Summer Abroad Program
Santander, Spain
May 30 - June 25, 2010
Join us at the Universidad de Cantabria in Santander, Spain, a small coastal resort town in Northern Spain.
Admissions Policy for Summer Abroad Programs
Whittier Law School will exercise complete discretion to select applicants for its summer abroad programs who demonstrate an ability to live and study in a foreign environment as well as a commitment to participate fully in the academic and cultural programs designed by the program directors. The Law School seeks program participants who will serve as exceptional ambassadors of Whittier Law School in the host country and reserves the right to deny admission to any applicant who does not satisfy its summer abroad admission criteria.
Accommodations for Participants
with Disabilities
Individuals with mobility challenges are advised that only one of the program housing facilities is equipped with an elevator. However, please be advised that the elevator may not be large enough to allow a person using a wheelchair to enter and completely turn around once inside the elevator as would be required for a wheelchair accessible elevator in the United States. The law facility at the University of Cantabria is accessible without the use of stairs. However, the classrooms, offices, libraries and food facilities are located on multiple levels. There is elevator access to all levels, but the elevators unlikely are large enough to accommodate many implements used to assist with mobility. The elevators are often in demand, and wait times are likely. Therefore, an individual requiring the elevator may need extra time. Those students who require accommodations under the ADA should consult with their Student Services Dean or other appropriate university official to assist the Program Director to provide the approved accommodations and to protect student confidentiality.
Admission
Application for Spain
(PDF download rate varies depending upon
computer and connection speed)
UNIVERSIDAD DE CANTABRIA
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"La
playa en El Sardinero"
The beach located approximately two blocks from all the program housing facilities and about a 30 minute walk from the university and down from Santander. |
The Universidad de Cantabria, is a large but exceptionally warm and friendly university, and its law school enjoys an outstanding reputation. The full service campus is located within walking distance from the program housing facilities (see section on Program Housing), and about a 15 minute walk from the beach. Summer law classes are usually very small and held in small lecture halls or seminar rooms. The Universidad de Cantabria has a fully equipped law library with comfortable and quiet study spaces. It has various holdings in English, including several major American law reviews and journals. The Universidad de Cantabria's International Relations Department warmly welcomes the opportunity to assist program participants, and many of their staff speak fluent English. They have a long and established history of coordinating with several American universities to offer language programs, student exchanges and cross cultural experiences. You may visit the Universidad de Cantabria website at http://www.unican.es.
Santander, Spain
This balmy resort city, site of northern Spain's most spectacular ocean bay, boasts many outstanding examples of nineteenth-century architecture, beautiful beaches, world-class water sports, great nightlife, and a thriving music scene in its numerous and colorful cafes. Santander is in the heart of "green Spain" (or España verde), a lush coastal area of Spain protected by mountains from the intense heat that pervades most of the rest of the country in the summer. A large English speaking population, students from around the world, and a famed international music festival give Santander a particularly cosmopolitan atmosphere. A few minutes out of town, one can visit the prehistoric cave art of Altamira, the perfectly preserved medieval village of Santillana del Mar, and the architect Gaudi's avant-garde palace, "El Capricho." Santander and the Cantabria region are renowned for fine seafood and cheeses, pure and easily understood Spanish and folk music reminiscent of bluegrass. The proud inheritor of Christian, Jewish and Moorish civilizations, Spain is the most geographically and culturally diverse country in Europe. It is a democratic, tolerant society filled with opportunities for learning, sightseeing and nightlife. Within one or two hours away are Burgos, the Gothic domain of Spain's legendary hero, El Cid, and Pamplona. Further afield is the breathtaking train ride through the mountains to Madrid, Spain's largest city, and other parts of Spain. Santander is also ideally situated for excursions to Spain's neighbors: France to the immediate northeast, including nearby popular resorts like Biarritz and Bayonne, or only about three hours away by car or bus. Portugal is not far to the west. There is also a fast and convenient ferry that connects Santander directly with England!
