Post-Graduate Study in China

Study at the South West University of Political Science & Law (SWUPL) in Chongqing, China after graduation.

Drake Law School’s Post-Graduate Study in China program enables Drake Law graduates to study as part of International Law Fellowships or teach as a foreign expert teacher at South West University of Political Science & Law (SWUPL) in Chongqing, China.

About the Program

The fellowship and teacher positions are ideal for those graduates whose post-graduate employment is uncertain, or for those whose employer is willing to defer a the graduate's start day because they can see the value to such an experience.

Many of the prior fellows took the Iowa Bar Exam in July and left for China in mid-August, studying at SWUPL during the fall semester and traveling around China.

International Law Fellowship

• Enroll at SWUPL as a full-time student and pay no tuition or fees, either to Drake or SWUPL.
• Fellows are responsible for their round trip air fare, housing, and living expenses.
• SWUPL offers several Chinese law courses taught in English and courses on spoken and written beginning Mandarin Chinese.
• SWUPL enrolls international students from around the world (including Britain, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, Korea, Spain, and the U.S.).
• The law courses are small, typically about 20-25 students, and are taught as undergraduate courses.

Foreign Expert Teacher

• Teach 14-16 hours of law classes per week.
• Course topics will be determined based on institutional needs and the person’s academic strengths and interests.
• Foreign Expert Teachers will be paid a base salary and provided with housing, airfare, basic insurance, and a travel stipend.

About Chongqing, China 

Chongqing is the fastest growing city in China with a population of approximately 30 million, and it is booming even by China’s growth standards. Chongqing is one of four federal municipalities in China, so its economy gets a further boost from the infusion of national government funding.

China and Iowa are significant trade and business partners. President Xi Jinping’s longstanding friendship with former Iowa Governor and former United States Ambassador to China Terry Branstad has helped to create a strong connection between these two places.

Drake has had a long-standing relationship with SWUPL. Most recently, 24 SWUPL students studied at Drake Law School during the Fall 2020 semester.

Apply

To learn how to apply or find more information, contact Professor Ellen Yee at 515-271-1914 or ellen.yee@drake.edu.