Gavin Howe
Harvard Law School is one of the main centers of constitutional thought, discussion, and innovation in the United States. Harvard has a close relationship with the Supreme Court, with many notable figures in the Court's history being graduates of the school. The law school offers a diverse range of courses and clinics related to constitutional law, including classes focusing on constitutional structures, individual rights cases, and comparative constitutional law. While Harvard is a competitive school that requires excellent academic credentials for admission, it is not necessary to attend Harvard specifically to study constitutional law. There are other excellent universities in the United States, such as Yale, that offer strong programs in this field. Additionally, the specific path to becoming a lawyer or studying law can vary depending on the state and country, with some jurisdictions allowing individuals to study law directly after high school and others requiring undergraduate degrees first.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Harvard Law School's status within Constitutional Law | Has an extremely close relationship with the Supreme Court |
| Notable graduates | Oliver Wendell Holmes, Louis Brandeis, and Felix Frankfurter |
| Current Supreme Court Justices from Harvard Law School | 5 out of 9 |
| Variety of courses | One of the largest and most diverse offerings in the US |
| Variety of professors | Arguably the broadest variety of top professors in Constitutional Law and Theory |
| Examples of professors | Noah Feldman, Cass Sunstein, Martha Minow, and Mark Tushnet |
| Examples of courses | Comparative Constitutional Law, Advanced Constitutional Law |
| Course structure | Two classes: one on constitutional structures and one on individual rights cases |
| Peculiarities | Large role of history and politics |
| Admissions requirements | Incredibly competitive, requires a college degree, high GPA, extracurriculars, and LSAT score |
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What You'll Learn
Harvard's constitutional law concentration
Harvard Law School is one of the main centres of constitutional thought, discussion, and innovation in the United States. Harvard has an extremely close relationship with the Supreme Court, with many of the Court's most significant figures being graduates of the school. Harvard Law also has one of the United States' largest and most diverse offerings of courses, with many dealing with Constitutional Law or related issues.
Constitutional Law is taught in two classes: one focusing on constitutional structures (federalism, separation of powers, etc.), and the other on individual rights cases. There are also Comparative Constitutional Law classes, some of which deal with particular problems within international Constitutional Law and Theory (like the principle of proportionality). Harvard also offers some special Constitutional Law clinics and is one of the few law schools where Constitutional Law is not part of the first-year JD curriculum.
Harvard's Advanced Constitutional Law course provides an opportunity to go deeper into the field of constitutional law. The course dives into the hardest questions in the field through close readings of cases in areas such as substantive due process, equal protection, federalism, and separation of powers. The course engages with contemporary approaches to the Constitution, such as history, originalism, and living constitutionalism, and considers critical readings of the Constitution through the lenses of race, class, gender, settler colonialism, and empire.
Harvard's Constitutional Law 1 course provides an introduction to the U.S. Constitution, including the government structures it establishes and the rights and liberties it protects. Structural topics include the original design of the federal government and the role of slavery in that design, judicial review, federalism and the Supremacy Clause, and separation of powers. The course also covers the Civil War Amendments (Thirteen, Fourteen, and Fifteen) and the Fourteenth Amendment's provisions for equal protection and due process of law, which form the basis for many individual rights, including those relating to racial equality, gender equality, family life, and personal autonomy.
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Harvard's close relationship with the Supreme Court
Harvard Law School is one of the main centres of constitutional thought, discussion, and innovation in the United States. The school has an extremely close relationship with the Supreme Court, with many significant figures in the Court's history being graduates of Harvard Law School. These include Oliver Wendell Holmes, Louis Brandeis, and Felix Frankfurter. Five of the nine current Supreme Court Justices hold a law degree from Harvard Law School, with three from Yale.
Harvard Law School offers a diverse range of courses related to constitutional law, including some that focus on a single Supreme Court case. The school also offers Comparative Constitutional Law classes, which deal with specific problems within international constitutional law and theory. Harvard Law School is also one of the few law schools where constitutional law is not part of the first-year JD curriculum.
The close relationship between Harvard Law School and the Supreme Court is further exemplified by the Supreme Court Justices visiting the school for talks or presiding over HLS moot competitions. Additionally, Harvard Law School professors are often considered to be among the top scholars in constitutional law and theory, with some predicting that they may become future Supreme Court Justices.
In recent years, Harvard has been involved in a highly publicised case in the Supreme Court regarding the consideration of race in admissions. The case was brought by Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), who argued that Harvard's admissions policies discriminated based on race. The Supreme Court's decision in this case has sparked a broader conversation about the role of race in college admissions and the importance of diversity in higher education.
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The broad variety of top professors
Harvard Law School is one of the main centres of constitutional thought, discussion, and innovation in the United States. The university boasts an extremely close relationship with the Supreme Court. Many significant figures in the Court's history, such as Oliver Wendell Holmes, Louis Brandeis, and Felix Frankfurter, are graduates of Harvard Law School.
