American Bar Association Statement
In accordance with Paragraph I.A.3 of the American Bar Association’s Criteria for Student Study at a Foreign Institution as amended March 2014, the following is a statement of the educational objectives that the University of Pittsburgh School of Law seeks to achieve in allowing our students to study abroad for credit towards the JD degree:
The University of Pittsburgh has committed itself to the strategic goal of embracing a global perspective, in part by enriching the student experience through expanded opportunities for study abroad. Such a perspective is of critical importance for students who are preparing to practice law in an increasingly interconnected world, where the legal knowledge and cultural exposure provided by a period of study abroad will be of immense value, whether in serving the needs of a diverse clientele at home or in representing clients in a globalized marketplace.
Accordingly, the University of Pittsburgh School of Law is committed to assist its students to enroll, and to award them credit as appropriate for their participation, in opportunities for substantive legal study abroad that are directed towards one or more of the following educational objectives:
(a) to learn about the laws and legal systems of one or more jurisdictions outside the United States;
(b) to deepen their understanding of the U.S. legal system by placing it within a comparative legal framework;
(c) to prepare themselves for the practice of law within a transnational context, including by study in the area of international commercial law, international dispute resolution, and other areas of both public and private international law; and
(d) to better prepare themselves to counsel clients from diverse language and cultural backgrounds through immersion in a foreign language and culture.
Note regarding The Order of the Coif: In keeping with the requirements of The Order of the Coif, students are only eligible for Coif membership if they complete at least 75% of their law studies in graded courses. Any credits transferred without grades will not count toward this requirement. See also the law school's Academic Standards web page to read about the applicability of study abroad grades in determination of graduation honors.
Safety Information
The University's Study Abroad Office publishes a Health and Safety Handbook that includes information on immunizations, medications, sexually transmitted diseases, cultural sensitivity, and documentation.