While high school students can’t usually take law classes at Yale, your teen can! These classes are taught in collaboration with Coursera by top Ivy League law professors and are open enrollment. There is no placement test or transcript required.
Law Courses Available Now
A word about Coursera certificates: In my opinion, non-credit certificates will have very limited utility. To be clear- these courses are not worth college credit. Since homeschooling parents can award high school credit for any learning, it’s totally up to you. For all of the Coursera courses below, your teen’s experience in the classes is exactly the same whether or not you buy the certificate… but, if your teen is motivated by certificates and awards or wants to add a little something to their young resume, these these offer a really great opportunity to print and frame.
A word about high school credit: The hours posted below is only a guideline. Since the courses are self-paced, your student may complete the course faster or slower than the range posted. If your student works quickly, you may wish to enhance their experience by adding in a research paper, PowerPoint presentation, speech, persuasive article for a blog, or even a visit to meet with a local professional. Without question, if your student completes all of the courses on this page you should confidently award 1-2 high school credits in Legal Studies. The individual course credit suggestions following each course are entirely at your discretion.
Course 1: A Law Student’s Toolkit
Provided by Yale University
Whether you are an advanced law student looking to review the basics, or an aspiring law student looking for head start, this course will help you build the foundation you will need to succeed in law school and beyond. This course will introduce you to terminology, concepts, and tools lawyers and legal academics use to make their arguments. It will help you follow these arguments—and make arguments of your own.
This course consists of a series of short lectures and assignments. A reading list complements each lesson, providing you with a roadmap to help you explore the subject matter more deeply on your own. Although the lessons may cross-reference each other, they are modular in nature: you should feel free to approach them in whatever order fits your schedule, interests, and needs.
Course length: 16-25 hours
High school credit suggestion: 0.25
Course 2: American Contract Law 1
Provided by Yale University
American Contract Law I (along with its sister course Contracts II) provides a comprehensive overview of contract law in the United States. The course covers most of the key concepts found in a first year law school class. Each lecture is based on one or more common-law cases, integrating legal doctrines with policy discussions. The course also covers key sections from the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), which governs the sale of goods.
By the end of the course, the learner should be able to understand: Formation: how a valid and enforceable contract is created, including concepts such as offer, acceptance, consideration, and promissory estoppel.
Course length: 33 -50 hours
High school credit suggestion: 0.50 credits
Course 3: American Contract Law 2
Provided by Yale University
Course description: Contracts I & II provides a comprehensive overview of contract law in the United States. The course covers most of the key concepts found in a first year law school class. Each lecture is based on one or more common-law cases, integrating legal doctrines with policy discussions. The course also covers key sections from the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), which governs the sale of goods.
By the end of the course, the learner should be able to understand: Formation defenses: how an otherwise valid contract can be void, including the statute of frauds, mistake, misrepresentation, duress, unconscionability, and illegality. Performance: the scope and content of a contractual obligation, including conditions, the duty of good faith, and the impracticability defense. Remedies: the types of available remedies for a breach of contract, including various types of money damages and injunctive relief.
Course Length: 39-60 hours
High school credit suggestion: 0.50 credits
Course 4: Privacy Law and Data Protection
Offered by University of Pennsylvania
In this course, we’ll look at the practical aspects of navigating the complex landscape of privacy requirements. Better understanding privacy laws and data protection will enable you to protect your organization and the constituents that depend on your organization to safeguard their personal information. First, we will examine the historical context that drove the creation of laws, best practices, and other standards for protecting personal information. We will also consider where in the U.S. privacy laws exist and which sectors remain unregulated. Next, we will focus on the federal health privacy law, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) – and what it takes to comply with it. How do you know the scope of the requirements? And once you know HIPAA applies, how do you actually put measures in place to ensure compliance?
Course length: 12-20 hours
High school credit suggestion: 0.25
Course 5: Introduction to Key Constitutional Concepts and Supreme Court Cases
Offered by University of Pennsylvania
This course offers an introduction to the U.S. Constitution and landmark Supreme Court cases interpreting it. It explores the Constitution’s origins, its amendment over the years, and methods of constitutional interpretation. Topics include the nature and structure of the federal government, the powers of the federal government, and individual rights.
Course length: 6-12 hours
High school credit suggestion: 0.25 credits
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