The program consists of four weekly, three-hour seminars and directed readings and research:

Law and Development Seminar
This course provides an introduction to development theory and experience.

Legislative and Social Science Research Methods
Since a law can only address a problem by changing behaviors, participants in the lawmaking process must understand who does what that constitutes the social problem—and explain the factors that cause the problematic behaviors. In this course, instructors guide participants through the process of describing a problem (such as an AIDS epidemic, a housing shortage, or a contaminated water supply) in terms of the behaviors that constitute the problem. Instructors provide students with techniques for acquiring detailed information about problematic behaviors.

Designing Legislative and Civil Society Strengthening Programs
Participants in this course evaluate their countries' law-making processes in light of comparative experience. They consider mechanisms used to gather civil society input, who conducts research to inform law-makers about the nature of social problems, what questions researchers ask and whose input they seek, how lawmakers assess bills, and how legislative impacts are monitored and evaluated. Course participants then design on-going learning processes and resource centers to equip others to participate effectively in the law-making process.

Legislation Drafting Techniques
This intensive course provides bill design and legislation drafting techniques. Throughout the term, course participants learn legislative drafting rules and apply these rules through a series of in-class drafting and editing exercises. This class also features discussions of issues such as drafting ethics, drafting within limits, and drafting defensively against corruption.

Independent Research: Directed Readings

Each course participant drafts a bill addressing an important social problem facing the participant's country. The bill's accompanying a research report demonstrates, on country-specific evidence, that the bill's detailed provisions will achieve the desired social impact. The process gives participants an opportunity to learn legislative problem-solving methodology and techniques by 'doing' drafting. Residence Program participants work with subject matter experts, who consult with them on their individual projects throughout their stay.