PROGRAM DETAILS
Administrative Staff
Assistant Dean Calvin D. Peeler is the stateside director responsible for planning and overall administration of the program, and he will be the on-site director during the program. All initial inquiries should be directed to him at: 714-444-4141 ext 228 or cpeeler@law.whittier.edu or his executive assistant, Maria Harris at: 714-444-4141 ext 265 or mharris@law.whittier.edu.
Grading
Students are required to attend and participate actively in all classes. All students receive a course grade based on class participation and either a paper or an exam administered at the end of each course. When a course is designated as a seminar, which requires a paper, the deadline for submission will be determined entirely by the professor. Please be advised that in the past, some professors have required that a final paper be turned in by the end of the program. However, other professors have given longer periods of time occasionally requiring additional reading and/or research after the program ends. All final exams are administered at the end of the program. The acceptance of any credit or grade for these courses by any school other than Whittier Law School is subject to determination by that school.
Access to Computers & Internet
Service
There are a limited number of computers available at the university. Internet cafes are available throughout the city and the price varies. Students strongly recommend taking your own notebook/laptop computer particularly for those courses that require papers or written assignments.
Report of Grades
Please be advised that given the unique nature of the summer programs, professors have more time to report the final grades. Although some professors report grades earlier than the deadline for submission, you should be aware that you are not likely to learn of the grades in all of your summer courses until approximately six weeks after the program has ended. The Law School will make every effort to advise you of your summer grades as quickly as they are reported by the teaching faculty.
Registration
The program is open to law students who have completed their first year of full or part time study by the time the program begins. Law graduates may be admitted as auditors. All students, except Whittier students, must submit a letter of good standing from the Dean or Registrar of their school. Enrollment may be limited, and applications will be considered as they are completed. You may apply by completing and signing an application form and sending it to Summer Abroad Programs, Whittier Law School, 3333 Harbor Boulevard, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. The application deadline is March 1, 2010. Applications will be considered once completed. Late applications will be considered only if space is available.
Tuition Payment Schedule
The total tuition for Whittier Law School’s Summer Program in Santander, Spain will be $4,000. The tuition includes classroom instruction.
The payment schedule is as follows:
1) $50 Non-refundable application fee if received between February 2 - March 1, 2010 ($75 for applications postmarked after March 1, 2010).
2) All fees (tuition, housing, & program activity fees) due by April 16, 2010.
Note: Please be advised that your space in the program is not guaranteed until you submit final payment. If you fail to comply with the payment scheduled, your space may be given to another applicant.
Financial Aid
Please visit the link below for more information.
Financial
Aid Information
Payments & Refunds
The last day to withdraw from the program and receive a refund will be May 1, 2010. Should a student decide to withdraw from a program, s/he must submit in writing a letter of declaration setting forth an intention to withdraw no later than the close of business on May 1. A student who withdraws from a program by May 1 will receive a full refund of all tuition and housing fees but not the $50 non-refundable application fee. There will be no refunds of tuition fees or housing fees after May 1.
Absolutely No Refunds After May
1
Please be advised that the Program Directors make early commitments to secure housing, purchase materials and pay for other program expenses based upon the number of participants determined shortly after the March 15 application deadline. Therefore, it will not be possible for Whittier Law School to accept requests for refunds of tuition or housing fees after the May 1 deadline to withdraw. A student who withdraws from a program after that date will forfeit all fees.
Withdrawal After Summer Program
Begins
Whittier Law School will not refund tuition or housing fees under any circumstance after the program begins, not even in the event that a student withdraws for reasons beyond his or her control, i.e., academic disqualification, medical emergencies, etc. Therefore, it is very important that each student weigh carefully his or her decision to participate in one of Whittier Law School’s Summer Abroad Programs. Since no tuition or housing fee will be refunded under any circumstance after May 1, students are encouraged to consider Tuition Insurance. You may inquire with the Assistant Dean of Student Advising for additional information regarding Tuition Insurance.
