Study Abroad

Summer Abroad Programs

WCL Summer Abroad programs provide an interdisciplinary “crash course” of international and transnational issues and are open to students from any law school in the US. Summer programs are also open to participants with legal training such as practitioners from the US and around the world, and law students from non-US law schools, especially students and alumni from our partner institutions.

Applications for the Summer in Europe Program (London/Brussels/Geneva) open Jan. 6, 2025

Applications for the Summer in the Hague Program open Nov. 1, 2024

Please click on the programs below for more information.

2024 Summer Abroad Programs

WCL Abroad Office

International & Comparative Legal Studies

About the School

Explore Our Unique Summer Abroad Opportunities

Washington College of Law London and Brussels: International Business and EU Regulation

Study core topics in transnational business law in London - the heart of the international business community - and learn about current issues in international regulatory law in Brussels - the center of European law making. Participants will visit leading law firms and institutions to see the practice of law in action.

Washington College of Law Geneva: International Trade and Intellectual Property

This unique summer abroad program in Geneva provides students interested in international trade and IP law with unparalleled access to the World Trade Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization. Not only are classes held at these impactful institutions, but students will have the opportunity to learn from and engage with WTO and WIPO lawyers and practioners, as well as broaden their international networks.

Washington College of Law Geneva: International Human Rights

This course will provide a practical overview of current developments in international human rights and humanitarian law with classes held on-site at the International Labor Organization. Participants will focus on the UN Human Rights Council; explore the crucial role that civil society, NGOs, and states play in the implementation and enforcement of contemporary human rights law; and study specialized agencies such as the ILO.

Washington College of Law The Hague: International Criminal Justice The Summer Law Program in The Hague is the product of a unique collaboration between the War Crimes Research Office of American University’s Washington College of Law, and the T.M.C. Asser Institute, one of the most prominent research institutes of international law in Europe.

Washington College of Law Geneva: International Law Commission Experiential Opportunity This unique summer course is part immersive seminar on the role of the International Law Commission (ILC) in shaping international law and part practical course with two weeks of intensive in-person instruction at the UN International Law Commission in Geneva, Switzerland.