Government Procurement Courses and Degree Offerings

Courses

*Can count toward the experiential learning government procurement course requirement for the JD concentration in Government Procurement.

Degree Offerings

JD Concentration in Government Procurement

JD candidates may earn a JD Concentration in Government Procurement Law by completing at least 12 credits of Government Procurement Law courses, including Formation of Government Contracts (6502), Performance of Government Contracts (6503), two credits of an experiential learning government procurement course (or government procurement Field Placement), and a paper on a topic related to government procurement law that meets the standards for the law school’s legal writing requirement. Current students can learn more about the JD Concentration in Government Procurement Law by visiting the Beyond the FAR.

Declare Your Concentration

For JDs who would like to formally declare a Government Procurement Law concentration, please visit the GW Law Forms webpage and fill out the JD Concentration Declare/Withdraw Form for the Records Office.

Master of Laws (LLM) in Government Procurement Law

As the only program of its kind in the United States the GW Law Government Procurement Law LLM Degree continues to set the standard for excellence in the field. Many graduates of the Government Procurement Law LLM Program hold prominent positions in government agencies, the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, law firms, and corporations. Our LLM program offers unparalleled opportunities to learn, conduct research and publish, broaden your professional network, and engage with practitioners, adjudicators, and policy-makers.

Students must enroll in the following required government procurement classes: Government Contracts Overview (6518) (to be taken in the first semester), Formation of Government Contracts (6502), Performance of Government Contracts (6503), and Government Contracts Cost and Pricing (6506). Students must also complete a 4-credit written work requirement, which entails the completion of a thesis or two research papers written in connection with two separate 2-credit courses. For students who choose to write a thesis, Thesis I (6690), Thesis II (6691), and a minimum of 10 credits from the list of advanced or “elective” government procurement law courses. For students who choose to complete two research papers, a minimum of 14 credits, including the two separate 2-credit courses, from the list of "advanced" procurement courses are required. No more than 10 credits may be taken from the non-exhaustive list of “Courses Related to Government Procurement Law” found in the GW Law Bulletin. Learn more about this degree at Beyond the FAR.

Available online and on-campus.

Master of Laws (LLM) in Government Procurement and Environmental

Sustainable or “Green” Procurement is a procurement process where governments use their purchasing power to buy goods and services with a reduced environmental impact. As governments increasingly integrate sustainability goals into procurement policies, there is a growing demand for knowledgeable attorneys who can navigate this emerging area of the law. Our LLM in Government Procurement & Environmental Law provides our students with the competitive advantage they need to excel in this critical area of the law.

A minimum of 16 credit hours from the following courses is required. For U.S. law school graduates, this requirement must include 4 credits graded on the basis of a research paper or research papers. This typically entails completion of Thesis (6690-91) or two research papers, each of which is written in connection with a separate 2-credit course. For non-U.S. law school graduates, completion of 2 credits graded on the basis of a single research paper or Thesis (6690-91) is required. Any research paper must be at least 8,000 words in length. U.S. law school graduates must achieve a minimum grade of B+ and graduates from non-U.S. law schools must achieve a passing grade for their research paper. For students who choose to write a thesis, Thesis (6690-91), and a minimum of 12 credits in the field of study are required. Students are encouraged to write a thesis. Students must take the Government Contracts Overview course in their first semester. Learn more at Beyond the FAR.

Complete degree requirements may be found in the GW Law Bulletin.

Partially available online.

Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) in Government Procurement Law

Programs leading to the degree of Doctor of Juridical Science offer a very small number of unusually talented students, who have already earned the Master of Laws degree, the opportunity to concentrate on research and writing in a specific area of interest.

Entrance Requirements

For SJD applicants who earned their first law degree from a U.S. law school, the following requirements pertain. Applicants must hold a BA or equivalent degree from a regionally accredited college or university and a JD and an LLM or equivalent degrees, both earned with excellent records, from law schools that are members of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) or approved by the ABA.

For SJD applicants who earned their first law degree at a non-U.S. law school, the following entrance requirements pertain. Applicants must have graduated with an excellent academic record from a non-U.S. law school known for high academic standards; such a determination will be made by the Graduate and International Programs Office or by a qualified faculty member. As outlined above for U.S. law school graduates, additional requirements include an LLM.

Degree Requirements

Candidates for the SJD degree must complete the following requirements to be awarded the degree: an enrollment period of not less than one academic year; a course of study and research, designated by the dissertation committee, of no less than 8 credit hours; and completion and acceptance of a dissertation (see below). The course work for the SJD degree will normally be completed during the first two years of study.

The Dissertation

The dissertation must be submitted no later than three years from the date of admission to candidacy for the SJD degree. The applicant who proposes to write on a comparative law topic must have a reading knowledge of the language in which the relevant materials are to be found. When the dissertation is submitted, the consultative committee will set the date for oral examination. This examination is conducted by the consultative committee and such other members of the faculty and qualified experts as are selected by the appropriate program director in consultation with the dean.

Coursework can be completed online.

Master of Studies in Law (MSL) for Government Procurement

GW Law’s MSL helps meet the growing demand for non-lawyers to be familiar with the many ways that law influences industry. The MSL program is intended for professionals who are not interested in earning a law degree or practicing law but work in jobs where knowledge of the law is important. The knowledge gained can augment career preparation or professional advancement.

MSL candidates must complete 24 credits in order to graduate. Students must enroll in the following required government procurement classes: Government Contracts Overview (6518) (to be taken in the first semester), Formation of Government Contracts (6502), Performance of Government Contracts (6503), Government Contracts Cost and Pricing (6506), Analytical Writing (6519), and Anti-Corruption & Compliance (6511). Students must also write a research paper completed in a government procurement seminar course or in the graduate independent legal writing course (6696). Learn more about this degree at Beyond the FAR.

Available online and on campus.

Master of Studies in Law (MSL) for Government Procurement and Cybersecurity

There is increasing demand for cybersecurity legal expertise among government procurement practitioners. The successful implementation of these requirements will depend heavily on skilled legal reasoning and policy interpretation by acquisition professionals in federal agencies, private firms, and industry. The Master of Studies in Law (MSL) in Government Procurement and Cybersecurity Law Program is intended for professionals who are not interested in earning a law degree or practicing law, but who work in jobs where knowledge of this critical area of law is important.

M.S.L. candidates must complete 24 credits in order to graduate. Students must enroll in the following required government procurement classes: Government Contracts Overview (6518) (to be taken in the first semester), Formation of Government Contracts (6502), Performance of Government Contracts (6503), Government Procurement of IP (6512), Analytical Writing (6519), Cybersecurity Law and Policy (6879), and Tech Foundations for Cybersecurity (6885) or Cybersecurity Law and Technology (6890). Students must also write a research paper completed in a government procurement seminar course or in the graduate independent legal writing course (6696). Learn more about this degree at Beyond the FAR.

Available online and on-campus.

Non-Degree Offerings

Contact Shehernaz Joshi, Assistant Dean for Graduate and International Programs, for information on entrance requirements to be admitted in non-degree status to take up to 6 hours of credit.

[email protected]
202.994.7242