JD/Master I and II Programs

Vermont Law and Graduate School offers three dual degree options with the University of Cergy-Pontoise, a prestigious law school ranked third in France by the French Ministry of Education

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JD/Master I & JD/Master II/DJCE in Business Law (Taught in French)

Both the JD/Master I and JD/Master II DJCE programs are tailored for students proficient in the French language and keen on pursuing a career in international law and policy, whether in the United States or abroad. 

Employers in the international field are increasingly seeking students with knowledge of multiple legal systems and fluency in at least one language besides English. Graduates of these programs will earn two degrees, providing the dynamic legal foundation needed to represent or to regulate international businesses. 

Typically, students apply for the program during the second semester of their first year of law school. For more information, please reach out to International Admissions and Services via email.

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Course Taken by VLGS Students at University of Cergy-Pontoise

Master I:
Droit et Ethique des affaires
Droit de l’entreprise
Droit fiscal des affaires
Droit penal européen
Droit de la concurrence et de la distribution
Droit international privé général
Droit bancaire et bourse
Droit pénal des affaires
Droit des contrats spéciaux
Droit des enterprises en difficulté
Droit penal international
Procédure pénale

Master II:
Diplôme de Juriste Conseil d’Entreprise
Choix des structures sociétaires
Technique contractuelle
Droit de travail et contentieux social
Comptabilité et analyse financière
Ingénierie sociétaire
Droit des sociétés
et un stage d’un minimum de 2 mois ( février et mars), une véritable immersion en cabinet ou entreprise pour acquérir une expérience

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Course Work Specific to the JD/Masters I and II Program with Cergy-Pontoise

Students participating in this program must satisfy VLGS graduation requirements during the first two years of law school. Some VLGS graduation requirements may be satisfied by work completed in France, such as the perspectives course requirement.

Students must also complete the following courses at VLGS before beginning course work in France:

• Corporations (fall semester of second year)
• Income Taxation
• At least one course in each of the following categories:
  • Corporate Finance or Securities Regulation;
  • Bankruptcy, Business Planning, Commercial Arbitration, Employment Law, Environmental Issues in Business Transactions, International Business Transactions, International Intellectual Property, International Trade and the Environment, International Regulation of Trade, Sales, and Secured Transactions
• Additionally, students must complete the following courses before beginning Master level course work in France. These courses may be offered at VLGS or in France, possibly in intensive sessions during the summer.
  • Introduction to the French Legal Method, French Legal System, and the French Civil Code
  • French Corporate Law

At the conclusion of two or three years of study at Vermont Law and Graduate School (at the applicant’s preference), students will begin their studies in France. The first year of studies will be at the University of Cergy-Pontoise at the Masters I level, with a specialization in business law. 

The second year of studies will be at the Masters II level, with advanced specialized coursework in business law. French coursework may include contract law, tax law, labor law, company law, corporate finance, commercial law, and trade regulation. During the period of study in France, VLGS students will be subject to the same academic requirements as French students.

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Application Process and Eligibility

Students will generally apply for admission to the dual degree programs in the spring semester of their first year at VLGS. Ordinarily, applicants must be in the top half of their class at the time of application and must maintain that academic standing. The applicants must have demonstrated a sufficient mastery of French in order to take classes and examinations in that language.

Selections will be made based on multiple factors, including educational goals, academic standing, level of language proficiency, timeliness of application, and one’s demonstrated interest in the country and the subjects in which the dual degree program specializes. Details regarding deadlines for application and the actual application process will be provided for interested students at the International Programs informational sessions held fall and spring semesters.

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Degrees

At the conclusion of four or five years of study, students will earn a Juris Doctor degree from Vermont Law and Graduate School and a Cergy-Pontoise Master I degree (specializing in either business law or law and business ethics), or both a Master I and a Master II DJCE degree. Students awarded a JD/ Master II degree will be qualified to take the U.S.bar examinations and the Paris Bar.