Centers & Programs

Study Abroad

The application deadline for all summer law programs is March 1, 2013.

Whittier Law School offers five Study Abroad programs accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).

Barcelona, Spain

UNIVERSITAT DE BARCELONA
in Collaboration with the UCLA Williams Institute
Dates to be announced for Summer 2013


Barcelona is located on the Mediterranean Sea, at the foot of the Pyrenées Mountains, and a short distance from the Spanish Balearic Islands (Mallorca and Ibiza). One of the most visited cities in Europe, Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain and world renowned for its art, architecture and beautiful beaches. It is the capital of Catalunya which is Spain’s most politically progressive autonomous community. The academic program focuses on sexual orientation law.

Director: Associate Dean Calvin D. Peeler

Mexico City, Mexico

UNIVERSIDAD IBEROAMERICANA
June 9 – June 28, 2013

Located in elegant district of Santa Fe, and just a short distance from the heart of Mexico City, the Universidad Iberoamericana is a beautiful campus with state-of-the-art facilities including an extensive library, beautiful gardens, athletic facilities, a campus cathedral, and various restaurants at very reasonable prices. Mexico City is the Federal District, the capital of Mexico, and the seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is Mexico’s largest city as well as its most important political, cultural, educational and financial district. Just two hours away are the breathtaking Teotihuacan Pyramids. The program includes various legal and cultural tours.

Director: Professor Peter Reich

France

UNIVERSITÉ DE TOULOUSE
June 28-July 26, 2013

Toulouse is the fourth largest city in France, located in the beautiful Southwest, midway between the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Scenically nestled along the Garonne River and the romantic Canal du Midi, the city is renowned for its historic monuments and red brick architecture for which it is known as “la ville rose.” Thirty minutes away is Carcassonne, a world renowned medieval fortified city, and the Pyrenees Mountains are located an hour south of the city. Toulouse is also one of the bases of the European aerospace industry and the largest space center in Europe. Its university is world class and one of Europe’s oldest with the third largest campus in France.

Director: Professor Robert Webster

Israel

BAR-ILAN UNIVERSITY
June 30-July 25, 2013


Students reside in the modern and beautiful cosmopolitan city of Tel Aviv, Israel’s second largest city which sits along the Mediterranean coastline with stunning beaches, history, culture and nightlife for which it is known as “The City That Never Sleeps.” Students travel by private bus to classes at the prestigious Bar Ilan University in Ramat Gan. The Israel program provides a one-of-a-kind cultural experience, including optional tours to the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River, Nazareth, Eilat, the lost city of Petra in Jordan, and Cairo and its famous pyramids.

Director: Professor Neil Cogan

China

NANJING UNIVERSITY
July 14-August 2, 2013

A historic ancient capital of China, Nanjing is approximately 200 miles west of Shanghai and nearby to the inspiring Purple Mountains. The program includes three days in Beijing [airfare not included] and a tour of The Great Wall of China!

Director: Professor Jennifer Mertus

U.S. States Department Information

Information on foreign travel, current travel advisories, and safety information for the country of your choice is available from the U.S. State Department on its website located at: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis_pa_tw_1168.html You .should regularly check this site for up to date travel advisories and safety updates.

General Information

2012 Program Demographics

  Whittier Law Students Visiting Students Total Participants
Santander, Spain 19 0 19
Mexico City, Mexico 11 1 12
Toulouse, France 26 0 26
Tel Aviv/Ramat Gan, Israel 1 11 12
Nanjing, China 30 1 31
Barcelona, Spain 11 6 17

Access to Computers & Internet Service

It is strongly recommended for students to bring their own notebook/laptop computer, particularly for those courses that require papers or written assignments.

Grading

Students are required to attend all classes and participate actively in all classes. All students receive a course grade based on class participation and a required paper or exam administered at the end of each course. Seminar classes have limited enrollment and require regular class participation. For seminars, students may be required to make group or individual presentations, and typically the most significant component of the final grade is determined by a research paper of approximately 10-15 pages per unit of credit to be determined by the professor.

All Whittier Summer Abroad Courses are graded by using the same grading system used for the on-campus program. We do not offer courses on a Pass/No Pass basis except for units earned for Externships, Independent Study projects, and clinical or extern units. Professors report numerical grades based on a 4.0 point system as follows:

  • A 3.6 – 4.0 (Excellent)
  • B 3.0 – 3.5 (Good)
  • C 2.5 – 2.9 (Satisfactory)
  • C- 2.3 – 2.4 (Below Average)
  • D 1.8 – 2.2 (Poor)
  • F 1.7 (Failure)

Reporting of Grades

Whittier Law School will report all grades once they are reported and finalized by the professors. Generally, grades are due no later than six weeks after the end of the program. Non-Whittier students must inquire with their home school for policies regarding accepting courses and transferring credit for courses taken at Whittier law school’s summer programs. Whether credit will be accepted and how grades will be reported at the home school is entirely at the discretion of each student’s home school.

