Protecting and Promoting Indigenous Peoples’ Rights

What makes the Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy (IPLP) Program at the University of Arizona Law unique is our approach to legal education in the fields of federal Indian law, tribal law and policy, and Indigenous peoples human rights. Students are trained in the classroom and in real-world settings by faculty who are leaders both in their academic fields and as practitioners in tribal, national, and international forums.

For nearly three decades, Arizona Law has been a leader in the field of American Indian and Indigenous peoples law, policy, and human rights. Arizona Law is the only law school in the world offering all three graduate degrees in the field (JD, LLM, and SJD), a Master of Legal Studies (MLS), and a Master of Professional Studies (MPS) with a concentration in Indigenous peoples’ law and policy. Throughout the academic year IPLP offers robust course offerings and significant scholarship funding for qualified students.

A Community to Support You

University of Arizona Law students benefit from the mentorship and support of their fellow classmates. The University of Arizona Native American Law Students Association creates a welcoming and supportive environment for students and is one of the largest chapters in the country. The IPLP Program also brings a global cohort of graduate students who are legal scholars and advocates from Indigenous communities across the world.  

Unparalleled Experiential Learning Opportunities

The IPLP Program provides students with unparalleled clinical opportunities. We offer three year-round faulty-led clinics focused on working with tribes and Indigenous communities across the world. Students get the opportunity to work closely with tribal leaders, institutions, and courts to promote justice in Indian country and work on a wide range of Indigenous human rights advocacy projects in the United Nations and other international human rights bodies.

IPLP’s advocacy projects provide pro-bono legal research and advocacy assistance, internship and clinical placements, and community-based workshops to strengthen tribal self-governance, institution building, and respect for Indigenous peoples’ human rights. IPLP’s clinical work integrates theories of Native knowledge, critical race practice, and Indigenous legal theory with the aim of decolonizing and reforming domestic and international law relating to Indigenous peoples’ rights.

IPLP's global approach to advocacy connects students to tribal communities across Arizona, North America, and the world to work on precedent-setting cases on Indigenous peoples’ rights before domestic courts, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the United Nations system, and other regional and international human rights bodies.

Strengthening Indigenous Governance

The Indigenous Governance Program is a partnership between IPLP and the University of Arizona’s Native Nations Institute. Through IGP, students are able to connect with leading scholars focused on Native nation building, Indigenous governance, and economic and community development in Indian country. NNI is one of the premier research institutions with an emphasis on Native nation building. Students are able to take courses with NNI faculty during our January in Tucson program and connect with NNI’s mission through a variety of externship and research opportunities. For students who want to expand their knowledge of Indigenous governance even further, we offer a Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Governance, a Continuing Education Certificate, a Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Indigenous Governance, and a dual JD/MPS degree. 

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