Kazakh Legal Scholars Program

Introduction to U.S. Legal Systems

 

Students from around the world choose Penn State Dickinson Law for its excellent faculty, student support, and flexible curriculum. The Kazakh Legal Scholars Program has been designed to provide practicing Kazakh attorneys with a foundation in the American legal system. Participants will audit an array of courses (including three required core courses), conduct a capstone project with a faculty mentor, and participate in a robust community engagement portfolio. For certain participants, a professional degree credential may be possible.

Introduction of Penn State Dickinson Law

Welcome to Penn State University! As a public research institution in the top one percent of universities worldwide, Penn State was founded with a mission of high-quality teaching, expert research and global service. 

Penn State Dickinson Law is the oldest law school in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and one of the oldest in the United States. For 187 years, Dickinson Law has produced some of the world's finest attorneys, judges, government and corporate leaders, and legal educators. 

Ranked among the nation’s leading law schools, Dickinson Law offers a state-of-the-art campus equipped with sophisticated technology for real-time communication with the legal community around the world.

Our H. Laddie Montague Jr. Law Library is a modern facility offering a wide range of services in support of advanced legal research and scholarship. 

Dickinson Law is located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, a beautiful college town about 25 minutes west of Harrisburg, the state's capital, and two hours north of the nation's capital in Washington D.C.  Our strategic location allows students to cultivate strong ties with alumni, judges, and lawyers. 

Dickinson Law is intentionally small, which allows it to offer small class sizes and a high level of personalized attention. We are committed to providing participants a world-class law program.

Program Overview

Law is an ever-changing and dynamic profession. The increasing complexity of the legal profession has resulted in a heightened demand for advanced professional training. Not surprisingly, employers favor those with advanced legal knowledge and expertise. For example, in many countries, tax law has become so complicated that continuing and specialized education has become essential. 

Launching in August 2023, the Kazakh Legal Scholars Program offers a one-year (nine month), non-degree program in Carlisle, Pennsylvania designed for Kazakh attorneys who have already been admitted into legal practice in Kazakhstan. The program provides an opportunity for those who seek opportunities to advance their legal careers by developing a high-level understanding of the U.S. legal system.

The program is designed around four primary components:

1. Coursework. The program enables participants to audit up to 10 Dickinson Law courses each (5 courses per semester), of which attendance at three specific courses is required:
   • Introduction to the U.S. Legal System (Fall)
   • LL.M. Legal Research (Fall)
   • LL.M. Legal Writing (Spring)
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     The flexible program allows participants to pursue individualized study in a wide range of areas, such as:
     • Business law
     • Criminal law and procedure
     • Cyber, privacy and data security
     • Family law & children’s advocacy
     • Intellectual property and innovation
        
2. Guided Capstone Research. Mentored by a Dickinson Law adjunct faculty member [to be hired] throughout the duration of the program, each Kazakh Scholar must complete a capstone research project on a specific aspect of law and present their projects at an all-campus research colloquium in the Spring.
    
3. Community Engagement. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with the Dickinson Law and surrounding legal community through campus events, participation in student organizations, and related community engagement initiatives (e.g., organization visits, lectures, legal clinics, etc.). In particular, a two night/three day familiarization visit to Washington, D.C., led by a Dickinson Law faculty member, will be arranged in the Fall for participants to visit important federal institutions such as the U.S. Capitol, the U.S. Supreme Court, the National Archives, etc. If requested, a meeting with the Kazakh Embassy could also be arranged.  Additionally, an optional trip to New York City will be arranged in the Spring.
    
4. Reflection & Planning.  Throughout the duration of the program, participants will be engaged in monthly reflection and planning meeting led by an adjunct faculty member who will orient group discussion around long-term action planning. Each participant will be guided on developing a detailed action plan for post-program strategy setting upon return to Kazakhstan.

