The certificate program was initiated as part of the law school’s effort to provide students with broad and deep exposure to criminal law and policy law and help prepare students for practice in the area. The certificate is awarded upon successful completion of several criminal law and policy related courses, a substantial research paper on a criminal law and policy related topic, and two substantial practice experiences.
Criminal Law and Policy Certificate Requirements
To qualify for the Criminal Law and Policy Certificate students are required to complete four foundation courses, one advanced course, a writing requirement and two substantial practice experiences. Students also may petition the Criminal Law Certificate faculty supervisors for certificate credit in Criminal Law related courses and activities which are not explicitly listed.
Practice Experience Requirement
Two substantial practice experiences are required. Students must complete one of the options in Paragraph 1 and one of the options in Paragraph 2 as described below.
Must complete one of the following:
- The Administration of Criminal Justice Externship, or another School of Law externship with a placement or agency with a criminal justice focus (e.g.,a Tax Law Externship with a placement in the criminal tax office of a government agency) for at least 3 credits, or
- The Immigration Law, Prison Law, Domestic Violence, Civil Rights, Aoki Federal Defender, Aoki Federal Amicus Clinic, Aoki Criminal Justice Practicum for at least 2-3 credits, or
- Another criminal justice-related internship or externship earning at least 3 credits, approved by the Committee.
And, complete at least one of the following:
- The Administration of Criminal Justice Externship or another School of Law externship with a criminal justice focus for at least 3 credits (or for a total of at least 6 credits if an externship was used to satisfy the requirement listed above), or
- A summer or school-year practice experience with a prosecution or defense agency (local, state, federal, tribal, military), a legislative or policy office, or a clerkship in a court with criminal jurisdiction (240 hours). With approval of the Committee, this requirement may be satisfied though work at more than one agency. Summer work for a public or non-profit agency for which a student is paid or receives a stipend may satisfy this requirement. Students should maintain records of their hours, request written certification from the agency and/or supervising attorney and will be required to supply certifications to the Law Registrar’s Office.
Writing Requirement
Students must write a writing-requirement-quality paper, approved by one of the Criminal Law and Policy Faculty on a criminal law and policy related topic through a course, seminar, independent study, or law journal. The paper should develop and defend a thesis and demonstrate original thought and analysis. A purely descriptive paper would not satisfy this requirement. The final written work would have to receive at least a B grade, or, if ungraded, be deemed by the Committee to be of equivalent quality.
Criminal Law and Policy Foundation Courses
Complete all of the following:
Complete at least one of the following:
Foundation Courses
- 410A Appellate Advocacy I (Moot Court) (2)
- 206 Criminal Law (3)
- 227A Criminal Procedure (3 or 4)
- 263 Criminal Trials: Theory and Practice (3)
- 219 Evidence (3 or 4 )
- 263A Trial Practice (3)
Elective Courses
Complete one advanced Criminal Law related course. This could be one of the courses listed below, an appropriate course taken elsewhere in the University, or a second course from the foundation course requirement above. Elective courses are offered on a rotating basis. Not all courses will be taught in any given year. Please check the Schedule for current course offerings.
Elective Courses
- 219A Advanced Evidence and Trial Advocacy (2)
- 227B Advanced Criminal Procedure (3)
- 210N Aoki Conviction and Sentence Integrity Practicum (3)
- 210R Aoki Criminal Justice Practicum (2)
- 210Q Advanced Aoki Criminal Justice Practicum (3)
- 410B Appellate Advocacy II (Moot Court) (2)
- 210J Best Practices for Justice Seminar: Advocates Working to Improve the Criminal Justice System (2)
- 210D Comparative Criminal Justice (2 or 3)
- 258C Conscious Lawyering (1)
- 245 Corporate and White Collar Crime (2)
- 210M Criminal Justice in the Era of Prison Downsizing (2)
- 227A Criminal Procedure (3 or 4)
- 222 Critical Race Theory (2 or 3)
- 245B Death Penalty Seminar (2)
- 292B Immigration Crimes (2)
- 252A Introduction to Criminal Litigation (2)
- 276 Juvenile Justice Process (2)
- 216A Law and Religion Seminar (2)
- 286H Mental Health and the Law (2)
- 253 Policy Advocacy (2)
- 210ET Race, Mass Incarceration and Policing (2)
- 222D Race and the Law (2)
- 229 Scientific Evidence (3)
- 210B The Law of Policing (2)
- 263C Voir Dire: Theory and Practice (1)
- 245C White Collar Investigations and Prosecutions (2)
Criminal Law and Policy Certificate
Upon satisfying the above requirements, students should complete the Criminal Law and Policy Certificate Form , and have one of the Criminal Law and Policy Faculty sign off and return the form to the Law School Registrar's Office. Students completing the Practice Experience Requirement with non-King Hall programs and/or outside agencies will be required to submit certification of hours completed with the completed Certificate Form.