Harvard Law School offers one of the largest and most diverse ranges of courses in the United States, with many dealing with Constitutional Law or related issues. The basic structure of teaching is similar to that of most other countries, with Constitutional Law taught in two classes: one focusing on constitutional structures (federalism, separation of powers, etc.), and the other on individual rights cases. However, there is a large role for history and politics in the readings and discussions of Constitutional Law cases.
Harvard Law School has the broadest variety of top professors in Constitutional Law and Theory. These include prominent controversial, innovative, and critical thinkers like Cass Sunstein, Martha Minow, and Mark Tushnet. Additionally, professors such as Vicki Jackson bring a wealth of knowledge to the classroom, enriching the learning experience for both domestic and international students.
The university also offers some special Constitutional Law clinics and is one of the few law schools where Constitutional Law is not part of the first-year JD curriculum. An Advanced Constitutional Law course is available for those who want to delve deeper into the subject. This course tackles the hardest questions in constitutional law through close readings of cases in areas such as substantive due process, equal protection, federalism, and separation of powers. It engages contemporary approaches to the Constitution, such as originalism, living constitutionalism, and critical readings through the lenses of race, class, gender, settler colonialism, and empire.
While Harvard Law School is highly competitive and prestigious, it is not the only option for studying Constitutional Law in the United States. Other excellent universities, such as Yale, also offer renowned programmes in this field.
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The large role of history and politics
History and politics play a significant role in the study of Constitutional Law at Harvard Law School. The basic structure of teaching at Harvard Law School involves two classes: one focusing on constitutional structures such as federalism and separation of powers, and the other on individual rights cases.
The historical background and political implications of Constitutional Law cases are key aspects of the curriculum. For example, the role of slavery in the original design of the federal government and the Civil War Amendments (Thirteen, Fourteen, and Fifteen) are considered in the Constitutional Law course. The Fourteenth Amendment's provisions for equal protection and due process of law are also studied, recognising their foundational role in protecting individual rights relating to racial equality, gender equality, family life, and personal autonomy.
Harvard Law School's Constitutional Law curriculum also includes a critical examination of the Constitution through diverse lenses, including race, class, gender, settler colonialism, and empire. The political economy and the Constitution are explored, along with various contemporary approaches such as originalism and living constitutionalism.
Additionally, Harvard Law School has a close relationship with the Supreme Court, with many notable graduates having served as justices. This connection provides students with valuable insights and exposure to the practical application of Constitutional Law.
The study of Constitutional Law at Harvard Law School, therefore, goes beyond the theoretical and encourages students to engage with the historical and political contexts that have shaped and continue to shape the interpretation and application of the Constitution in the United States.
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Other excellent US universities for studying constitutional law
While Harvard Law School is one of the main centres of constitutional thought, discussion, and innovation in the United States, there are other excellent US universities for studying constitutional law.
Yale Law School is one of the most notable alternatives to Harvard. Five of the nine current Supreme Court Justices hold a law degree from either Harvard or Yale, with three of them being graduates of Yale.
Columbia Law School is another excellent choice for constitutional law. Columbia's Constitutional Law, Regulation, and Public Policy program prepares students to effectively safeguard the nation's most important institutions, rights, and applications of justice. With an acceptance rate of only 11.75%, students must impress the admissions committee with GPAs of over 3.92 and LSAT scores over 174.
Stanford Law School also offers a constitutional law program that provides students with a deep understanding of the US Constitution and how it is applied to everyday life.
NYU's Constitutional, Civil Rights, and Democracy program features some of the most distinguished faculty in the world, with faculty members involved in prominent discussions surrounding same-sex marriage and executive power after 9/11. The 2024 first-year NYU class had a median LSAT score of 172 and a median GPA of 3.91, with an acceptance rate of 16.67%.
Georgetown University is another excellent choice for studying constitutional law. Located in Washington, D.C., close to the US Supreme Court, this school is considered the centre of the country's most engaging constitutional debates. Georgetown Law provides students with unrivalled legal experience and access to various externships, internships, and other opportunities to begin building their resumes and differentiating their post-graduation applications. However, prospective students should aim for a law school application with a score of 172+ on the LSAT and a GPA of 3.94+.
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Frequently asked questions
No, it is not necessary to attend Harvard to study Constitutional Law. There are many other universities in the US and worldwide that offer degrees in this subject.
Harvard Law School is one of the main centres of constitutional thought, discussion, and innovation in the United States. The university has a close relationship with the Supreme Court, with many notable alumni and offers a broad variety of courses and professors specialising in Constitutional Law and Theory.
Harvard is a highly competitive school, and applicants are expected to have high GPAs and notable extracurricular activities. While a related college degree is not required, it is preferable to have a background in a field like History, Philosophy, or Political Science.
Harvard Law School offers a range of courses, including an introduction to the US Constitution, covering government structures, rights, liberties, federalism, and separation of powers. They also offer advanced courses that delve deeper into critical topics and contemporary approaches to Constitutional Law.
In addition to traditional classroom instruction, Harvard offers special Constitutional Law clinics and a diverse student body that enriches discussions with varying perspectives and knowledge. The university also has a unique approach to teaching, emphasising the historical background and political implications of Constitutional Law cases.
