Certificate in Environmental and Land Use Law

As the world’s population continues to congregate in massive urban networks, demand will rise for services such as water, sewer, electricity, waste disposal, transportation, and social services - while pollution, conservation, and climate change remain pressing challenges.

The Environmental & Land Use Law certificate develops students’ knowledge and skills to work on the cross-functional teams necessary to address these complex challenges that cities will face, which cannot be solved by one type of professional working in isolation.

HIGHLIGHTS

B+

Best School for Environmental Law

2024 Spring preLaw Magazine

20

credit hours
to complete certificate

Faculty Advising

tailored to student's professional goals

Potential Careers

Real estate or land use attorney
Real estate development
Environmental attorney
Environmental compliance

City attorney
Counsel for federal or state agency
Counsel for environmental nonprofit organizations

Atlanta Advantage

Located in the heart of downtown with access to Atlanta’s landmarks, professional sports, global cuisine, cultural events and more.

A FEW STEPS

State Capitol
Federal and state courts
Major law firms and corporate offices
Atlanta Regional Commission
Local, state and federal government agencies

A FEW MILES

Delta Air Lines, The Home Depot, UPS +13 other Fortune 500 Companies
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region IV
Atlanta regional office of U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Region IV
Georgia Department of Transportation
Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Certificate Requirements

(minimum 21 credit hours)

Students must be in good academic standing, based on the successful completion of the first full year of law study, to participate in the certificate program. Students must remain in good standing to continue participation.

View College of Law Bulletin for requirement specifications

Required Courses (12 credit hours)

LAW 7101: Administrative Law (4 credit hours)
LAW 7200: Environmental Law (3 credit hours)
LAW 7200: Land Use Law (3 credit hours)
LAW 7494: Urban Fellows Program (2 credit hours)

Elective Courses (9 credit hours)

Additional courses in Environmental and Land Use Law may also qualify as certificate elective credits. Students signed up for the Environmental and Land Use Law Certificate are encouraged to discuss such courses with their faculty advisors.

LAW 7203: Natural Resources and Water Law (2 to 3 credit hours)
LAW 7204: Urban Environmental Law Seminar (2 to 3 credit hours)
LAW 7238: Hazardous Waste (2 to 3 credit hours)
LAW 7242: Advanced Land Use Law Seminar (2 to 3 credit hours)
LAW 7244: Public Health Law (2 to 3 credit hours)
LAW 7273: International Law (2 to 3 credit hours)
LAW 7277: International Human Rights (2 to 3 credit hours)
LAW 7355: Law and Emerging Technologies (2 to 3 credit hours)
LAW 7363: History of the Common Law in England and America (2 to 3 credit hours)
LAW 7375: Legislation (2 to 3 credit hours)
LAW 7385: State and Local Government Law (2 to 3 credit hours)
LAW 7397: International Perspective on Urban Law and Policy (2 to 3 credit hours)
LAW 7435: Real Estate Transactions (2 to 3 credit hours)
LAW 7500: Water Rights (2 to 3 credit hours)
LAW 7614: Urban Economic and Environmental Sustainability: Law, Policy & Culture
LAW 7201: International Environmental Law
LAW 7437: Advanced Real Estate Transactions
LAW 7319: Wildlife Law
LAW 7064: Animal Law
LAW 7164: Seminar on Corporate Governance (*paper topic must be pre-approved to use as an elective towards the certificate)
LAW 7018: The Endangered Species Act

Graduate Electives in Other Colleges and Departments

Because the practice of environmental and land use law is interdisciplinary and cross-professional, students pursuing this certificate program may enroll in up to 6 credits of appropriate graduate courses offered by other departments at Georgia State University or by Georgia Tech’s School of City and Regional Planning. Approval from course instructors may be required. Students must also obtain approval to take courses outside the department.

Externships

For a current listing of all approved externship sites see the Law Externships webpage.

Writing Requirement

Students must participate in the Urban Fellows seminar series. A paper must be written on an urban, environmental, or land use law topic, and presented to other Urban Fellows. The paper must satisfy the COL’s writing requirement.

Pro Bono Hours

Students must complete ten hours of pro bono work/community service to receive the certificate.

Grades

In order to enroll in the certificate program, a student must be in good academic standing with a GPA of 2.3 or better. There is no minimum grade point average required in the environmental and land use classes (both required and electives) to graduate with the certificate.

Total: 21 credit hours

Application

Verification for Graduation

A Certificate in Environmental and Land Use Law may be awarded to any student who fulfills all requirements before graduation.

Students must submit a Verification for Certificate in Environmental and Land Use Law form to [email protected] on the drop/add date of your last semester. *This form must be signed by your faculty advisor.

Obtaining this certificate is one of my best decisions. Land will always be a valuable resource. This program gives me a better understanding of how to navigate land laws.

– Glenn Wells (J.D. ’20)

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