Degree Requirements and Courses

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LL.M. candidates are required to successfully complete at least 24 credit hours of classes. All LL.M. candidates must take Introduction to U.S. Legal Systems, Legal Writing and Research, and one of the following first-year required courses: contracts, torts, criminal law, property, constitutional law, or civil procedure.

LL.M. candidates who choose to concentrate in one of the areas of specialization must earn at least 12 credits in their chosen area. All LL.M. candidates must attend a 2 week orientation program prior to the beginning of classes.

The Associate Dean and the Director of Global Programs help each LL.M. student select courses that are tailored to his or her interests. An LL.M. candidate may select any course, with the exception of a clinic, with the consent of the Associate Dean or the Director, as long as they meet all of the prerequisites determined by the instructor of the course. LL.M. candidates are required to receive a passing grade in each class in order to obtain course credit towards their degree.

We offer LL.M. candidates approximately 130 courses including 50 small seminars. Our faculty nurtures students to develop their own arguments and to freely express their views in a supportive environment. Typically, most classes have 50 or fewer students and none are larger than 100. Few other U.S. law schools have as wide of a selection of courses open to LL.M. and J.D. candidates alike. You can review a list of courses in our Academic Catalog.