Washington Semester Program, Washington, DC - American University

The Issues

The Role of the Federal Government

Money and Elections

Interest Groups and Lobbyists

Elections

The First Amendment

Congress

Executive Branch

The Federal Court System and Due Process

Sexual Harassment

Abortion and Privacy

Affirmative Action

Separation of Chruch and State in Education Policy

Freedom of Speech: the Internet and Cinema

Obscenity and Pornography

Sample Schedule

Each week your schedule will be different. Following is an example of what a week in the Public Law Program might look like:


Monday 9:30 am
Lecture on Tort Reform and the "Litigation Crisis"

Monday 12:30 pm
Travel with class to the DC office of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence to discuss gun control

Tuesday 10:30 am
Class visit to prominent DC law firm--Mayer Brown, Rowe & Maw--to discuss litigating a case before the Supreme Court

Tuesday 2:30 pm
Class discussion on civil rights and affirmative action law

Wednesday 9:30 am
Travel to the Federal Election Commission headquarters to meet with Commissioner Bradley Smith on campaign finance reform

Wednesday 5:30pm
Elective on main campus or Research Project*

Thursday
Internship

Friday
Internship

* You may choose an elective class from any AU course offering that fits into your schedule or you may elect to conduct a research project.

Recent Guest Speakers

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Victor Schwartz, Washington, D.C. attorney

Representative Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.)

Lyle Denniston, veteran Supreme Court legal correspondent

Julian Bond, Chairman of the NAACP

Class observation of United States District Court proceedings and meeting with
the presiding judge, Royce C. Lamberth