Program Structure & Course Format

• Flexible Learning – In-person courses or asynchronous online courses to allow students to complete coursework on a weekly basis. 
• Live Interaction Opportunities – Some courses offer optional live sessions, which students can attend in real time or watch later. Office hours are available to meet with professors. 
• Program Duration – Complete 24 units over approximately two years (typically two 3-unit courses per semester).
• Semester Format:
  • Fall and Spring semesters – 15 weeks long
  • Summer courses – 4-week terms are required for online students, and optional for in-person students. Summer also provides an occasional opportunity for a weekend visit to McGeorge’s campus in Sacramento
• Time Commitment per credit unit:
  • One hour per week interacting with professors and classmates
  • Two hours per week reading and studying 
  • Approximately 18 hours per week for two three-unit courses, which can be spread out in mornings, lunch periods, evenings, and weekends around your commitments

The Executive Branch & The Administrative State: This online course explores regulatory institutions and processes at the state and federal levels, with a focus on the relationship between the executive branch, the legislature, and the courts. The course provides opportunities for the development of practical skills such as drafting regulations and participating in the regulatory process, including commenting on agency actions and responding to comments. The focus is understanding the policy’s role and methods for marshaling and assessing technical information.

Legislatures & Lawmaking: This online asynchronous course explores legislative institutions and lawmaking processes in state and federal government as well as basic principles of judicial review of legislative action. The course provides opportunities for the development of practical skills such as drafting statutory language, preparing and assessing bill analyses, commenting on legislation, and participating in the legislative process.

Environmental Law: This course is a survey of legal principles and policies relating to protection and enhancement of the physical environment. Particular attention is given to common law doctrines and public rights and remedies; federal and state control programs for the fields of air pollution, water pollution, noise, solid waste management, fish and wildlife resources; and planning for federal, state and local administrative agencies.

Water Resources Law: This course introduces the legal principles that control water allocation for human and environmental purposes, taught via online exercises such as lectures, readings, videos, discussions, and research. Legal principles covered include categories of surface and groundwater rights, management approaches, allocation for environmental purposes, federal-state relationships, tribal and reserved rights, reasonable use, waste, and the public trust doctrine. Students gain a practical understanding of water allocation and use in contemporary society and critically examine the social policies that govern water management.

Water & Environmental Justice: This course will explore challenges and opportunities in meeting the goal of providing a healthy environment and safe, affordable, accessible, and reliable water supplies to all people regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, economic status, national origin, and education level. Specific topics may include, among others, the human right to water, disparate impacts from facility siting, toxic exposure, climate justice, food security, access to nature, participation in environmental governance, and capacity building in disadvantaged communities. 

Government Law & Policymaking: This online asynchronous course introduces students to the lawyer’s role in developing, modifying, implementing, advocating, and influencing public policy, including legislation, regulations, executive orders, court orders, and other policy edicts at the national, state, and local levels. Students learn how to do policy analysis; learn the essential organization and procedures of the various policymaking venues; are able to consider and weigh strategic implications associated with the various venues and processes; conduct research using a variety of sources unique to policymaking in other federal and state settings; learn and develop skills for advocacy, negotiation and compromise in a policymaking setting; and practice applying course knowledge and skills to important public policy matters of the day. Students complete a project on an actual and current public policy problem.

Election Law: This online asynchronous course will cover the main doctrinal concepts that are necessary to the practice of election law, as well as offer practical assignments common in the day to day practice of political law attorneys. Coverage includes constitutional law and principles, campaign finance law, election administration, and the Voting Rights Act, among other topics.

Lobbying & Politics: This course explores how power and influence operate in state legislatures. The first part of the course examines the processes and pressures a legislator typically encounters prior to casting a vote in the Legislature, including campaigns for local and state office, fundraising, the influence of political parties and partisan leadership, grassroots supporters, and local-based interests. The second part of the course develops theories of legislative persuasion, including a blend of traditional advocacy skills and political strategy.

Leadership in Organizations: This online asynchronous course explores skills necessary for professional competency and excellence in twenty-first-century organizations. Working in and with public agencies is emphasized. Topics covered may include teams in organizations, cross-cultural dynamics, professional work product and communications, and professional ethics. Focus will be given to case studies and practical exercises.

Negotiations: This course examines the theoretical, ethical, and practical skills essential to being an effective advocate in negotiations involving legal disputes. Students learn negotiation skills through lectures, discussions, video simulations, and extensive interactive exercises and role-plays. Students are introduced to negotiation tools and techniques that enhance negotiation success. This course helps students identify strengths and weaknesses in their personal negotiating style. This course is primarily asynchronous; students negotiate synchronously online several times during the semester, details in the syllabus.

Persuasive Public Speaking: This online course introduces students to the many aspects of persuasive public speaking, including content, word choice, and delivery. Students study the theory of persuasion through reference to historical and social science sources. Students develop public speaking confidence by practicing their skills and receiving constructive feedback.

Directed Research in Water and Environmental Law: This course provides the opportunity for students to engage in a comprehensive individual research project under the supervision of a full-time faculty member. The work product may take the form of a scholarly paper, empirical study, analysis of topical readings, or other creative format that demonstrates in-depth legal research and original analysis.

Master’s Thesis in Water and Environmental Law: This course provides an opportunity for students to write a thesis under the guidance of a full-time faculty member acting as supervisor. The thesis should present an original idea or ideas, demonstrate mastery of research skills appropriate to the field, and be analytical and/or critical instead of merely descriptive. The final product should exemplify high-quality academic writing consistent with the professional goals of the student, taking into account the supervisor’s and the student’s vision of the desired target audience for the product. This course is substantially asynchronous; students meet synchronously online for 12.5 hours over five days, with specific dates/times in the syllabus.

Business Organizations: In this course, students will learn about the laws governing business organizations, their formation, and strategic concerns related to the variety of ownership structures.

Employment Law:  This course focuses on employment law topics, including testing, privacy, FLSA, benefits, rights to compensation, workplace emotional injuries, termination, and employer risk management strategies.

Contract Drafting: In this course, students will learn the fundamental contract concepts underlying the drafting process and how to draft contracts that effectively deliver the parties’ expectations and manage their risks intentionally and their remedies.

State and Federal Taxation: This course provides students will learn about the fundamentals of personal, business, and trust & estate income tax law and tax compliance, including basis, tax consequences of property sales, alternative minimum tax, passive activity, and at-risk rules, charitable contributions and deductions, tax reduction techniques, and the tax implications of special circumstances.

Survey of Intellectual Property Law:  In this course, students will learn about the laws and policy rationales related to intellectual property law, with a focus on patents, copyrights, and trademarks.

Local Government and Housing Law: This online asynchronous course provides a practical overview of local government law through the lens of housing law and policy. Students will learn the source of local governance authority and delve into its potential and limitations through examination of topics such as federalism, state-municipality relations, local lawmaking, public and private finance, zoning, land use, and anti-discrimination, fair housing, and related laws. As part of a semester project, students can experience local decision-making and engage with lawmakers and their constituents on housing issues.