STUDY ABROAD
Villanova Law is committed to enhancing its diversity, fostering intellectual growth, and providing students with a global perspective.
As part of this commitment, the Law School offers students a variety of opportunities to learn about and participate in activities relating to international and comparative law. In addition to an array of international and comparative law courses in its curriculum, Villanova provides opportunities to study and participate in externships abroad.
Villanova Law students may earn up to six credits through participation in an ABA-approved summer abroad program offered by an accredited American law school. In addition, our JD/LLM International Studies Program enables students to obtain, within approximately 3-3.5 years, a JD from Villanova and an LLM from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland or the University of Leiden in The Netherlands. In addition, students have studied and externed abroad during the semester.
Through these programs, Villanova seeks to achieve the following educational objectives:
- Facilitate the interchange of ideas among Villanova Law students and students and faculty from different backgrounds, cultures and legal systems;
- Foster respect for diverse viewpoints;
- Develop an understanding of the sources and systems of law of other countries and cultures;
- Expose students to the impact of globalization on law, business and society;
- Afford students the invaluable experience of living and studying in another culture; and
- Allow students to experience educational opportunities that they could not otherwise experience while studying on-campus.
Summer Abroad Programs
A student may receive up to six credits for attending an ABA-approved summer abroad program offered by an accredited American school of law, provided a student achieves a grade of C, its equivalent or better for each course for which credit is sought. The student must obtain permission from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in advance by submitting a request detailing the program and the courses desired. Typically, only courses that do not duplicate courses offered at the School of Law will be approved, although exceptions to this policy may be made at the discretion of the Academic Dean. Credit will be recorded and the course will appear on the student’s VLS transcript upon receipt of an official transcript from the host school, but the grade will not calculate into the student’s GPA.
Taking Classes Outside the Law School
As full-time students in the law school, law students may not take classes for credit in any other program or institution without the permission of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
Transfer Credit
Villanova will only accept credit for transfer from ABA accredited law schools.
- Students Transferring to Villanova University School of Law
All credits earned in the first year of law school will transfer to Villanova for students admitted as transfer students, except as provided below.
- Villanova Students Taking Courses at Another Law School
Permission from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs is required before a student may take courses at another accredited law school. This includes summer programs and courses taken during the regular school year. It is highly unusual that more than six credits will be approved for transfer from a summer program.
- Articulation Agreements
Other than our established joint programs (JD/MBA, JD/MPA, JD/LLM), we have no agreements between schools governing the transfer of credit (articulation agreements).
- Grade Requirement
Villanova will only accept credit or credits for a course in which the student achieves a grade of C, its equivalent, or better.
Visiting Out
Students requesting permission to visit for a semester or a year at another law school must obtain permission from the Academic Dean. Permission will be granted only if the student shows compelling reasons for the visit, has completed all required courses, and has a least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.