GS 500 – St. Thomas and Critical Thinking 
As the philosophical foundation of Research  Methodology, it is a study of the principles of skills in critical thinking according to St. Thomas  Aquinas in the three areas of mental cognition:  simple apprehension, judgment, and reasoning;  and of common fallacies towards the acquisition of the art of argumentation. 

GS 501 – Research Methods  
The student is introduced to research concepts relevant to law. Discussions center on how to prepare a term paper first and last, how to prepare a thesis emphasizing choice of the title that provokes critical thinking, statement of the problem which necessitates the resolution of an issue, sources of data, the gathering of materials relative to the title, analysis and evaluation of information gathered among others. It will also include all methods of research including statistics. The course output is a thesis proposal.

LAW 600 – Foundations of Public and Private  Law  
The course will examine the rationale of many laws. It dwells on the development and history of the legal profession, and ultimately on the important aspects of law practice, the legal researches, and modern technology tools used in law practice management and continuing legal education.

LAW 601 – Philosophy of Law
It is an in-depth study of the moral principles of law and the rationale in the study of law. It likewise includes the purposes, goals, or objectives of the study of law.

LAW 603 – Issues in Legal and Judicial Ethics 
It is an exhaustive and analytical study of canons governing the practice of law, and a critical study of the professional responsibilities of lawyers in the practice of law. 

It likewise includes an analytical study of ethical standards set for Judges and Justices on the discharge of their judicial functions. 

LAW 701 – Labor and Social Legislations 
It is an analytical study of the economic,  sociological and legal bases of the reciprocal  rights and responsibilities of capital and labor;  analysis and evaluation of different labor laws  and social legislations.

LAW 702 – Corporate Law and Corporate  Rehabilitation  
Corporate organization and management process of incorporation; stockholders rights and remedies; corporate problems; security act and trading; multinational corporation. 

It is also focused on the procedure of corporate rehabilitation.

LAW 703 – Legal and Tax Aspects of  Business Organizations  
It is a study of the legal problems of corporate and other business organizations in the light of the changing conditions in the evolving national economy of the country; study of the different taxes, withholding tax, customs, and tariff duties.  Local taxes and tax incentives. It includes the study of the general principles of taxation.

LAW 704 – International Humanitarian Law
Is a branch of International Law limiting the use  of violence in armed conflicts by sparing those  who do not or no longer directly participate in  hostilities and limiting the violence to weaken the  military potential of the enemy.

LAW 705 – Tenurial Instruments in the  Philippines: Social and Constitutional  Perspectives 
A comparative study and analysis of the different systems of land ownership and registration  (Public Land Act, CA No. 141; Cadastral Act, Act  2259; Property Registration Decree, PD 1529;  Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, RA 6657;  and Indigenous Peoples Rights Act, RA 8371),  and the evolution of laws, policies, systems,  procedures and reforms to stabilize land ownership, prevent conflicts, promote social justice and enhance economic growth and development.

LAW 706 – International Law and Politics
It focuses on the relation of states to individuals as subjects of international law. It also includes  the study of international law, study of  international organizations, structures, and the  flow of powers including the aspects of  sovereignty and jurisdiction.

LAW 707 – Local Government and  Enforcement of Anti-Gambling Laws
It is an extensive analysis of the functions,  workings, and operations of local government and the officials that operate the same, the term of offices, powers, and duties of said officials.  These local officials representing the local government are charged with the duty of enforcement and implementation of all anti-gambling laws.

LAW 708 – Southeast Asian Constitutions 
It is a critical, extensive, and exhaustive study of the constitutions of Southeast Asia considering the conflicts of the Philippines with a few of the  Asian countries.

LAW 709 – Environmental Law and Climate  Change  
It is an analytical and critical study of all environmental laws of the Philippines and other countries of the world affecting the health and economic conditions of the people and thereafter a study of the relation of the environment to climate change considering the intermittent changes of weather conditions and the sudden occurrences of calamities like typhoons, floods,  tornados, earthquake and other natural calamities without any preparation by the public at large and to recommend remedial measures to reduce or mitigate the effects. 

