Academic Degrees Offered
Loyola offers students opportunities to specialize in environmental law at every stage of their careers.
This 30-credit program is designed for recent graduates and professionals seeking a deep foundation in environmental policy without becoming practicing attorneys. The curriculum prepares non-lawyers for leadership roles in sustainability and natural resource management through a personalized study of environmental regulation, energy policy, and administrative law. Students supplement their academic training with immersive experiential learning and a capstone project, developing the research and advocacy skills necessary to navigate complex challenges in government and the private sector. The degree can be completed in as little as one year, equipping graduates to influence environmental outcomes across a wide range of global and regional industries.
Candidates for the J.D. degree may elect to specialize in environmental law by electing to participate in the environmental concentration program, as they earn their J.D. degree. Students who have met the concentration requirements by the time of graduation will have this distinction noted on their transcripts.
This concentration program is designed to recognize students who commit themselves to this timely and challenging area of study. But it is also intended to leave room to take other important core courses. The concentration requires service hours and 14 hours of specialty courses, both required and elective, and experiential learning.
A 24-credit advanced degree designed for students from the U.S. and other countries who have already earned a Juris Doctor, this specialized program allows practitioners to broaden their expertise in a rapidly evolving field. Students in the LL.M. program take part in a combination of rigorous coursework, experiential learning, and a significant capstone project, such as a publishable academic article or professional white paper. Full-time students can complete the degree in a single academic year, while part-time options are available for those seeking to balance their advanced legal research with professional obligations. The curriculum emphasizes both theoretical mastery and innovative research, preparing lawyers for high-level roles in environmental litigation, policy, and advocacy.
Accelerated B.A./J.D. in Environmental Studies & Law
Our innovative six-year program combines a three-year undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies with a three-year J.D. featuring a concentration in Environmental Law. By streamlining the traditional seven-year path, students save a full year of study while gaining a strong foundation in environmental science, policy, and law.
This accelerated track offers motivated students a direct, efficient route to a legal career with environmental expertise. Graduates enter the field sooner equipped with interdisciplinary knowledge, practical skills, and a professional credential that sets them apart in government, nonprofit advocacy, and private practice. For those passionate about addressing climate change, smart energy use, coastal resilience, and environmental justice, the program offers both academic depth and a timely launch into practice.
Accelerated B.A./M.A. in Environmental Studies & Environmental Law and Policy
Our four-year program combines a three-year undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies with a one-year master’s in Environmental Law. By completing both degrees in just four years instead of five, students save valuable time and tuition while gaining advanced training in law and policy.
This accelerated track is ideal for students who want to move quickly into their career path. Graduates benefit from a strong interdisciplinary foundation in environmental science, paired with the specialized legal and policy expertise needed to tackle current and emerging issues. The result: a faster, more focused route to a meaningful career at the intersection of environment, law, and policy.
Requirements (13 hours)
- LAW L858 Environmental Law (3 credits)
- LAWM L705 U.S. Law and Legal Analysis – one-week intensive before the regular semester begins (1 credit)
- Capstone project (3 credits) or LAWM L710 Graduate Seminar in Health and Environmental Law (3 credits)
- LAW L844 Administrative Law or an approved equivalent (3 credits)
- *One experiential offering, or other pre-approved equivalent offering or experience, such as:
*We require students to complete an experiential opportunity, which can be fulfilled in many ways (internship, externship (LAW L900), Environmental Law and Policy: Florida Keys course (LAW L976), outside employment, etc.) Note, this is not a specific credit requirement, but some of the opportunities do offer credit hours.
For the remaining credit hours necessary for the Master of Arts in Environmental Law degree, students may choose from a wide array of courses from law, environmental, non-law, and non-environmental offerings, (Note: generally, non-environmental and/or non-law courses are capped at six credits that apply toward the degree, unless otherwise pre-approved).
LAW ELECTIVES (17 hours)
(no more than 6 hours combined non-environmental and non-law)
- LAW L900 Academic Externship (3 credits - experiential)
- LAW L864 Admiralty 1 (3 credits)
- LAW L879 Admiralty Seminar: Marine Pollution (2 or 3 credits)
- LAW L879 Admiralty Seminar: Intro to International Law of the Sea (1 credit)
- LAW L822 Bioethics and the Law (3 credits)
- LAW L819 Construction Industry & Sustainability Seminar (2 credits)
- LAW L913 Disaster and Policy Law (2 credits)
- LAW L975 Energy Law and Policy (2 or 3 credits)
- LAW L929 Energy and the Environment in International Law (2 credits)
- LAW L976 S50 Environmental Law and Policy: Florida Keys (May Term, 3 credits - experiential)
- LAW L886 Environmental Law Seminar (2 credits) (may take more than one), including:
- Law and the Climate Crisis;
- Environmental Enforcement and Compliance;
- Hot Topics in Environmental Law
- LAW L834 Environmental Justice (2 or 3 credits)
- LAW L911 Introduction to American Indian Law: Overlapping Jurisdictions (3 credits)
- LAW L837 Property and Land Use Seminar: Land Use Law (2 or 3 credits)
- LAW L835 Natural Resources Law (3 credits)
- LAW L896 Professional Seminars (2 credits) (may take more than one), including:
- Green Building
- Professional Seminar in Public Health
- LAW L856 State and Local Government Law (2 credits)
- LAW L837 Property and Land Use Seminar: Property, Land Use and Justice (3 credits)
- LAW L838 Oil and Gas Law (3 credits)
- LAW L922 Toxic Torts (2 or 3 credits)
- NON-LAW ELECTIVES
(no more than 6 hours combined non-environmental and non-law)
Remaining course offerings, including those at main campus, with instructor approval and graduate level work added. Examples include:
- RELS V265 Eco-Feminist Theologies
- PHIL W245 Environmental Ethics
- PHIL U243 Environmental Philosophy
- ENVA H295 Environmental Policy
- SOCI A355 Environmental Sociology
- ENVA A194 Foundations in Environmental Science
- ENVA A105 Foundations in Environmental Studies
- SOCI X236 Global Environmental Crisis
- HIST Q236 Historical Geography
- HIST Q234 Technology, Nature and the West
- HIST Q294 Water and Society
For a fuller list of possible courses, review the topics below in the undergraduate bulletin:
Environmental courses
Food Studies courses
Business, Decision Science and Entrepreneurship
Political Science courses
Sociology courses