Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 32.00
Liaison Kevin Moran
Submission Date May 22, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Drake University
AC-4: Graduate Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.50 / 3.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution offer at least one sustainability-focused major, degree program, or the equivalent for graduate students (I.e. an interdisciplinary academic program that concentrates on sustainability as an integrated concept)?:
No

Name of the sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program:
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A brief description of the graduate-level degree program:
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The website URL for the graduate-level degree program:
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Name of the sustainability-focused, graduate-level degree program (2nd program):
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A brief description of the graduate degree program (2nd program):
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The website URL for the graduate degree program (2nd program):
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Name of the sustainability-focused, graduate-level degree program (3rd program):
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A brief description of the graduate degree program (3rd program):
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The website URL for the graduate degree program (3rd program):
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The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused graduate-level degree programs:
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Does the institution offer one or more graduate-level sustainability-focused minors, concentrations or certificates?:
Yes

Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate:
Environmental and Sustainability Law Certificate

A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate:

The Environmental and Sustainability Law Certificate offers specialization in the areas of environmental law and sustainability and the law. To obtain a certificate in Environmental and Sustainability Law, students must complete 20 credits of qualifying course work, including 9 credits of required courses, an upper-level writing course, and an experiential course in the subject.

The following is the A.B.A. Standard 301 Statement Regarding Learning Outcomes for the Environmental and Sustainability Law Certificate -

Knowledge and understanding of substantive law:
-Understand the theoretical justifications for environmental law
-Understand the theory and concept of sustainability, including its applicability to many disciplines and its many definitions
-Explore the tools and questions necessary to identify, analyze, and apply the theory of sustainability to real world legal situations
-Understand the fundamentals concerning the relevant laws and policies applicable at the international, national, and subnational levels
-Delve deeply into the law’s role in pressing environmental and sustainability issues, such as climate change
-Understand the complex relationship between environmental and sustainability law and other areas of law
-Explore the dynamic relationship between law, behaviors, and environmental degradation

Knowledge and understanding of procedural law:
-Understand the administrative process involved with environmental law.
-Understand available policy options, such as developing policy through litigation and command and control regulation
-Understand basic standing requirements necessary to file an environmental action
-Understand the basics of international law and treaties, including customary international law
-Understand the effect subnational decisions can have on the environment and how those decisions are made
-Understand the concept of sovereignty at many levels, including international, national, and subnational

Legal analysis and reasoning:
-Be able to analyze the impacts law can have on society
-Be able to create fact-based arguments concerning how and why one environmental policy is more effective than another
-Draw connections between the law and behaviors
-Evaluate whether a given condition or law is sustainable.
-Draft and present on new legislation to enhance the environment and sustainability

Legal research:
-Be familiar with the fundamental documents and cases concerning environmental law in the US and international treaties can cases
-Be familiar with the international documents relevant to sustainability
-Explore subnational policies concerning the environment and sustainability, including local planning actions and state climate plans
-Be familiar with the interdisciplinary nature of sustainability and the availability of documents outside of traditional legal research
-Be able to ask the questions necessary to identify and apply sustainability
-Be able to draft local legislation and policy concerning sustainability

Problem-solving:
-Be able to assess whether a law is leading to sustainable or unsustainable conditions
-Be able to draft a law that enhances sustainability
-Make fact-based arguments concerning the application of environmental laws
-Be able to make cogent arguments for or against environmental laws
-Be able to foresee and plan for arguments hostile to policies that enhance sustainability
-Be able to understand the basic science behind climate change

Written communication in the legal context:
-Be able to write a simple motion and a complaint in an environmental lawsuit
-Be able to draft legislation enhancing sustainability
-Be able to draft a client advice letter regarding the applicability of environmental regulations

Oral communication in the legal context:
-Be able to effectively communicate with key stakeholders
-Be able to present local legislation before local policymakers in a public forum
-Be able to meet and discuss with community leaders the importance of sustainability

Exercise of proper professional and ethical responsibilities:
-Understand and show commitment to representing the client zealously
-Understand environmental justice and climate justice
-Understand your ethical responsibility when your client is harming the environment in a dangerous manner


The website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate:
Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
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A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
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The website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
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Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
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A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
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The website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
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The name and website URLs of all other graduate-level, sustainability-focused minors, concentrations and certificates:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.