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.
A Law Student's Toolkit
Offered By
Yale University
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week
1Introduction
An overview of what you will learn, how it will help you, and how to get the most from it.
1 video (Total 7 min), 3 readings
1 video
3 readings
Before You Begin10m
Reading - Basic Legal Terms10m
Pre-Course Survey10m
Categories and Distinctions
Dichotomies and oppositions that will help you categorize legal rules and frame policy questions.
11 videos (Total 79 min), 8 readings, 4 quizzes
11 videos
2.1 Lecture15m
2.2 - Lecture6m
2.3 - Lecture8m
2.4 - Lecture13m
2.5 - Lecture5m
2.6 - Lecture4m
2.7 - Lecture8m
2.8 - Lecture4m
2.9 - Lecture4m
2.10 - Lecture4m
2.11 - Lecture2m
8 readings
2.1 - Reading10m
2.3 - Reading10m
2.4 - Reading10m
2.7 - Reading10m
2.8 - Reading10m
2.9 - Reading10m
2.10 - Reading10m
2.11 - Reading10m
1 practice exercise
Applying the Box8m
Week
2Law and . . .
Interactions between the law and academic disciplines such as economics, philosophy, and psychology.
10 videos (Total 71 min), 10 readings, 1 quiz
10 videos
3.2 - Lecture2m
3.3 - Lecture8m
3.4 - Lecture3m
3.5 - Lecture5m
3.6 - Lecture4m
3.7 - Lecture5m
3.8 - Lecture4m
3.9 - Lecture9m
3.10 - Lecture19m
10 readings
3.1 - Reading10m
3.2 - Reading10m
3.3 - Reading10m
3.4 - Reading10m
3.5 - Reading10m
3.6 - Reading10m
3.7 - Reading10m
3.8 - Reading10m
3.9 - Reading10m
3.10 - Reading10m
Legal Structures
Fundamental frameworks of legal analysis and procedure.
4 videos (Total 36 min), 4 readings, 1 quiz
4 readings
4.1 - Reading10m
4.2 - Reading10m
4.3 - Reading10m
4.4 - Reading10m
Week
3Evidentiary Tools
Concepts from the law of evidence that can help you respond to questions and make compelling arguments
2 videos (Total 12 min), 2 readings
2 readings
5.1 - Reading10m
5.2 - Reading10m
Preparation Tools
The tools you need to get the most out of law school.
4 videos (Total 32 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes
2 readings
6.1 - Reading10m
6.2 - Reading10m
1 practice exercise
Statutory Interpretation2m
Postscript
2 videos (Total 8 min), 2 readings
2 readings
Reading10m
Post-Course Survey10m
4.7
158 Reviews50%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
Top Reviews
By HK•Mar 29th 2016
I enjoyed this course but you really need to have some legal background to get the most out of it. The assignments were worth the time they took and I learned a lot trying to grade my fellow students.
By KE•Nov 28th 2017
Really interesting course, quite intense, especially in week 1. Good instructor who engages students (quite a feat for an online course) and encourages one to think about law in different ways.
Instructor
Ian Ayres
William K. Townsend ProfessorYale Law School
About Yale University
For more than 300 years, Yale University has inspired the minds that inspire the world. Based in New Haven, Connecticut, Yale brings people and ideas together for positive impact around the globe. A research university that focuses on students and encourages learning as an essential way of life, Yale is a place for connection, creativity, and innovation among cultures and across disciplines.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
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