Environmental Law Certificate Program

Widener Law Commonwealth students interested in earning an Environmental Law Certificate can undertake a course of study through the Law and Government Institute and the Environmental Law and Sustainability Center designed to explore the impact of the legislative process on environmental law.

This certificate program is for enrolled Widener Law Commonwealth students only and are awarded upon graduation from the law school. 

Video Link: Environmental Law Opportunities

Widener Law Commonwealth reserves the right to modify curriculum requirements and course offerings.

Required Courses

In order to meet requirements for the Environmental Law Certificate, you must successfully complete the Government Law Colloquium (1) and Environmental Law (3). You must also successfully complete at least one Elective Course, one Seminar, and one Experiential Course from the following list: 

Elective Courses that meet the requirement when offered

• Natural Resources Law
• Animal Law
• Energy Law
• Land Use and Planning
• Oil and Gas Law
• Agricultural Law
• Climate Change
• International Environmental Law

Seminars that meet the requirement when offered

• Climate Change 
• International Environmental Law 
• Sustainable Development Law

In order to fulfill this requirement for purposes of certificate completion and/or the writing requirement, the seminar must be taught be a full-time faculty member.

Experiential Courses that meet the requirement when offered

• Negotiations
• Trial Methods
• Legislative Drafting
• Legal Methods III – Contract Drafting
• Sustainability Law Practicum (satisfies either Seminar requirement or Experiential requirement, but not both).

The Environmental Law and Sustainability Center Director may approve other courses or seminars for any of these requirements.

Externship Requirement 

In addition to the required classes, you must complete one of the following externships:

• Chesapeake Legal Alliance
• Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future 
• Department of Conservation and Natural Resources 
• Department of Environmental Protection 
• Environmental Hearing Board 
• Game Commission
• Pennsylvania Clean Air Council 

The Environmental Law and Sustainability Center Director may approve other environmental externships for this requirement.

Writing Requirement

You must also complete a scholarly paper on an environmental law subject. This paper may be submitted to satisfy the upper-class writing requirement that all students must meet. You may undertake this paper in conjunction with any seminar that satisfies the credit requirements for the Environmental Law Certificate. You may also undertake this paper as a separate, independent research course on an environmental subject. If you undertake this paper as in a separate course, you must obtain prior approval of your paper topic from the Director of the Environmental Law and Sustainability Center.

Graduating GPA Requirement

A Juris Doctor candidate must earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.600 or higher in the required certificate courses to be awarded the Environmental Law Certificate.

Certificate with Honors

A student earning a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or higher in certificate courses will receive a Certificate in Environmental Law with honors.

Registration 

If you are interested in obtaining an Environmental Law Certificate, you should fill out an Expression of Interest form. After submitting the form, you should contact Professor Robert Teplitz for advice concerning the program. Graduating students who wish to certify meeting the requirements for a Law and Government Certificate should fill out the Application for a Law and Government Certificate.

Certificate Learning Outcomes