Program Cancellation by Whittier
Law School
Whittier Law School reserves the right to cancel or alter the Summer Abroad Programs. The programs are subject to cancellation if the enrollment is insufficient or if a State Department travel warning has been issued. Any cancellation or substantive alteration of the program will be promptly communicated to all applicants. In the event that a Summer Abroad Program is cancelled by Whittier Law School, all tuition and fees will be returned.
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Travel
Fly to Bilbao, take a bus to Santander; fly to Madrid, take a train to Santander; or fly from Madrid directly to Santander.
Program participants are entirely responsible for arrangement and payment of all travel to and from the program site. For all American students, a valid American passport will be required. If you are not an American citizen or are ineligible for an American passport, you should consult with the nearest consulate for the country where the Summer Abroad Program will be held to obtain information about the necessary travel documents during your stay.
Medical Insurance
Whittier Law School assumes no responsibility for medical care or costs, and students may be required to show proof of health insurance that covers medical expenses incurred abroad. You are advised to check with your medical insurance provider to see if your current medical insurance covers emergency medical care while overseas. If it does not, you are strongly encouraged to consider buying supplemental medical and hospital coverage for the period of your stay overseas. You might inquire with your medical provider, insurance agent or travel agent.
Students are also strongly encouraged to
obtain medical evacuation insurance. Such insurance may be
obtained from various providers including, but not limited
to, the following possible providers: Travel Assistance International,
(800) 821.2828, www.travelassistance.com; Global Travel
Insurance, (800) 232.9145, www.globaltravelinsurance.com;
and Travel Insurance Services, (800) 937.1387, www.travelinsure.com; The Gateway Plans
www.gatewayplans.com;
Wallach & Company Inc. www.wallach.com.
2010 Courses
The program focuses on International &
Comparative Law.
Click
here for class schedule:
Women Law & Culture 2 units - Professor Patricia Leary
This class is based on the relationship between three ideas: 1) oppression of women is cross-cultural; 2) the particular forms that this oppression takes is influenced by the culture in which women live; and 3) that law is a reflection of culture and thus creates and supports systems of oppression. The methodology of this course will seek a balance between the extremes of ignoring the conditions of women’s lives and challenging these conditions from a position of cultural superiority.
Introduction to Spanish Law (Family Law) 2 units – Professor Sonia Martin
This course will survey the developments of Spanish law beginning with the Roman Empire to the present. Some attention will be given to the historical roots and influence of ancient Moorish and Jewish cultures as well as understanding the ramifications of the end of the Franco dictatorship. A significant portion of the course will be devoted to introducing students to modem Spanish civil law and its legal system.
Community Property 2 units - Professor Calvin Peeler
An examination of the classification of property, its management and control, and its distribution upon dissolution of the community according to California law.
Basic Problems of Equality and Liberty (International) 2 units - Professor Darren Rosenblum
This course examines the international law of gender and sexuality. The course will explore international conventions such as the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and other international agreements related to gender and sexuality such as the Yogyakarta Principles. We will evaluate the significance and limitations of international law in influencing individual countries' norms by examining the responses of governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and legal institutions to these international norms. Our goal is to understand what role international legal structures and processes play in facilitating (or obstructing) equality movements.
Comparative Law & Sexuality
2 units – Professor Seval Yildirim
"This course is a survey of how different legal systems, secular and religious, construct and regulate various aspects of human sexuality. Among the topics we will discuss are marriage as a socio-legal institution, minority sexualities, prostitution and pornography in different countries including the U.S., India, Turkey and Israel. Aside from a collection of readings, we will watch documentaries about different contexts.
Juvenile Law Advocacy 1 unit – Professor Jacquelyn Gentry
The course provides an examination through simulation and discussion of the special legal rules and principles applicable to child dependency trials and appeals, including mandatory mediation, detention, disposition, and jurisdictional hearings, writs, and appeals. Practical strategies for child witness, and for medical and psychological expert witness examination are discussed. In addition, discussion of the comparable system in Spain and possibly other European countries may be included.
