Academics

Concentration in Environmental Law

Students can receive formal recognition for completion of the Environmental Law Program’s Concentration in Environmental Law. To be awarded this designation at graduation, you must earn a minimum of 17 credits through the program’s three basic components—classroom, experiential learning, and research and writing. The Environmental Law Certificate is approved by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, and students completing the requirements are recognized as possessing a level of expertise and specialization in the field.

The classroom component includes a required core course, Environmental Law (3 credits), and the remaining 14 credits in some combination of environmental law seminars on a wide range of topics, an experiential environmental course (such as the Environmental Law Clinic or an environmental externship), an independent study in environmental law, and other selected courses.

To qualify for a certificate of Concentration in Environmental Law, students will be required to complete 17 credits related to environmental law. Students must complete each of the required components listed below: Classroom, Experiential Learning, and Research & Writing. Students who are graduating and meet the requirements must submit the Environmental Law Concentration Verification Form to Bill Piermattei, Managing Director (wpiermattei@law.umaryland.edu) in room 488.

  • Administrative Law
  • Advanced Legal Research: Environmental Law
  • Animal Law Seminar
  • Clean Air Act Seminar
  • Clean Water Act Seminar
  • Climate Change: Emerging Issues
  • Climate Change, Health and Society
  • Climate Law and Justice
  • Energy Law
  • Environmental Advocacy
  • Environmental Justice
  • Environmental Law
  • Environmental Law Clinic
  • Environmental Law Externship Workshop
  • Federal Land Management Seminar
  • Food, Farming and Sustainability Seminar
  • Food Safety Regulation
  • Global Environmental Law Seminar
  • Human Rights and Public Health
  • International Environmental Law Seminar
  • Land Use
  • Law and Policy of the Regulatory System
  • Natural Resources Law
  • State and Local Environmental Law
  • U.S. Water Law

Maryland Carey Law works with its students to place them in a variety of environmental law externships. Along with its Clinic, the Environmental Law Program Externship Program provides students ample opportunity to gain real-world experience addressing today’s environmental challenges.

Externship students can earn 4 to 11 credits (depending upon the amount of time devoted to the externship) and satisfy the experiential learning component for a Concentration in Environmental Law.

Our student externs have worked on numerous environmental challenges with the government and non-profit organizations, including:

  • The Environmental Protection Agency (Headquarters, Regions 1 (New England), 2 (N.Y.), 3 (Phil.), and 9 (Seattle))
  • The Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division
  • The Department of Interior
  • The World Health Organization (Geneva)
  • Center for International Environmental Law
  • American Wind Energy Association
  • Natural Resources Defense Council
  • The Honorable John Sarbanes, U.S. House of Representatives
  • Maryland Department of the Environment
  • The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
  • The Nature Conservancy
  • Chesapeake Bay Foundation
  • National Wildlife Federation
  • The Humane Society
  • American Chemistry Council
  • Maryland Department of Natural Resources
  • Environmental Law Institute
  • United States Senate, Committee on Environment and Public Works
  • The United States House of Representatives, Committee on Government Reform
  • Baltimore City Solicitor’s Office, Land Use Division
  • The Environmental Defense Center
  • United States Department of Energy
  • Potomac Conservancy
  • Maryland Department of Transportation
  • Maryland Attorney General’s Office
  • Center for Human Rights and the Environment (Argentina)
  • United Nations Mine Action Service
  • Environmental Defense Fund
  • Council on Environmental Quality
  • Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning
  • United States Agency for International Development
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
  • Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
  • Solar Energy Industry Association
  • Baltimore Harbor Waterkeepers
  • The Cleanup Coalition
  • Competitive Enterprise Institute
  • Friends of the Earth
  • National Association of Counties
  • National Trust for Historic Preservation

For general externship information and application details, visit the School's Externship Page.

For the Environmental Law Program’s externship opportunities, contact us.

William Piermattei
Managing Director, Environmental Law Program
University of Maryland School of Law
500 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
410-706-8157
wpiermattei@law.umaryland.edu