Istanbul Program
Istanbul, Turkey | June 30-July 22, 2012
The Istanbul Study Abroad Program is co-sponsored by the South Texas College of Law and the William Mitchell College of Law, and is conducted in cooperation with the University of Bahcesehir in Istanbul.
An application for the Istanbul Study Abroad Program is available here. For more information, please contact Dean and Professor Stephen Mazza at (785) 864-9266 or smazza@ku.edu.
The University Of Bahcesehir
The University of Bahcesehir in Istanbul, Turkey, is a foundation university, established in 1998. Bahcesehir has quickly established itself as a progressive, dynamic educational institution. The school's modern facilities are located on the European side of the Bosphorus coast in the heart of Istanbul. With a population in excess of 10 million, Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey. It is the only city in the world located on two continents, Europe and Asia. Its rich history dates back some 5,000 years. Students will enjoy a unique learning experience in this vibrant, cosmopolitan city.
The program contact for the Istanbul Study Abroad Program is Feridun Yenisey, a professor of law at the University of Bahcesehir. Professor Yenisey is the country's foremost expert on international and comparative criminal law.
Curriculum
There are no prerequisites for any of the courses. All classes are taught in English. No Turkish language skills are necessary for participation in the program. Approximately 20 law students from Turkey and other countries attend courses as guest auditors.
Course descriptions:
- Criminal Procedure in Europe
(1 credit) Dr. Feridun Yenisey
This course examines as representative of the Civil Law tradition the procedural rules of the criminal law systems operating in Turkey and Germany. Lectures will also concern the development of the European Union Criminal Law and its expansion under the leading decisions of the European Court of Human Rights. Legal concepts and legal institutions of Islamic Criminal Law shall be explained and compared with Civil Law tradition. - International Sales of Goods
(1 credit) Professor Christina Kunz
Whether you will be practicing in a law firm or serving as in-house counsel, you will need to know how U.S. and multi-national companies contract to buy, sell, and transport goods to and from companies elsewhere in the world. This course will introduce you to the United Nations Convention on the International Sales of Goods (CISG), which covers many of the topics learned in the first-year Contracts course, but from a perspective that strikes a balance between common law and civil law approaches. Students will also learn how to apply the ICC’s Incoterms, which are often used in international shipping. - International Tax Law
(1 credit) Professor Stephen Mazza and Professor Gulsen Gedik
This course gives students an introduction to the world of individual and corporate international taxation. The first portion of this course examines basic domestic and international tax rules from the perspective of the United States. The second portion of the course examines broader, comparative issues relating to international taxation, including operation of consumption-based taxes and worldwide vs. territorial taxation. Specific comparisons are made with the tax system in Turkey. No prior tax knowledge required. - International Intellectual Property
(1 credit) Professor Phillip Page
This course presents an introductory overview of basic principles of intellectual property law and includes copyright, patent, trade secret, and trademark fundamentals. No technical background of any kind is assumed. Students will examine the basis for intellectual property generally and the ongoing efforts by governments to balance the needs of owners and users. Problems such as the control of music on-line, the ownership of genetic research, and the protection of industrial design will receive particular attention. Both the global reach of intellectual property protection and the differences between US, EU, and other regimes will be emphasized.
Faculty
- Feridun Yenisey is a professor of law at Bahcesehir University in Istanbul Turkey. He is a frequent visiting professor at law schools within the United States, including the University of Kansas, William Mitchell Law School, and South Texas College of Law. He is a leading proponent of Turkey’s efforts to modernize its criminal law system and has published widely on the topic.
- Christina L. Kunz is a professor of law at William Mitchell College of Law, where she teaches Contracts, UCC Sales, UCC Payments, Electronic Commercial Law, Virtual Worlds and Social Networks, and Negotiating and Drafting Business Agreements. Over the years, she has held a range of leadership positions in the ABA’s UCC Committee and the Cyberspace Law Committee; she also was on the ALI’s advisory group to the Principles of Software Contracting. With her co-authors, Professor Kunz has written four textbooks, including Sale of Goods: Reading and Applying the Code (now in 2nd ed.).
- Stephen Mazza is the dean of the KU Law School and a professor specializing in tax law. He has taught a variety of tax courses, including individual, corporate, and partnership tax, as well as tax policy and procedure. He is the co-author of Tax Controversies: Practice and Procedure (3rd ed. 2009).
- Gulsen Gedik teaches tax law practice at the Marmara University in Istanbul and is affiliated with the school’s law faculty. Her speciality is tax law practice, including the Tax Court's and Constitutional Court's tax decisions. She is currently writing her Phd thesis on the topic of Controlled Foreign Corporations. She has published extensively in the tax area.
- Phillip Page is a professor of law at South Texas College of Law. He teaches contracts and a variety of courses in intellectual property, his academic speciality. His work has appeared in The Cardozo Arts and Entertainment Law Journal, The University of Miami Entertainment and Sports Law Review, and elsewhere. His primary academic interest is copyright law, and he has often appeared as a featured speaker or panelist on copyright issues. Professor Page has also served as an expert witness or consultant in copyright litigation and licensing cases.
Admission Requirements
Open to all students who have completed the first-year curriculum at an ABA-accredited law school. Applicants should submit an application by March 15, 2012. Late applications are considered. If the program exceeds its cap of 40 U.S. law students, applicants will be placed on a waiting list with preference to early applicants.
Students should consult their home schools about transfer of credits and grading requirements for transfer of credits. Students should understand that it is unlikely that participation in a foreign summer program may be used to accelerate graduation. Students interested in acceleration should consult their home school to review this issue in light of ABA Standard 304. Students who do not attend the University of Kansas, South Texas College of Law or William Mitchell College of Law must submit a letter of good standing from their law school registrar or dean.
Grades are determined based on a written final examination in each course in accordance with KU Law grading procedures. Available grades are A (4.0), B+ (3.5), B (3.0), C+ (2.5), C (2.0), D+ (1.5), D (1.0) and F (0).
Tuition
Please refer to the Office of Study Abroad's website for a breakdown of costs for this program.
Transportation
Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from Turkey. Airlines provide a variety of reduced fare plans and early booking can result in substantial savings. As summer flights tend to fill quickly, early travel arrangements should be made. Students, however, should not book travel until they receive an acceptance package and submit the financial aid contract.
Housing
Students will stay at the Residence Hotel in Taksim, before moving to the Halki Palace. The cost of housing is added to tuition fees and paid to the hotel directly by the University of Kansas School of Law.
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Cancellation
Students must notify the University of Kansas through their online application, by letter or by e-mail of their intent to withdraw from the program. If a student withdraws after signing the financial contract they received with their acceptance materials, s/he will be liable for any non-recoverable expenses incurred on the participant's behalf. Students are responsible for any and all costs arising out of his/her own voluntary or involuntary withdrawal from the program prior to its completion, including withdrawal caused by illness or disciplinary action by representatives of the University of Kansas. The sponsoring school reserves the right to cancel the program for any reason including insufficient enrollment. In the unlikely event of a cancellation, notices will be sent to all, and all money will be refunded.
Financial Aid
Please inquire about the possibility of financial aid and scholarships with your law school's study abroad coordinator.
Health And Liability Insurance
The sponsoring school is not responsible for student's medical care or expenses in case of illness or accident. All students are required to obtain health insurance that will cover them during the program while outside of the United States.
Students with Disabilities
Facilities in Istanbul are generally not as accessible to individuals with disabilities as are facilities within the United States. Individuals with special needs should contact the program director to arrange for special accommodations.