Animal Law Certificate
Animal law is a growing, dynamic field that encompasses and intersects with many other areas of the law, including property law, tort law, constitutional law, food law, and environmental law. The field of animal law tackles difficult practical questions about how to regulate the use of animals in major commercial sectors, as well as theoretical questions about animals’ legal status and what our legal system owes animals as a matter of justice. USF’s animal law program instructs students on how the legal system deals with the mistreatment and neglect of the billions of animals in factory farms, research labs, puppy mills, and roadside zoos.
To earn an Animal Law certificate, a student must:
- Complete at least nine units of approved course work in the subject area
- Complete a practicum requirement related to Animal Law
- Complete an upper-level writing requirement related to Animal Law
Required Courses
Students must complete 6 units from the list below:
-
Animal Law (3 units)
-
Animals & Justice Seminar (3 units)
Elective Courses
The following law school electives can be applied to the certificate. Not all law school electives are offered every year.
Students must complete 3 units from the list below:
- Animal Law (3 units)
- Animal Law & Policy (1 unit)
- Environmental Law (3 units)
- First Amendment Seminar (3 units)
- International Human Rights (3 units)
- Jurisprudence (3 units)
Practicum Requirement
To earn the certificate, a student must participate in an externship focused on animal law. Students can extern at public interest organizations, in private firms, or in government agencies.
Writing Requirement
The animal law certificate requires students to fulfill a certificate-specific writing requirement. Fulfilling the certificate writing requirement will also satisfy the law school’s writing requirement for graduation.
Students can satisfy the certificate writing requirement by completing a substantial research paper or memorandum analyzing an animal law issue. The paper must meet the standards for an upper-level research and writing requirement. It may be prepared in a course or through directed research with a professor.
Application
Students may apply during their second-to-last semester of law school. The Animal Law Certificate will become available beginning fall 2025.