Professional Development Certificate in Tribal Courts and Justice Administration

Curriculum and cost

The Professional Development Certificate in Tribal Courts and Justice Administration is available both to University of Arizona students and to members of the community interested in administering justice in Indian country.

Students pursuing the 9-credit certificate must complete three of the following four courses:

1. LAW 450A/550A Native American Law and Policy (3 credits): Explores the place and status of Tribal Governments in our federal system, focusing in particular on federal policy decisions underlying various laws and statutes. The course examines ways to interpret and apply the relevant laws and explores the impact that would be result from changing the policy behind those laws. Graduate students will be assigned differential graduate-level coursework outlined in the course syllabus.
2. LAW 467/567 Tribal Courts Practice and Procedure (3 credits): This course provides students with an in overview of the applicable tribal, state and federal laws and procedures governing native nations, with an in-depth examination of Indian tribal courts, their history, procedures along with the roles of their participants. This course will also focus on the organization of the judicial structure within tribal nations.
3. LAW 468/568 Tribal Criminal Law and Procedure (3 credits): This course will cover the basics of criminal law and procedure that apply in tribal courts in the United States. They will gain an appreciation of the complexities of the maze of criminal jurisdiction in this area of law, and the unique problems that face native populations.
4. LAW 469/469 Native American Family and Domestic Relations Law (3 credits): This course concentrates on the role tribal courts and tribal jurisprudence play in regulating family relations impacting indigenous cultural values. Students will learn how the law protects native children and regulates parental rights, guardians, custodians, and the rights of traditional extended families.LAW 469: Native American Family and Domestic Relations Law

Each 3 credit course costs $500, which is a 65% discount on the usual price plus no application fees. The total cost to complete the certificate is $1,500.

Payment Information

You can enroll in as many or as few as you like, you just need to complete 3 of the above 4 courses to complete the certificate. We run most of these courses every semester, so you don’t need to complete them all within the Spring 2024 semester.