This curricular pathway provides a progression of courses relevant to international law that are offered at South Texas College of Law Houston.
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International Law Pathway
| Core courses | |
| Recommended courses | |
| Bar | Relevant bar examination topic |
Stage 1
International Law
View detailsThree semester hours credit. Normally offered once each academic year.
Introduction to the nature and sources of international law, including such topics as the jurisdiction of states; the law governing the making, interpretation, application and termination of treaties and agreements; recognition of states and governments; territory of states; nationality of persons and corporations; state immunities from jurisdiction and control; international claims; the use of force; the law of war; the law of the sea; the United Nations; international adjudication, including the International Court of Justice; and the evolving law of human rights.
Stage 2
Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below
International Human Rights Law
View detailsThree semester hours credit. Offered periodically.
This course will examine the developing law of international human rights, with an emphasis on international human rights treaties and agreements, international and regional human rights courts and tribunals, and international human rights organizations, both governmental and non-governmental. It considers domestic, regional, and international legal systems and the extent to which they incorporate and implement economic, social, and cultural, as well as civil and political, rights. It also studies contemporary political and theoretical debates over the scope and interpretation of human rights law, such as those involving the rights of indigenous peoples, women’s rights, the right to economic development, and the more recent articulation of collective and group human rights. The course considers the normative justifications for enforcing human rights beyond the bounds of national sovereignty as well as the challenges to these justifications under the forces of globalization.
International Humanitarian Law & the Regulation of Armed Conflict
View detailsThree semester hours credit. Normally offered once each academic year.
This course examines two core prongs of law: the limitation on methods of warfare (such as bans on certain weapons) derived from the Hague tradition, and the protection of people not engaged in combat (especially civilians and prisoners of war) derived from the Geneva tradition. The course pays particular attention to recent developments, including the merger of these two traditions, the proliferation of non-international armed conflicts, the promulgation of new treaties banning various weapons and the increasing significance of non-governmental organizations in advocating for such treaties, and the challenge of applying this law to the operations against transnational non-state organizations associated with the “war on terrorism.” The last part of the course focuses on the implementation of international humanitarian law through the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross, national armed forces, and venues for holding individuals criminally responsible for violations of the law of war.
International Process Clinic/Academic Internship
View detailsMaximum of six semester hours credit.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of not less than 30 credit hours of required courses and a 2.8 grade point average.
A variety of international placement opportunities currently exist, and others are in development. Applications for these academic internships are available in the office of the Associate Dean of Clinical Studies.
Government Process Clinic/Academic Internship
View detailsThree or four semester hours credit.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of all courses required for graduation (with the exception of the substantial writing requirement) and not less than 45 credit hours and a 2.8 grade point average. Completion of or concurrent enrollment in Texas Pretrial Procedure is recommended.
Students arrange their own placements with local governmental agencies. Potential placements include the Texas Attorney General’s Office, the legal department of the City of South Texas College of Law, the Harris County Attorney’s Office, the EEOC, the IRS, the Office of Homeland Security, and many others. These placements provide access to the South Texas College of Law legal community and give law students the opportunity to expand their professional skills and identify challenging and fulfilling work possibilities.
Criminal Process Clinic/Academic Internship
View detailsThree or four semester hours credit.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of all courses required for graduation (with the exception of the substantial writing requirement) and not less than 45 credit hours and a 2.8 grade point average. Completion of or concurrent enrollment in Criminal Procedure is recommended.
Students arrange their own placements in the office of the Harris County District Attorney, the district attorney’s office of neighboring counties, or with the Harris County Public Defender’s Office. Potential placement sections within the prosecutor’s office include felony, misdemeanor, welfare fraud, domestic violence, and environmental crimes. Depending upon the placement, and upon obtaining a temporary bar card, students may observe and participate in pretrial investigation, plea negotiations, and trial.
International Criminal Law & Procedure
View detailsTwo or three semester hours credit. Offered periodically.
This course focuses on substantive international criminal law and the institutions designed to enforce it. Substantive topics include the basis and objectives of international criminal law, theories of jurisdiction, criminal responsibility of people, groups and states, and potential defenses and immunity from prosecution. Both international and transnational crimes are addressed. These include genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, terrorism, drug and human trafficking, and piracy. The history of international criminal prosecutions from Nuremberg to present day ad hoc and permanent tribunals is examined, with an emphasis on both substantive law development and the structure and procedural safeguards of those tribunals. Additional procedural topics include: national prosecution of international crimes, international criminal investigations, state cooperation with international courts and tribunals, and sentencing and punishment.
Stage 3
Consider earlier courses plus one or more from below
Comparative Counter-Terrorism Law
View detailsTwo semester hours credit. Offered periodically.
The course explores the relationship between law and counter-terrorism policy. Students will learn to analyze the legality of various responses to terrorism from a national and international legal perspective by studying legal opinions from a variety of specially affected states, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Israel, Russia, and Turkey, as well as international tribunals. The course focuses on four primary response modalities: criminal; economic; civil; and military. The course not only surveys the law related to each of these modalities, but also analyzes how each implicates a fundamentally different legal issue.
International Environmental Law
View detailsTwo semester hours credit. Offered periodically.
This course examines the law (international treaties) and policies of international environmental problems. Topics include global warming and climate change, transboundary movement of hazardous waste, biodiversity and wildlife conservation, deforestation, ocean dumping and marine pollution, protection of fisheries, and human rights and the environment.
International Family Law
View detailsThree semester hours credit. Offered periodically.
In International Family Law, students will explore traditional family law concepts, including the creation, recognition, and dissolution of the family unit, as well as child custody, support, and enforcement, from an international perspective. Students will engage in comparative analyses of selected domestic, international, religious, and customary laws, treaties and conventions, considering not only substantive law, but also the processes by which family law matters are decided. This survey course of selected family law issues from five continents should provide students with a deeper understanding of the impact of other systems on family law issues and should assist in preparing students for family law practice in a global community.
Asylum/Human Trafficking Clinic
View detailsThree semester hours credit.
Prerequisites: 45 hours completed.
Students in this clinic aid children and vulnerable adults – those who were forced into prostitution or labor by human traffickers, those who were abandoned in this country by their parents, and those who came here themselves to escape danger in their native countries. These cases present opportunities for students to hone lawyering skills in a variety of venues, including state court, federal agency hearings, and federal court.
Asylum & Refugee Law
View detailsTwo semester hours credit. Offered periodically.
This course examines the central conventions, statutes, regulations, and case law that pertain to refugee and asylum law. The primary focus of the class will be asylum and refugee law in the United States. Students will learn about the main requirements for establishing asylum and refugee status, including persecution, the requisite nexus, and the role of the State. The course will also cover the mechanisms used to limit asylum and refugee relief, and the claim adjudication process.
Art Law Seminar
View detailsTwo semester hours credit. Offered periodically.
Prerequisites: 45 semester hours plus completion or concurrent enrollment in all required courses (with the exception of the substantial writing credit).
This seminar will focus on the body of law which concerns cultural heritage and the arts. We will examine the domestic and international laws which apply to works of art and cultural heritage. Topics of the seminar will include: art theft; antiquities looting; the tension between creation and commoditization; legal problems faced by artists; the international trade in art; regulation of the art trade; the management of cultural institutions such as museums; and finally the protection of historic sites.