International Legal Studies

The Fletcher School was founded to bring international law to bear on international relations.  International law is an essential component of international relations, and its role grows as political, economic, business, social, and technological interactions between countries grow.  The International Legal Studies Field provides Fletcher students with a distinctive opportunity to study international law in depth and in interdisciplinary context, leading to a unique understanding of the development, use and effects of international law.   

The Fletcher interdisciplinary approach to international relations, and to international law, prepares students for vision and leadership in international relations.  Fletcher offers a full curriculum in international law, including but not limited to the fundamentals of the international legal order, public international law, international business and economic law, human rights law, and the law of armed conflict.  Students who specialize in the field acquire a) the ability to identify international law; b) fluency in analysis, discourse, and argumentation relating to international law; b) critical thinking skills regarding precise use of language, decision-making procedures, and formal organizational dynamics; c) understanding of the role international law plays in international relations, both in the governmental and in the non-governmental context; and d) knowledge of the law applicable in particular fields of international law and proposals for reform.  

Career opportunities for those who specialize in the field include international organizations, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and positions in private sector firms that engage in international business and that recognize international law as part of their strategic context.