The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to provide students with a strong foundation in legal principles and practical skills. The first-year program is rigorous and mandatory, focusing on core subjects essential for legal practice.
- Civil Procedure: Explores the rules governing the process of civil litigation, including jurisdiction, venue, pleadings, discovery, and trial procedures.
- Constitutional Law: Examines the structure of the U.S. government, separation of powers, federalism, and individual rights under the Constitution.
- Contracts: Covers the formation, performance, breach, and remedies associated with contractual agreements, including common law and UCC principles.
- Criminal Law: Studies the elements of crimes, defenses, and the principles of criminal liability, with an emphasis on substantive law.
- Property: Introduces real and personal property concepts, including estates in land, conveyancing, landlord-tenant law, and intellectual property basics.
- Torts: Analyzes civil wrongs such as negligence, intentional torts, strict liability, and damages, preparing students for litigation and counseling roles.
- Legal Research and Writing: Develops skills in legal analysis, writing memos, briefs, and oral advocacy through practical exercises.
Upper-level courses allow for specialization in diverse areas. Students can pursue advanced studies in:
- Business Law: Including Corporations, Securities Regulation, Mergers and Acquisitions, and International Business Transactions, equipping students for corporate practice.
- International and Comparative Law: Courses like Public International Law, European Union Law, and Human Rights Law address global legal issues.
- Intellectual Property: Covers patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets, with a focus on innovation and technology law.
- Criminal Justice: Advanced topics in Evidence, Criminal Procedure, White Collar Crime, and Sentencing provide depth in prosecution and defense.
- Environmental and Public Interest Law: Includes Environmental Law, Climate Change Policy, and Administrative Law, emphasizing advocacy for societal good.
- Health Law: Explores bioethics, healthcare policy, FDA regulation, and medical malpractice.
- Taxation: Fundamentals of federal income tax, corporate tax, and international tax planning.
- Family and Elder Law: Domestic relations, child welfare, and estate planning.
Electives also include clinics and experiential learning opportunities, such as the Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic, Environmental Law Clinic, and Federal Criminal Justice Clinic, where students represent real clients under supervision. Seminars on emerging topics like cybersecurity law, AI ethics, and social justice round out the offerings. The curriculum integrates interdisciplinary approaches, drawing from Penn's strengths in business, medicine, and social policy. Joint degree programs with Wharton, Medicine, and Social Policy enhance options. Overall, the program fosters critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and professional competence, preparing graduates for diverse careers in law firms, government, academia, and public service. With small class sizes and renowned faculty, Carey Law ensures personalized education and cutting-edge scholarship.
