Academics

Fall Semester

• Civil Procedure I: Mechanics (3)
• Contracts & Sales (4)
• Practicum - Legal Information & Communication I (3)
• Torts (4)
• Legal Process (1)
• Total Credits: 15

Spring Semester

• Civil Procedure II: Jurisdiction (3)
• Constitutional Law I: Powers & Structures (3)
• Criminal Law (3) 
• Practicum - Legal Information & Communication II (3)
• Property (4)
• Total Credits: 16

Fall Semester

• Choose between: Constitutional Law II: Individual Rights (3) or Criminal Constitutional Law (3)
• Choose between: Evidence (4) or Business Associations (4)
• Practicum (2)
• Elective (6)
• Total Credits: 15

Spring Semester

• Choose between: Evidence (4) or Business Associations (4)
• Choose between: Constitutional Law II: Individual Rights (3) or Criminal Constitutional Law (3)
• Practicum (2)
• Electives (7)
• Total Credits: 16

Fall Semester

• Bar Refresher I (2)
• Professional Responsibility (3)
• Practicum (2)
• Electives (7)
• Total Credits: 14

Spring Semester

• Bar Refresher II (4)
• Practicum (2)
• Electives (8)
• Total Credits: 14

Curriculum Requirement Notes:

1. By the end of 2nd year, all students should have completed the following 2L required course:
   1. Constitutional Law II: Individual Rights (3)
   2. Criminal Constitutional Law (3)
   3. Evidence (4)
   4. Business Associations (4)

1. By graduation, all students should have taken:
   
   1. Required Elective: either Wills & Trusts (3) or Family Law (3)
   2. Required Practicums: 2 practicums that qualify for Foundational Skills A and 1 practicum that qualifies for Foundational Skills B (see semester course grid A & B qualifying courses)

Criminal Law is an exciting and important area of law in every jurisdiction. Belmont's Criminal Law certificate program offers an array of courses including White Collar Criminal Law, Trial Advocacy, Sentencing Law, and Wrongful Convictions, and indicates to prospective employers that a student has specialized knowledge of the criminal law field. Students obtaining a Criminal Law certificate will receive a notation on their transcript.

 

Requirements

Requirement 1: Students must earn 3.0 cumulative GPA in:

1. Criminal Law
2. Criminal Constitutional Law 

3. Evidence  


Requirement 2: Students must successfully complete:  

1. Criminal Procedure  
2. Trial Advocacy or Practical Issues in Criminal Law (including associated Field Placement)
3. Sentencing Law or Wrongful Convictions: Reasons and Remedies  

Requirement 3: Students must successfully complete at least eight additional credit hours of Criminal Law electives. Qualifying electives will be announced prior to registration each semester.  

Requirement 4: Students must complete an upper-level rigorous writing requirement on a criminal law topic in one of the following ways:

• Writing a paper in a paper course. The paper topic for this course must either (a) be written for a paper course listed under Requirement Two or Three of this certificate or (b) be approved in advance by the Director of Criminal Justice Studies to qualify. See registration instructions to confirm which courses qualify as paper courses each semester.

• Writing a Note for a Belmont University College of Law approved journal or law review. Topic must be approved by the Director of Criminal Justice Studies. 

Contact the Director of Criminal Justice Studies

Lucian Dervan
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs; Professor of Law and Director of Criminal Justice Studies; Founding Director Plea Bargaining Institute
lucian.dervan@belmont.edu
(615) 460-8283

Students who wish to engage in this unique area of law practice can benefit from the array of courses this program offers. Entertainment Law explores legal and business issues relevant to film, multimedia, music, publishing, radio, sports, television, theatre, and visual arts. Music business is a course of study pioneered at Belmont University and a significant industry in Nashville.

Requirements

Requirement 1: Students must earn 3.0 cumulative GPA in:

1. Contracts and Sales
2. Business Associations
3. Intellectual Property

Requirement 2: Students must successfully complete:

1. Entertainment Law
2. Entertainment Law Practicum
3. Copyright Law or Trademark Law

Requirement 3: Students must successfully complete at least eight additional credit hours of Entertainment and Music Business Law electives. Qualifying electives will be announced prior to registration each semester.

Requirement 4: Students must complete an Upper-Level Rigorous Writing Requirement on an entertainment law and music business topic in one of the following ways:

1. Writing a paper in a paper course. The paper topic for this course must either (a) be written for a paper course listed under Requirement Two or Three of this certificate or (b) be approved in advance by the Director of Music and Entertainment Studies to qualify. See registration instructions to confirm which courses qualify as paper courses each semester.
2. Writing a Note for a Belmont University College of Law approved journal or law review. Topic must be approved by the Director of Music and Entertainment Studies.

Contact the Director of Music and Entertainment Law Studies

Loren Mulraine
Professor of Law & Director of Music and Entertainment Law Studies
loren.mulraine@belmont.edu
(615) 460-8265

Nashville’s thriving health care ecosystem contributes $46.7 billion and 273,000 jobs to the local economy annually, according to the results of a study released September 20, 2018 by the Nashville Health Care Council. Nashville is home to more than 500 health care companies and nearly 400 professional service firms with health care expertise that operate on a multistate, national or international basis.

The Health Law certificate program offers an array of courses including Insurance Law, Health Care Fraud and Abuse Regulation, and Health Care Business and Finance. Completion of the certificate indicates to prospective employers that a student has specialized knowledge of the healthcare field. Students obtaining a Health Law certificate will receive a notation on their transcript.

Requirements

Requirement One
Students must earn 3.0 cumulative GPA in:

1. Contracts and Sales
2. Torts
3. Business Associations

Requirement Two
Students must successfully complete:

1. Health Law
2. Health Law Practicum
3. Health Care Business and Finance, or Health Care Fraud and Abuse Regulation

Requirement Three
Students must successfully complete at least eight additional credit hours of Health Law electives. Qualifying electives will be announced prior to registration each semester.

Requirement Four

Students must complete an Upper-Level Rigorous Writing Requirement on a health law topic in one of the following ways:

1. Writing a paper in a paper course. The paper topic for this course must either (a) be written for a paper course listed under Requirement Two or Three of this certificate or (b) be approved in advance by the Director of Health Law Studies to qualify. See registration instructions to confirm which courses qualify as paper courses each semester.
2. Writing a Note for a Belmont University College of Law approved journal or law review. Topic must be approved in advance by the Director of Health Law Studies.

Contact the Director of Health Law Studies

Deborah Farringer
Dean & Doyle Rogers Distinguished Chair of Law
deborah.farringer@belmont.edu
(615) 460-8263