Optional Degree Program

Although a non-degree program by design, the Kazakh Legal Scholars Program may allow certain participants to pursue a degree-granting, Master of Laws (LL.M.) course of study. (Additional costs and application protocols apply.) Having an LL.M. qualification from Penn State can certainly help one stand out in today’s job market. 

To fulfill the degree requirements, participants must earn a minimum of 24 credits and complete with passing grades the following courses:

• LL.M Legal Research (1 credit)
• LL.M. Legal Writing (2 credits)
• Introduction to the U.S. Legal System (2 credits)

Additionally, participants must enroll in one course from the following list:

• Civil Procedure (4 credits)    
• Constitutional Law I (3 credits)
• Contracts (4 credits)        
• Criminal Law (3 credits)    
• Criminal Procedure (3 credits)
• Property (4 credits)       
• Torts (4 credits)

Detailed course descriptions may be found online here. LL.M. students may leverage coursework with the intent of sitting for a U.S. bar examination.

Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Just outside the historic Dickinson Law campus sits a region of unparalleled beauty, culture, and opportunity for personal and professional growth. Carlisle, Pennsylvania exudes charm, a variety of restaurants, shops and galleries, an independent movie theater, downtown farmer’s market, and much more. In fact, Forbes Magazine noted the Harrisburg-Carlisle region as one of America’s most livable areas in the United States. Plus, Carlisle is just a short trip to the nearby metropolitan legal markets of Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and New York. Participants will find plenty of reasonably priced housing within walking distances of campus.

Admissions Criteria

Admission to the Kazakh Legal Scholars Program is highly selective. To be considered for the program, an applicant must have a have a first law degree (J.D., LL.B. or the equivalent) from an accredited or recognized institution of higher education in Kazakhstan or another country.

While Dickinson Law does not require work experience, those who have had professional legal experience are preferred.

Applicants must submit a TOEFL or IELTS score or related proof of English language proficiency. Applicants generally present TOEFL scores exceeding 88 points or IELTS scores exceeding 6.5 points.

Application Requirements

Upon receipt of nomination by a Kazakh institution, prospective participants will be invited to apply directly to Dickinson Law. Dickinson Law does not assess application fees. No GRE or LSAT scores are required.

Nominations and applications are due by March 15, 2023.

Program Dates

The dates of the program are August 21, 2023 to May 10, 2024. Students must arrive to Carlisle by August 14, 2023 for an initial one-week welcome orientation designed to support students with acclimating to Dickinson Law and our Carlisle community.

Program Costs

The program fee per participant is $35,000 USD. Additionally, students must pay fees ($182) and health insurance ($3,355). Estimated expenses associated with books and supplies, housing, utilities, food, transportation, etc. are as follows:

Books and Supplies	$2,050
Housing	$9,200
Utilities	$3,400
Food	$3,800
Transportation	$3,500
Miscellaneous Expenses	$2,700

Health insurance is mandatory at Penn State for international scholars/students and their accompanying dependents (spouse and/or children). For full information on requirements, please review the University Health Services website.

(Note: Each July, the Penn State Board of Trustees establishes the tuition rates and mandatory fees for the upcoming academic year. As such, the 2023-2024 health insurance rate will not be established until July 2022.)

The miscellaneous expenses amount includes allowances for clothing, laundry, recreation, personal care, etc.

Program Schedule

August 14, 2023	Welcome Orientation
August 21, 2023	Start of Fall Classes
October 8-10, 2023	Washington, D.C. Trip
December 15, 2023	Winter Break
January 8, 2024	Start of Spring Classes
March 4-8, 2024	New York City Trip (optional)
March 20, 2024	Research Colloquium
May 10, 2024	Program Conclusion and Commencement

Next Steps

Please direct any questions or requests for additional information to Dr. Anthony C. Ogden, Director of International Programs and Graduate Education, aco3@psu.edu. Prospective Kazakh students may also wish to visit the Dickinson Law website and see our program flyer. Please complete this form to apply for admission to the Kazakh Legal Scholars Program.