Constitutional Law and Civil Rights

Few areas of the law are as pervasive as constitutional law, and Penn State Law students in this field of study explore some of the most important issues facing our nation today. Opportunities to practice take the form of the Center for Immigrants’ Rights Clinic and Civil Rights Appellate Clinic, externships with federal judges, and the Semester in Washington.

Students may earn Concentration recognition in Constitutional Law and Civil Rights using courses from the Selected Courses section below.  J.D. students must earn a minimum of 12 credits and LL.M. students a minimum of 9 credits.  A minimum grade of ‘C’ is required for each course being used toward this Concentration. Upon verification of completion, students will receive a document of recognition.

Declare your intent to complete this Concentration - Concentration Declaration Application

Constitutional Law and Civil Rights Faculty

Courses

• Administrative Law
• Advanced Criminal Procedure
• Children and the Law
• Comparative Constitutional Law Seminar
• Constitutional Law I (LLMs Only)
• Critical Race & Feminist Legal Theory
• Election Law
• Employment Discrimination
• Equal Protection & Civil Rights 
• Family Law
• Federal Courts
• Federal Court Practice
• Federal Crimes
• First Amendment
• Higher Education Law and Practice
• Human Rights, Intersectionality, and the Law
• Immigration Law
• International Human Rights Seminar
• Law and (In)equity
• Law and Sexuality
• Law of the Police Seminar
• National Security Law I (Foundations)
• National Security Law II
• Street Law
• The Constitutional Law of Religion
• The Supreme Court Seminar

Clinics:

• Advanced Immigration Clinic
• Center for Immigrants’ Rights Clinic
• Civil Rights Appellate Clinic
• Criminal Appellate & Post-Conviction Services Clinic
• Indigent Criminal Justice Trial Clinic
• Manglona Lab for Gender and Economic Equity

Additional Experiential Opportunities

• Externships*
• Externships Everywhere* 
• Semester in Washington*

*Associate Dean for Academic Affairs approval required: Will count towards the concentration if the work is related to the concentration.