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- About
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.
- Academics
Academics
Learn about our interdisciplinary curriculum, experiential learning opportunities and specialized areas.
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- Admissions
Admissions
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.
- Students
Students
Participate in an unparalleled learning experience with diversity of people and thought. Get involved in the law school community and participate in activities that enhance your studies.
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- Careers
Careers
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.
- Faculty
Faculty
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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Curriculum - Master of Comparative Law (MCL)
USC Gould School of Law
- MASTER OF COMPARATIVE LAW (MCL) DEGREE
- APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
- CAREER AND BAR
- CURRICULUM
- CAMPUS HOUSING
- + TUITION AND FINANCIAL AID
- CONTACT US
Our scholarly yet practical approach ensures that you gain the skills and perspective every lawyer needs to practice, teach, enter public service or work in business.
You must complete a comparative law course and the MCL writing requirement through a Directed Research course. You will satisfy your remaining course requirements with electives of your choice. Course selection varies each semester depending on interest and availability.
In addition, you will attend classes and events with LLM and JD students, offering diverse perspectives and opportunities to get to know your peers — and future colleagues.
We can assist you with choosing courses that help prepare you to sit for the New York, California or District of Columbia (D.C.) bars. Prior to registration, our office of Graduate & International Programs will offer you guidance in determining which classes are needed to comply with bar and graduation requirements as well as meeting your specific interests and goals. See the Career and Bar page for more information.
Degree Requirements
The MCL is offered on a full-time basis only and begins in the fall semester. To earn the degree, you must attend all classes in person and successfully complete 24 academic units over two semesters. You may not transfer credit from work completed at other law schools.
You must enroll in a comparative law course and complete the writing requirement through a Directed Research course during the fall or spring semester. You may apply a minimum of two units and a maximum of four units of Directed Research toward the degree.
The following courses will satisfy the comparative law requirement for the MCL degree:
- Administrative Law
- ADR Law & Policy
- Business Organizations
- Cross-Cultural Dispute Resolution
- Counterterrorism, Privacy And Civil Liberties
- Foreign Relations & National Security Law
- Global Health, Law and Human Rights
- Global Regulatory Compliance
- Immigration Law
- Intellectual Property Licensing
- International Arbitration
- International Business Transactions
- International Criminal Law
- International Human Rights
- International Investment Law
- International Negotiation & Mediation
- International Trade Policy
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Negotiation Theory & Application
- Public International Law
- U.S. Foreign Policy And International Law
Course selection varies each semester depending on interest and availability.