Grading Normalization

For more information regarding Whittier Law School’s grading normalization policies, please see Whittier Law School’s Policies and Procedures.

Visiting Students

The acceptance of any credit or grade for courses completed in a Whittier Summer Program by any law school other than Whittier Law School is subject to determination by the home school.

Admissions

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.

The application deadline is March 1, 2013. Early applications are encouraged as program enrollment may be limited. Applications received after the March 1 deadline will be considered only if space is available.

You may request an application from the Law School or print the form from this site. For your convenience, you may submit your application(s) and the required fee(s) by mail, email, fax, or in person to:

Office of International Relations
Whittier Law School
3333 Harbor Boulevard
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Fax: (714) 444-0855
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Attn: Jennifer Maniscalco

A complete application consists of a completed application form, and a non-refundable application fee of $100, payable by Visa, MasterCard or personal check. (Checks should be made payable to Whittier Law School. The application fee must accompany the application at the time of submission.)

Participant File

A complete file consists of all of the following:

  1. Completed application form
  2. A letter of good standing from the Registrar of your law school (not required of Whittier Law School students). Students on Academic Probation are discouraged from applying, but will be considered on a case by case basis
  3. Copy of your valid U.S.passport [should be valid for the duration of your study abroad]
  4. Signed Acceptance Letter
  5. Signed Participation Agreement
  6. Signed Tuition Agreement

Residency Requirements

It is unlikely that participation in foreign summer programs may be used to accelerate graduation. Whittier Law students interested in acceleration should consult with the Student Affairs office to review this issue in light of Standard 305, Interpretation 4. Non-Whittier students should consult with their home school.

Course Registration

You will be required to select your courses no later than the March 1 application deadline. For some programs, there are several course choices. In order for the Program Director to know whether all courses will be adequately subscribed, we require early registration. For your convenience, we have included on each program website course descriptions and a course plan or syllabus for each course to enable you to make your selections. This information is critical for planning the operation of our programs so that we are certain to offer courses that interest you. In the event that a course for which you have enrolled is undersubscribed, we will notify you promptly so that you can consider alternative choices. Courses with insufficient enrollment will be cancelled.

Add/Drop Period: March 1 – 8, 2013

We must make early commitments of financial resources to operate our summer programs, including faculty assignments. Therefore, we will offer a very limited opportunity to add or drop a class after the registration deadline. Please consider carefully your course selections. You may change your registration until March 8 without consequence. Any request to add or drop a class(es) after March 8 will require an additional administrative fee of $25 per course.

Deadlines & Payment Schedule

Application Deadline: March 1, 2013. Applications received after this date will be considered only if space is available.

First Tuition Deposit Deadline: March 15, 2013. $200 Deposit Due

Final Tuition Balance & Housing Payment Deadline: April 1, 2013. (If you are applying for financial aid, please advise us.)

Last day to withdraw with no tuition obligation: April 1, 2013.

Requests to withdraw must be made in writing, and submitted or postmarked on or before April 1, 2013. Notices of withdrawal received after April 17 will not be considered for tuition/fee relief. Any program participant who withdraws after April 1 will be responsible for the full price of tuition and/or other non-refundable fees.

Failure to Comply With Deadlines

PLEASE NOTE: Failure to comply with a deadline will not automatically withdraw you from a program(s) to which you have applied and been admitted. Your failure to meet a defined deadline may subject you to an additional administrative fee. To request exemption from a deadline and avoid a fee, please contact the Office of International Relations.

Financial Aid

Please see Study Abroad – Financial Aid

Withdrawal Policy

Admitted students are automatically enrolled in the program(s) and counted for purposes of program plans upon submitting the signed acceptance letter. Should a student decide to withdraw from a program(s), s/he must submit in writing a “Letter of Declaration” setting forth an intention to withdraw no later than the close of business on April 1, 2013. For timely requests for withdrawal, all appropriate tuition and/or fees will be refunded within 10 business days of receipt of a letter of withdrawal. Failure to withdraw by April 1 will subject a student to tuition obligations as well as other fees the Law School has advanced on his or her behalf.

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 application deadline. Additionally, the Law School makes non-refundable financial commitments to faculty, program activities, and foreign hosts based upon the anticipated student tuition revenue at the time of registration. Therefore, it will not be possible for Whittier Law School to accept requests for refunds and/or relief of commitment to pay tuition or housing fees after the April 1, 2013 deadline to withdraw. A student who withdraws from a program after that date will be liable for all fees and tuition.

