A student will receive a Certificate in Natural Resources Law with a corresponding notation in the student’s permanent academic record if he or she meets the following criteria:

  1. Successfully completes 12 hours of credit in specified natural resources classes and programs:

    Up to three of the required 12 hours may be fulfilled by:
  • Earning credit for work with the Natural Resources Law Journal (2 hours)
  • Earning credit for participation on a qualifying moot court team (2 hours).
    • Qualifying moot court teams include those that compete at the Pace National Environmental Law Competition and at the West Virginia National Energy Law Competition. 
  • Earning credit through work at a clinic overseen by ASL’s Natural Resources Law Center Program (1-3 hours) 
  • Earning credit through Independent Study on an approved topic (2 hours). Students can earn credit toward the certificate by (a) working in the NRLC Clinic or (b) participating in a live client clinic in connection with their enrollment in a natural resources course. Credit earned through a live client clinic must be approved by the externship director and faculty member responsible for teaching the related natural resources course in order for the student to earn academic credit toward the certificate.
  • At least 9 of the 12 hours must be earned by obtaining passing grades in approved natural resources classes.
  • The Natural Resources Law committee will have the authority to determine classes, programs, competitions, and topics that qualify for credit, and to otherwise modify the credit requirements for achieving the Certificate.
  1. Achieves at least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average in the graded ASL courses that count towards the 12 qualifying credit hours.
  2. Completes a publishable quality note in addition to the curricular writing requirements within the Certificate qualifying courses.
  3. Meets all other requirements to graduate from ASL.

Learn more about other Certificate Programs offered at ASL.