

Students interested in environmental studies can take either of these two Certificates, with the Policy Certificate intended for those studying issues in environmental regulation and the Science Certificate for those who would like to keep current their hard science background in the environmental field with continued study.� Students take five courses approved by Environmental Studies, with up to two of these possible at Penn Law.

For more information...
Documentation on the Certificate Program – Environmental Policy (PDF)
Documentation on the Certificate Program – Environmental Science (PDF)
Environmental Studies Institute

Middle East and Islamic Studies/Middle East Center (MEC)

Certificate of Study in Middle East and Islamic Studies

This program allows students to delve into contemporary research on the modern Middle East or study the area's ancient and medieval languages and civilizations. Students interested in this Certificate must successfully complete four courses in the general area of Middle East and Islamic Studies. Three of these courses are taken in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GAS) and must be primarily related to the study of Middle Eastern or Islamic societies. The fourth course is taken at Penn Law and will ordinarily include a component involving Islam or the Middle East, but may be in the area of International Law.

Documentation on the Certificate Program (PDF)
Middle East Center Program Information

School of Social Policy & Practice

Certificate of Study in Cross-Sector Innovation

Students interested in the management and/or creation of non-profit or non-governmental organizations in their long-term professional goals will learn about leadership, cross-sector collaboration, organizational structures, and social movements. The certificate requires a total of five courses: three courses taken in the School of Social Policy & Practice’s Non-Profit /NGO Leadership program and two at Penn Law. As part of the certificate program, students may earn a Leading Social Change Fellowship.

Documentation on the Certificate Program (PDF)

The Wharton School

Certificate in Business and Public Policy

Many Penn Law students are interested in complementing their legal studies with coursework in the Business arena.� This program allows students to receive a Certificate for study they complete at the Wharton School.� The Certificate is granted to students who complete three courses at Wharton, including one course in the Business & Public Policy division, as well as one approved Penn Law course.

For more information…
Documentation on the Certificate Program (PDF)
Frequently Asked Questions
Business & Public Policy

Women’s Studies/College of Arts and Sciences

Graduate Certificate in Gender and Sexuality Studies

The Gender and Sexuality Studies Certificate provides graduate students with opportunities to think in an integrated fashion about gender and sexuality, and to learn from a variety of methodological approaches such as critical feminist, race, and legal theory, cultural studies, and French psychoanalytic theory, as well as traditional disciplinary methodologies. Students take five courses approved by the Women’s Studies department, up to two of which can be at Penn Law.

For more information...
Documentation on the Certificate Program (PDF)
Graduate Certificate in Gender and Sexuality Studies

Esade Law School (Barcelona, Spain)

Themis Joint Certificate in International Business and Law

Students who spend a Study Abroad semester on exchange at ESADE Law School in Barcelona have the option of earning a Themis Joint Certificate in International Business and Law. This Certificate, jointly awarded by ESADE, Boconni Law School (Milan), Freie University (Berlin) and Paris XII, is open only to students from those schools and Penn Law.

Other certificate programs, such as the Certificate in Non-Profit Management at the Fels Institute of Government, may be available to students on an ad-hoc basis.� If, in examining the University’s web site, you see any other certificate program of interest to you, please contact us to see about its availability to Law students.

Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS)

Certificate of Study in East Asian Studies

Students interested in this Certificate must successfully complete four courses in the general area of East Asian Studies.� Three of these courses are taken in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GAS) and must be primarily related to the study of East Asian societies. The fourth course is taken at Penn Law and will ordinarily include a component involving East Asia, but may be in the area of International Law.