LAW 710 – Alternative Dispute Resolution and Barangay Justice  
It is an in-depth study of the Lupong-Tagapamayapa, before which conflicts/ troubles are amicably settled before filing the cases in court. It is mandatory that all civil cases irrespective of the amount be brought first before the Lupon for purposes of settlement. In criminal cases, there are instances when cases are not brought to the Lupon. In alternative Dispute  Resolution, the Judges resort to mediation,  conciliation, and arbitration. In the court-annexed mediation, parties are obliged to settle their disputes through the aid of trained mediators.

LAW 711 -E-Commerce and Electronics  Evidence  
This subject deals with the provisions of E-Commerce and the introduction of Electronic  Evidence in court.

LAW 712 – Writ of Amparo & Habeas Data &  other related writs 
This course deals with the rules governing the writ of Amparo, which institutionalizes an extra-legal remedy protective of civil liberties specifically the right to life, liberty, and security against their actual or threatened violation by public or private entities. 

It likewise includes the study of the rule on the writ of Habeas Data which is a remedy available to any person whose right to privacy in life, liberty, or security is violated or threatened by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee, or of a private individual or entity engaged in the gathering, collecting or storing of data or information regarding the person, family,  home and correspondence of the aggrieved party. Other related legal remedies are likewise discussed and exhaustively analyzed.

LAW 713 – Anti-Human Trafficking Law as  amended and Violence against Women and  Children 
It is a detailed critical of human trafficking and abuses or violations against women and children. 

GSLAW 714 – Anti-Graft and Plunder Laws and Rules of Procedure in Anti-Graft Courts
It is a critical analysis of all the criminal acts that fall under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and a study of the penalties imposed therein, including an analytical study of all the criminal acts that fall under Plunder Law and the penalties imposed thereto. It also includes studying how public officials are prevented from stealing money from the government. The course also includes the study of procedural rules in anti-graft courts.

GSLAW 715 – Employment Engagement, Negotiation Skills, and Managing Industrial Disputes
This course focuses on fostering positive employment engagement and developing effective negotiation skills to manage industrial disputes. Students will examine theories and practices related to employee motivation, organizational culture, and engagement strategies to enhance productivity and employee satisfaction. The course will also provide comprehensive training in negotiation techniques tailored to the context of labor disputes, emphasizing the importance of communication, empathy, and creative problem-solving in reaching mutually beneficial agreements. Through interactive workshops and case analyses, students will gain hands-on experience managing various industrial disputes, including strikes, grievances, and workplace conflicts.

GSLAW 716 – Fintech and Other Commercial Intersections with New and Emerging Technologies
This course seeks to provide a holistic understanding of how innovations, including financial innovations, made possible by the new and emerging technologies (like blockchain and artificial intelligence), have affected the way businesses are conducted and to provide international perspectives on the regulatory intersections of technology and the law for a broader and more in-depth perspective on the legal challenges faced by today’s digital businesses.

GSLAW 717 – Cybersecurity and Data Protection Enforcement Law
In the Cyber Security and Client Data Protection Laws Course,  students will learn about data protection laws and regulations in the Philippines and foreign jurisdictions, which shall include the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the United States. The course will specifically address how the law defines and structures privacy, breach of trust, freedom of information, cybersecurity threats, data use and sharing, and e-surveillance in the ASEAN, Philippines, United Kingdom, Europe, North America, and Australia, among other countries. This course will tackle the rapidly changing privacy and data protection issues such as the Internet of Things (IoT), cybersecurity laws and regulations in a post-Snowden world, data retention and reuse implications of the DNA database, biobanks, and digital interconnectivity of social media platforms.

GSLAW 718 – Criminal Law and Transnational Crimes
Criminal Law and Transnational Crimes is a course that delves into the relationship between Philippine criminal law and transnational criminal activities. By examining foundational principles, students will engage with the nuances of criminal liability, defenses, and corresponding penalties within the Philippine legal framework. These principles will be applied to transnational offenses such as terrorism, money laundering, drug trafficking, and cybercrime. Special attention is dedicated to elucidating the intricate interplay between domestic legislation, international legal instruments such as the UN Convention on Transnational Crime, its protocols and the Cybercrime Convention, and also extradition procedures in addressing cross-border criminal activities.

