Graduate Environmental Seminar

Description:

This seminar is a two semester requirement for LL.M. students, staffed by the natural resources faculty and staff and annual Distinguished Environmental Law Scholar. As part of the seminar, each student prepares a paper on an environmental or natural resources topic of his/her choice. During the fall semester, faculty and guests lead discussions on environmental and natural resources topics of interest to the group, such as new case law, emerging trends, current events, theories of environmental policy, or faculty works in progress. During the spring semester, students make individual presentations on their papers.

The seminar schedule and format may vary from year to year. In general, it will meet for two hours every other week in the fall and for two hours every week in the second half of the spring semester. The exact schedule will be set prior to the beginning of classes. Students are graded in the seminar based on overall participation in the seminar throughout the year (1/3) and on their paper and presentation (2/3).

The Graduate Seminar is open to third and fourth year J.D. students by permission. J.D. students interested in taking this course should not "bid" for it, but should apply to the Director of the LL.M. program. Their application should indicate the environmental courses they have taken, include a writing sample, and indicate a research topic the student would like to pursue during the year-long seminar.