The Parker School has also been a leader in developing programs for studying foreign and comparative law abroad.
Beginning in the fall of 1994, the Columbia Law School, in cooperation with the Parker School, has offered to a limited number of specially selected students from the United States and France a four-year program, consisting of two years of study at Columbia followed by two years at the University of Paris I (Panthé-on-Sorbonne), leading to the award of Columbia's J.D. and the Sorbonne's Maîtrise en Droit degrees. This pioneering program substantially reduces the time otherwise needed for obtaining these degrees (three years at Columbia and four years at Paris I).
The Parker School also promotes study by graduates of the Columbia Law School in other countries. Under arrangements with the Universities of Paris I (Panthé-on-Sorbonne) and Paris II (Panthé-on-Assas), Columbia graduates designated by the Parker School receive preferential consideration when applying for admission to the Diplôme d'Études Approfondies (D.E.A.) programs, which lead to the award of a degree after one year of study in Paris.
The Parker School has made a similar arrangement with the University of Rome (La Sapienza) in Italy, under which Columbia Law School graduates designated by the Parker School may be admitted to the doctoral program leading to the award, after one year of study, of the Laurea degree.
As the result of initiatives taken by the Parker School, many German and other foreign law schools grant an LL.M. degree after one year of graduate study.
The Parker School has also made arrangements with a number of prominent foreign law schools, under which Columbia Law School students can study a semester abroad under the guidance of a member of the law faculty of the foreign law school. The foreign law schools involved include the University of Paris I and the University of Rome. Similar arrangements with other prominent law schools abroad are contemplated.