GSLAW 719 – Sustainability Law
Meeting the needs of a growing global population while at the same time maintaining the health of the environment, which provides the life support system for humanity, is the central policy challenge of the 21st century. Key sustainability challenges include: avoiding dangerous climate change, safeguarding biological diversity, providing food security, coping with resource scarcity, and promoting green technology including low-carbon energy generation. These issues provide acute challenges for governments given that they cut across a range of policy areas, and require long-term planning rather than short-term decision-making. The course examines how policy-makers at international, national and sub-national scales consider and respond to sustainability issues, including how decision-making is influenced by stakeholders – industry, nongovernmental organisations and citizens. It will be seen that sustainability policy design and implementation in the real world involves reconciling competing agendas and interests, and that trade-offs are often made that may strengthen or weaken the effectiveness of sustainability policies.

GSLAW 720 – Energy Law
In an age of global warming, transitioning from reliance on fossil fuels to low-carbon energy sources is essential for mitigating climate change and making energy supplies adequate, equitable, and sustainable. The course considers the challenges and concerns that this fundamental change like energy supplies gives rise to and explores the law’s role in addressing them. The course examines the legal and policy framework for promoting low-carbon energy sources in the global, regional, and national contexts, and considers how law can be used to address significant constraints on the growth of and transition to low-carbon energy sources – one that is just, fair, and equitable. It also demonstrates how the law can function both as an enabler of the energy transition and a constraint toward a low-carbon energy future.

GSLAW 721 – Entertainment Law
Entertainment Law offers a comprehensive examination of the legal framework governing the entertainment industry in the Philippines. The course will study the entertainment industry in the Philippines from both a macro level (i.e., the organization of the motion picture, television and music business, including the function of studios, producers, networks, record companies, agencies, talent managers, lawyers and actors guilds) and a micro level (i.e., examining actual agreements to understand the principal components of motion picture talent, production and distribution contracts, television series contracts, music and book publishing contracts). The course will also examine key litigation issues that affect the industry, such as the interaction of Free Speech, Free Expression, Free Press, and the right of publicity, the right of privacy and libel, the anti-SLAPP laws, the definition of obscenity, and censorship cases. The impact of the digital media (including the internet) will, of course, be analyzed, along with the future of the entertainment industry, including convergence, holograms, artificial intelligence and the like.

GSLAW 825 – Government Procurement Law 
This course explores the fundamental principles and mandates of the Government Procurement Law, aiming to equip the students with profound understanding of the procedures, ethical standards, restrictions, and challenges in government procurement. The course will also delve into the jurisprudence, Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) issuances, and other relevant rules and policies, shedding light on the prevailing procurement practices in the government. The course stimulates the students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

GSLAW 826 – Public Interest Law 
This course introduces the theory and practice of public interest law in the Philippine context. It explores the legal strategies used to advance the rights of marginalized and disadvantaged sectors of society, including the poor, indigenous peoples, women, children, and the environment. Topics include the history and development of public interest lawyering in the Philippines, constitutional rights and remedies, human rights advocacy, strategic litigation, legal ethics in public interest practice, and engagement with government and non-government institutions.

GSLAW 827 – Competition Law
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to Philippine Competition Law, focusing on Republic Act No. 10667, or the Philippine Competition Act (PCA). It explores the principles, policies, and legal frameworks governing anti-competitive conduct, merger control, abuse of dominant position, and enforcement mechanisms. The course also examines the role and powers of the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) and compares local law with international best practices, particularly those of the United States and European Union. Through case studies and practical applications, students will gain insight into legal and economic analyses underpinning competition regulation in the Philippines.

Any course related to thesis.

Written Comprehensive Examinations (WCE)

TW I – 3 units (Thesis Proposal)
TW II – 3 units (Research Colloquium)
TW III – 3 units (Thesis Defense)

Total = 42 Units 

Summary of Program Requirements

Degree Requirements

Units

Prerequisite Courses

6

Core Courses

9

Specialization Courses

15

Cognate Courses

3

Written Comprehensive Exams

    Thesis Writing I

3

      Thesis Writing II

3

      Thesis Writing III

3

TOTAL

42