The University of Montana School of Law

American Indian Law Certificate

The Certificate Program is designed for law students who wish to acquire an in-depth knowledge of American Indian law and who are willing to commit the time and effort necessary to achieve a level of specialization in their legal education. The Certificate Program provides students the opportunity to graduate from law school with a credential recognizing their concentration and accomplishment in this field. Because we believe specialization in law school should not come at the expense of a well-rounded legal education, we require students in the Certificate Program to complete 95 hours compared to 90 credit hours for students outside the Certificate Program. In most cases, this additional credit load can be completed within the normal three academic years of law school.

Upon successful completion of the certificate program, the certificate is noted officially on the student's transcript.

If you wish to pursue a certificate program, you must notify the Associate Dean of the School of Law as soon as you decide to do so, but in no case later than the beginning of your second year of law school.

American Indian Law Certificate Requirements:

1. Earn a total of 95 credits (five credits more than required for the J.D.)
2. Take the following course:
   • Federal Indian Law
     
     
3. Take nine credits from the following certificate elective courses:
   • Advanced Problems in Indian Law
   • American Indian Natural Resource Law
   • Tribal Court/Tribal Law
   • Water Law
   • NALSA Moot Court (Only 2 credits of NALSA Moot Court may count toward completion of the American Indian Law Certificate.)
   • Indian Gaming
   • Indian Child Welfare Act
   • Tribal State Relations
   • Current Issues in Indian Law and Policy
   • American Indian Cultural and Religious Freedoms
   • Economic Development Within Indian Country
   • Tribal Criminal Law and Procedure
   • Approved Independent Study course related to Indian law issues (Students may only take up to two credits of Independent Study.)
4. Take at least four credits from the following clinical and skills courses:
   • Indian Law Clinic (If a student takes more than 4 clinic credits in an approved clinic, the excess credits may be used to fulfill the 9 credit Certificate Elective Requirement.)
   • Clinic approved by the Director of the Indian Law Clinic and the Clinic Director
5. Successfully complete the advanced writing requirement in an area addressing an Indian law topic. To assure that a Third-Year Writing Assignment satisfies this requirement, the student must receive approval of the proposal by the Associate Dean's designate. The Associate Dean's designate is to review the writing topic and the final writing of every certificate program student.