Please be advised that once you withdraw from a summer program, there will be a $50 fee to reactivate your application and reserve your space in the program in the event that you subsequently change your mind. We understand that a few of you may need to change your summer plans, and we are ready to assist you as best we can. We wish you all a wonderful and productive summer.

Notices of withdrawal received after April 1, 2013 will not be considered for refund or for tuition fee relief. Any program participant who withdraws after April 1, 2013 will be responsible for the full price of tuition and/or other non-refundable fees.

Withdrawal after the April 1 Deadline

Whittier Law School will not refund tuition or housing fees or grant relief from these financial obligations under any circumstance after the April 1 deadline, not even in the event that a student withdraws for reasons or misfortunes beyond his or her control, e.g., academic disqualification, financial aid disqualification, medical emergencies, or any other unforeseen circumstances, etc. Therefore, it is very important that each student weigh carefully his or her decision to participate in one of Whittier Law School’s Study Abroad Programs. Since no tuition or housing fee will be refunded under any circumstance after April 1, students are encouraged to consider Tuition Insurance. You may inquire with the Jennifer Maniscalco for additional information regarding Tuition Insurance.

Changes in Course Offerings or Other Significant Aspects of the Program by Whittier Law School

Whittier Law School reserves the right to cancel or alter the Study Abroad Programs. The programs, or specific courses advertised, are subject to cancellation if the enrollment is insufficient or if a State Department travel warning has been issued for the country or area where the program will take place. Any cancellation or material alteration of the program will be promptly communicated to all enrolled participants. In the event that Whittier Law School decides to cancel, significantly change the course offerings, or make other material changes to a program, students will be notified and given the opportunity to withdraw without financial penalty. All tuition and all fees will be promptly returned. In the event of program cancellation, the Associate Dean for International Relations will assist displaced registrants to find suitable alternative summer programs.

Students on Academic Notice

Students typically learn their GPA in June after all grades have been submitted and published. It is particularly important that you carefully weigh whether you should apply to a Summer Abroad program if there is an apparent risk of academic disqualification. After April 1, 2013, no one is excused from financial commitments, even when disqualified and even when student loans are cancelled.

Program Enrollees Who Subsequently Learn That They Are Academically Disqualified

Please be advised that if you fail to withdraw by the April 1 withdrawal deadline and subsequently learn that you are academically disqualified, we will hold you responsible for tuition fees and any other fees we cannot recover should you decide not to attend the summer abroad program. Therefore, we invite your participation. You will be welcome to take courses, participate in enrichment opportunities, and fully participate in all program activities.

Please note, however, that due to your disqualification you will be ineligible to earn law school units or credit for your participation in the courses you take abroad. If you have concerns about your plans to go abroad, please contact the Office of the Associate Dean for International Relations.

Program Cancellation by Whittier Law School

Whittier Law School reserves the right to cancel or alter the Study Abroad Programs. The programs are subject to cancellation if the enrollment is insufficient or if a State Department travel warning has been issued for the country or area where the program will take place. Any cancellation or material alteration of the program will be promptly communicated to all applicants. In the event that Whittier Law School cancels a Study Abroad Program or makes a material alteration to the academic curriculum of any program, we will promptly return all tuition and all fees. In the event of cancellation, the Associate Dean for International Relations will assist all displaced registrants to find suitable alternative summer programs.

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.

Additionally, students are 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 , http://www.travelassistance.com; Global Travel Insurance, (800) 232.9145 , http://www.globaltravelinsurance.com; and Travel Insurance Services, (800) 937.1387 , http://www.travelinsure.com; The Gateway Plans http://www.gatewayplans.com; Wallach & Company Inc. http://www.wallach.com; BETiNS, (866) 552-8834 , http://www.betins.com.

Housing

Most programs provide housing for students; some do not. Please see the specific program information for the country that interests you.

Housing Payment Schedule

Full housing payment is due by April 1, 2013.

Please note: Should program housing be limited, priority will be given to early applicants.

The housing costs will vary by program, and depending on whether you choose single or double occupancy accommodations.

Administrative Staff

Calvin D. Peeler
Associate Dean for International Relations
Email:” .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)”:mailto:cpeeler@law.whittier.edu
Phone: (714) 444-4141 × 110
Fax: (714) 444-0855

Jennifer Maniscalco
Executive Assistant for International Relations
Email:” .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)”:mailto:jenniferm@law.whittier.edu
Phone: (714) 444-4141 × 111
Fax: (714) 444-0855

Upcoming Events

Surrogacy Laws Across the Country
January 24, 2013 12:00pm-2:00pm

Open House - January 26
January 26, 2013 10:00am-1:30pm

Orange County MCLE Alumni Luncheon
January 30, 2013 12:00pm-1:15pm