To qualify for the concentration, students must complete at least 15 credits in courses fulfilling Labor & Employment Law Concentration requirements. Students must earn at least a 3.0 Average in the required courses, with a minimum grade of C in each course. Students earning a 3.5 cumulative average in courses fulfilling Labor & Employment Law Concentration requirements will receive Honors in the Concentration.
I. Introductory Course
Students are required to take 1 introductory course on labor and employment law, which is taught once a year in the fall semester:
- Labor Relations I (Law 745) Typically referred to as "Labor & Employment Law", it is an introductory course to both Employment Law and Labor Law topics. Note: In Fall 2024, this requirement was met by Law 940-010 (Prof. White) "Employment Law".
II. Advanced Courses
At least 2 courses must be selected from among the following options:
- Labor Relations II (Law 745 or Law 940): Typically referred to simply as as "Labor Relations", it focuses on union organizing and collective bargaining in the private sector.
- Equal Employment Law (Law 765) (sometimes referred to as Employment Discrimination): Focuses on a variety of statutes prohibiting employment discrimination.
- Worker Compensation Law (Law 940): Focuses on introducing students to worker’s compensation law and procedure.
- A Labor Law-related externship (Law 854): An externship offered at federal and state agencies related to employment and/or labor law.
- Class, Law, and Labor Relations in Historical Perspective (Law 940) - offered Spring 2025
III. Elective Courses
Students may reach the required 15 credits by either completing more than 2 of the Advanced Courses listed above, or by selecting additional courses from the following list of electives:
- Administrative Law
- Labor Arbitration Seminar
- Civil Procedure II*
- Clinical Program: Neighborhood Law Clinic (4 credits maximum)
- Consumer Health Advocacy & Patient Centered Care Clinical (4 credits maximum)
- European Union Law*
- Health Law
- Immigration Law*
- Insurance Law*
- Sports Law
*With permission of the Labor Law Concentration Coordinator.
Additional Requirements
If you believe you qualify for honors in the concentration, you need to submit along with your transcript a calculation of your GPA in the courses fulfilling the concentration, showing that your cumulative GPA in those courses is 3.5 or higher.
For additional information on the Labor and Employment Law Concentration contact Associate Dean Kevin Kelly at kevinkelly@wisc.edu or Academic Advisor Angela Nash at angela.nash@wisc.edu.
