Study Abroad
Can I study abroad as a Legal Studies major or minor?
YES! Many Legal Studies students can and do study abroad during their time at Northwestern.
When can I study abroad as a Legal Studies major or minor?
You can begin exploring possible study abroad options as early as your first year. There are opportunities to study abroad all terms, including the summer after your first year at NU.
Legal Studies majors must take 207 (usually offered in Spring Quarter) and then the Advanced Research Seminar (398-1 and 398-2) sequence in consecutive Fall-Winter quarters. Students enroll in the Advanced Research Seminar in their Junior or Senior year and should form their study abroad plans around this requirement. If you are applying to the Legal Studies major, you will be asked to indicate your study abroad plans so that the department will know which year you plan to take the Advanced Research Seminar.
If you plan to take the Advanced Research Seminar during the Fall and Winter of your Junior year, it is possible to study abroad during your Senior year at NU and even graduate abroad. However, students should be aware that it can take 2-4 months to receive a transcript from study abroad. If you are studying abroad during your final quarter at Northwestern, this will likely delay your actual date of graduation.
What classes can I take abroad?
Students hoping to get credit towards the Legal Studies major or minor should look for courses with significant legal content. The courses do not need to be within a host university’s Legal Studies department to be eligible for major/minor credit.
Students can also take courses outside Legal Studies to help fulfill other degree requirements, learn or improve on a language, or just to take advantage of the opportunity to learn something new.
You can read more about academic planning and choosing courses abroad on the GLO website.
What type of credit can I get from study abroad?
Students returning from study abroad may petition for courses with significant legal content to count towards legal studies major or minor requirements. While there is no limit to the number of Legal Studies elective credits from study abroad that might count towards your requirements, students should plan to complete all core courses for the major and minor at NU. To petition for Legal Studies elective credit, please complete the online Petition for Elective Credit online form.
Your Legal Studies adviser can help you identify what major/minor credit could be best taken abroad and your GLO adviser can help you identify programs that offer these types of credit.
Suggested Programs for Legal Studies Majors and Minors
Students participate in a wide variety of study abroad programs. These programs are highlighted because they have enrolled high numbers of Legal Studies majors or minors and/or have yielded credit toward the Legal Studies major.
European Union Studies, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology Exchange, University of Edinburgh, Bocconi University Exchange, Sciences Po-Paris Exchange, DIS Scandinavia: Copenhagen
Interested in other programs or other types of credit? Search for more study abroad options on the GLObal Gateway.
Next Steps
Unsure where to start? Check out the Get Started page for some helpful next steps. We also encourage you to meet with your major adviser to discuss your academic course plan and with a GLO adviser to learn more about the programs you're considering.