Students in the Law Center’s graduate programs may take courses in both the J.D. curriculum and the LL.M. curriculum. The Law Center offers specialized graduate courses in seven areas related to specific degree and certificate programs: Employee Benefits; International Human Rights; International Legal Studies; National Security Law; Securities and Financial Regulation; Taxation; and World Trade Organization (WTO) Studies. Some courses are jointly offered in both the J.D. and LL.M. curriculums to encourage students from both programs to enroll.

International students trained in civil law who attend a graduate program at the Law Center may take a required preliminary course of study, Foundations of American Law, in the summer preceding their enrollment. Foundations is an intensive, one-month course that introduces students to the common law process, American law, American legal education, legal writing and legal research techniques.

International students who do not enroll in Foundations are required to enroll in U.S. Legal Discourse during the fall semester. This course introduces students to U.S. legal resources, research methods, and analytical paradigms. Writing assignments give students the opportunity to develop written analysis using the approaches, forms, and conventions common in U.S. law.

The Office of Graduate Programs provides individualized curriculum counseling as well as opportunities to consult with faculty and practioners in students’ fields of interest.

For information about specific graduate programs, click here.