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Comparative Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Couples: 1 unit – Professor Brad Sears
Scandinavia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Latin America
This course will explore the legal treatment of lesbian and gay relationships, comparing the legal status of lesbian and gay couples in the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden and other European nations with the treatment of such couples in the United States. The course will explore recent developments in the United States, including the Massachusetts marriage decision, Vermont's Civil Union law, Hawaii's Reciprocal Benefits approach and the efforts to enact a "Defense of Marriage" constitutional amendment.
The Struggle for Marriage Equality 1 unit - Professor Evan Wolfson
This course will explore the struggle for marriage equality by examining the legal arguments that have been made to challenge and support laws that deny marriage equality for same-sex couples.
International Reproductive Technologies 1 unit – Professor Judith Daar
This course will explore the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART), including artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, preimplantation genetic diagnosis, egg and sperm donation, and surrogate parenting arrangements, for purposes of family formation by the LGBT community. Several questions surrounding the use of ART will be explored, including: 1) what is the parental status of offspring born to biologic and intended parents, 2) what are the civil and criminal harms when mix-ups occur in the laboratory and child are born to unintended parents, and 3) what barrier to ART access do members of the LGBT community experience because of their marital or health status. Time permitting, the current debate over stem cell research and human reproductive cloning will be explored.
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Comparative Juvenile Criminal Law 1 unit – Professor Robert Somers
Comparative Juvenile Criminal Adjudication: This survey course examines how the United States and major foreign criminal justice systems adjudicate criminal offenses by minors. Additionally, the course reviews controversies in juvenile justice and reviews the relationship between delinquency theories and the examined justice systems.
Health Law 1 unit – Dr. Kathy Anderson
This course will familiarize the law students with the world of health care professionals. Being taught by a physician and attorney, the students will get a sense of the training, life, and legal concerns of health care professionals. In addition, the basic laws that govern the world of medicine will be discussed, along with concerns regarding the "new world order" that is anticipated in this field. Health care for all, and how effectively it can be administered will also be covered.
Transgender Law 1 unit – Professor Shannon Minter
Members of the transgender community face hatred, discrimination and violence. This course will explore the legal issues facing members of the transgender community. The course will cover transgender family law issues; the rights of intersex and transgender children; and laws prohibiting employment and housing discrimination against transgender individuals. The course will also discuss the use of disability laws to protect transgender people.
Housing Payment Schedule
Full housing payment is due by April 16, 2010.
Housing Accommodations
Whittier Law School has secured housing accommodations for all program participants. Although most students choose to reside in the program housing, it is not a requirement to participate in the academic program. Participants are permitted to negotiate their own housing arrangements. However, Whittier Law School assumes no responsibility for housing you choose on your own. The program housing is a location for occasional group gatherings and is a central location for posting notices to program participants. If you choose to find your own housing, you will be responsible for obtaining all program information posted at the program housing.
Participants may choose to stay in program housing: Apartamentos Las Brisas and Hotel Las Brisas. Both facilities are located approximately two or three blocks from the beach and within walking distance to the university. The walk to the University usually takes 20 to 30 minutes, and there are regular buses for those who do not wish to walk.
Please note that the housing units are similar but different. There is a limited number of each choice described below. Priority will be given to successful early applicants.
Housing Costs:
For Spain 2010 Program Housing click on link
Hotel:
Although we encourage students to stay in our program housing at Las Brisas, we do not require it. Many program announcements are made at the program housing facilities, and we usually leave for trips and tours from the program housing. In the past, and on occasion, a few students have found alternative housing through connections and over the internet. Please be advised that we assume no responsibility for housing that you find on your own. Below is a link for shared housing in student facilities, including hostels that might interest you if the program housing costs exceed your budget. We share this site for your convenience, but we do not endorse it or make any representations of the quality or quantity of alternative housing units available through it.
Click Here
Externships
Two externships are available, separate
from or together with the Summer Abroad experience. Spanish
language fluency is required. See Program Director, Assistant Dean Calvin Peeler to apply.
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