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About USC Gould
USC Gould is a top-ranked law school with a 120-year history and reputation for academic excellence. We are located on the beautiful 228-acre USC University Park Campus, just south of downtown Los Angeles.
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USC Gould helps prepare you for a stellar legal career. You can pursue a JD degree, one of our numerous graduate and international offerings, or an online degree or certificate.
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We work closely with students, graduates and employers to support successful career goals and outcomes. Our overall placement rate is consistently strong, with 94 percent of our JD class employed within 10 months after graduation.
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Our faculty is distinguished for its scholarship, as well as for its commitment to teaching. Our 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio creates an intimate and collegial learning environment.
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Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Certificate - JD
USC Gould School of Law
- DEGREES
- CERTIFICATES
- + AREAS OF CONCENTRATION
- ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
- BUSINESS LAW
- MEDIA, ENTERTAINMENT AND TECHNOLOGY LAW
- PUBLIC INTEREST LAW
- + EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
- UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
- CORPORATE AND CUSTOM EDUCATION
- + NON-DEGREE PROGRAMS
- ACADEMIC CALENDAR
- COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
- BAR ADMISSIONS
Earning a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in addition to the JD degree provides grounding and hands-on preparation in managing conflicts between parties. It also demonstrates specialized training in this growing field.
Students have the option of choosing between two tracks — mediation or arbitration. However, a track is not required to satisfy the certificate requirements.
Students may earn multiple certificates offered by USC Gould. Some courses count toward more than one certificate.
Certificate Requirements
To earn the certificate, students must take at least 12 units of mandatory and elective courses as outlined below. No more than 4 units counted toward the certificate may be taken CR/D/F.
The ADR courses emphasize the importance of acquiring both strong legal skills and familiarity with business concepts. The curriculum features a combination of lecture-style and skill-based courses taught in a workshop format.
Required Courses
- ADR Law and Policy, Arbitration and Mediation
Students also must take their choice of the following:
- ADR Clause Drafting, or
- Cross-Cultural Dispute Resolution, or
- International Arbitration
The remaining credits must be chosen from the following electives:
Arbitration Track
- ADR Clause Drafting (if not selected as a mandatory course)
- Arbitration Advocacy
- Cross-Cultural Dispute Resolution (if not selected as a mandatory course)
- Arbitration in the United States
- International Arbitration (if not selected as a mandatory course)
- International Investment Law and Arbitration
- Labor Arbitration
- International Arbitration Competition (two-semester course)
- Practicums/Externships
Mediation Track
- Cross-Cultural Dispute Resolution (if not selected as a mandatory course)
- Employment Dispute Mediation
- Family Law Mediation Clinic
- International Negotiation and Mediation
- Mediation Clinic (yearlong course)
- Advanced Mediation Clinic (typically a yearlong course)
- Mediation Advocacy
- Negotiation Skills
- Negotiation Theory and Application
- Practicums/Externships
- Mock Mediation and Mediation Competitions
Not all courses are offered every year.
Students may petition to waive any required or elective course if they have taken an equivalent course outside of the law school as part of another graduate degree.
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