University of San Francisco School of Law
Tax Writing, Research, & Applied AI Certificate
San Francisco, USA
Certificate
DURATION
7 weeks
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Nov 2026
TUITION FEES
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
Key Summary
About: The Tax Research, Writing, & Applied AI Certificate at The University of San Francisco School of Law is fully online and asynchronous for domestic students in authorized US states. It covers tax research, legal writing and generative AI, and spans three consecutive seven-week semesters scheduled to avoid the busy tax season. Students learn alongside LLM and MLST cohorts, engage weekly with faculty, attend optional meetings, and can transfer credits to MLST or LLM.
Career Outcomes: Graduates can pursue tax attorney, tax analyst, tax consultant, compliance specialist roles in law firms, accounting firms, corporate tax departments, or federal government agencies.
To enroll in the Graduate Tax Program, you must be physically located in the U.S. and in one of the states where the program is authorized. For more information regarding state authorization, please click the "Read More on the Institute's Website" button.
This program currently only accepts domestic students.
The Tax Research and Writing Certificate is designed for busy professionals in the field of taxation. Offered entirely online, the program features asynchronous courses delivered across three consecutive seven-week semesters scheduled to avoid the busy tax season. Certificate students learn alongside participants in the LLM in Taxation and Master of Legal Studies in Taxation (MLST) programs and have the opportunity to engage directly with faculty, administrators, and peers. The curriculum covers core methods of tax research and legal writing, combining traditional techniques with the integration of generative AI as an emerging tool in modern tax practice. Credits earned through the certificate may be transferred to the MLST or LLM in Taxation programs.
Program Highlights
- Three consecutive seven-week semesters that avoid the busy tax season.
- Fully online, asynchronous learning for ultimate flexibility, with regular optional meetings with faculty.
- Weekly opportunities to engage directly with professors, administrators, and peers.
- Distinguished, expert faculty provide individualized support and feedback.
Each semester runs for seven weeks and students must earn five units total in the following courses:
- Tax Writing I
- Taxation Research
- Tax Writing II
About Our Coursework
Students in the Certificate program begin with Tax Writing I, which focuses on tax analysis and writing. Through research projects and the preparation of memoranda, students learn to analyze tax issues and prepare written materials that support their position. Students begin by drafting a tax memo for firm files and learn about different tax authorities that are critical for tax writing. They also review ways to effectively use a tax AI tool while recognizing its pitfalls.
In the second course, Taxation Research, students dive into tax research sources and techniques used by tax lawyers and professionals, including online tax services, statutes, legislative history, administrative authorities, case law, and secondary sources (e.g. Checkpoint, CCA, Bloomberg BNA, Tax Notes, Westpoint, AccessLex, etc.) The course focuses on developing an effective research process, including practice with realistic tax research problems.
Building on the analytical and writing skills developed in Tax Writing I and Tax Research, in Tax Writing II, students prepare written tax materials such as memoranda, responses to IRS notices, and requests for IRS private letter rulings. Students draft client letters and review substantive tax law and common tax issues, including common code sections, cases, and doctrines.
Courses are graded on a credit/ no credit basis and grades are generally determined based on the research and writing projects, as well as quizzes and other assignments. Typically, students complete three writing projects in both Tax Writing I and Tax Writing II, for six total supervised writing projects.
Students who complete the Tax Research & Writing Certificate Program at the University of San Francisco, School of Law will be able to:
- Identify and analyze complex tax issues, applying relevant legal principles and tax code provisions to real-world scenarios
- Develop effective research skills in the field of tax law, utilizing a range of primary and secondary sources, including statutes, regulations, case law, and scholarly literature
- Communicate complex legal concepts in a clear and concise manner, through effective legal writing
Students in the Tax Research & Writing Certificate program are working professionals. The Certificate can be completed in three successive semesters and students may begin the program in the Fall, Spring, or Summer semester.