MASTER OF LAWS DEGREE AND PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
(for programs other than Advocacy)
General Requirements for All LL.M. Students (both U.S.- and foreign-educated attorneys)
Candidates for all Master of Laws degrees (with the exception of the Master of Laws in Advocacy) must:
Complete the required number of academic credits for the degree, including any minimum number of hours in a specialization and/or required courses as described in the appropriate section below;
Earn a minimum cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00;
Complete all requirements for the degree within the prescribed period of study (see section on Academic Requirements below.) Full-time students are expected to complete the degree in one academic year, and part-time students may take up to three years.
All foreign-educated attorneys on student visas are required to enroll as full-time students. A student’s visa cannot be extended to provide additional time for the student to complete a paper or coursework except for compelling academic or medical reasons consistent with U.S. visa regulations. Other foreign-educated students may enroll as part-time students if they are U.S. citizens, or permanent residents of the U.S., or if they are on a visa permitting part-time study.
Specific LL.M. Degree Requirements for U.S.-Educated J.D. Graduates
LL.M. (INDIVIDUALIZED PROGRAM)
Requires, in addition to the general requirements:
24 academic credits in a program of study approved by the Graduate Admissions Committee. There is no limitation on the number of J.D. upperclass courses that may be included in the approved program, but approval does not guarantee entry into any particular course or seminar.
An approved program of study may be revised during the course of the degree program, with the permission of the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs; students seeking to revise their program of study must provide a written request to the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs explaining the need for the revision.
LL.M. IN GLOBAL HEALTH LAW
Requires, in addition to the general requirements:
24 academic credits, including 16 academic credits in courses listed under Global Health Law in the course schedule.
As part of the required 16 specialization credits, each student must successfully complete (1) the basic Global Health Law course, and (2) at least two courses identified within the Global Health Law curriculum as “core courses.”
LL.M. IN SECURITIES AND FINANCIAL REGULATION
Requires, in addition to the general requirements:
24 academic credits, including 16 academic credits in courses listed under Securities and Financial Regulation in the course schedule;
Prior completion or concurrent completion of a basic course in Securities Regulation [note: this course does not count towards the required 16 Securities credits but, if taken as part of the student’s LL.M. program, may count as elective credit toward the 24 total academic credits required for the degree].
MASTER OF LAWS IN TAXATION
Requires, in addition to the general requirements:
24 academic credits, including 20 academic credits in courses listed under Taxation in the course schedule;
Prior completion of a basic course in individual federal income taxation [note: this requirement may not be waived nor may the course be taken after matriculation in the Graduate Tax Program];
Completion of the courses (1) Income Tax Accounting and (2) Corporate Income Tax Law I (with permission of the Director of the Graduate Tax Program, the J.D. course Taxation II, may be substituted for Corporate Income Tax Law I to satisfy this requirement). Students who have taken prior courses on these subjects may petition the Director of the Graduate Tax Programs to have a required course waived in order to substitute a tax elective. Petitions to waive either of these required courses will be considered only if (1) the student (by e-mail or in writing) petitions for the waiver during the first semester of enrollment in the Master of Laws in Taxation Program and (2) the student received a minimum grade of “B” in a comparable course from an ABA-approved law school.
Specific LL.M. Degree Requirements for Foreign-Educated Attorneys
MASTER OF LAWS (GENERAL STUDIES)
Requires, in addition to the general requirements:
20 academic credits in a program of study approved by an international student advisor from the Office of Graduate Programs;
Participation in the Foundations of American Law program or completion of the required course for international students, U.S. Legal Discourse.
MASTER OF LAWS IN GLOBAL HEALTH LAW
Requires, in addition to the general requirements:
20 academic credits, including 16 academic credits in courses listed under Global Health Law schedule;
As part of the required 16 specialization credits, each student must successfully complete (1) the basic Global Health Law course, and (2) at least two courses identified within the Global Health Law curriculum as “core courses;”
Participation in the Foundations of American Law program or completion of the required course for international students, U.S. Legal Discourse.
MASTER OF LAWS IN INTERNATIONAL LEGAL STUDIES
Requires, in addition to the general requirements:
20 academic credits in a program of study approved by an international student advisor from the Office of Graduate Programs, including a minimum of 12 academic credits in courses listed under International and Comparative Law in the course schedule;
Participation in the Foundations of American Law program or completion of the required course for international students, U.S. Legal Discourse.
MASTER OF LAWS IN SECURITIES AND FINANCIAL REGULATION
Requires, in addition to the general requirements:
20 academic credits in a program of study approved by an international student advisor from the Office of Graduate Programs, including a minimum of 14 academic credits in courses listed under Securities and Financial Regulation in the course schedule;
As part of the required 14 specialization credits, completion of a basic course in Securities Regulation;
Participation in the Foundations of American Law program or completion of the required course for international students, U.S. Legal Discourse.
MASTER OF LAWS IN TAXATION
Requires, in addition to the general requirements:
20 academic credits in a program of study approved by an international student advisor from the Office of Graduate Programs, including a minimum of 16 academic credits in courses listed under Taxation in the course schedule;
As part of the required 16 specialization credits, completion of the courses (1) The U.S. Income Tax: Principles and Practices, and (2) Corporate Income Tax Law I or Taxation II;
Participation in the Foundations of American Law program or completion of the required course for international students, U.S. Legal Discourse.
Joint J.D./LL.M. in Taxation
The J.D./LL.M. joint degree program permits students who are still completing their J.D. degree to take LL.M. tax courses that will count towards both the J.D. degree and also towards an LL.M. degree in Taxation. Students in this program are expected, while still J.D. students, to complete at least 12 credits of courses listed in the Course Schedule as counting towards the LL.M. in Taxation. After receiving their J.D. degree, joint degree students complete the additional academic credits necessary to fulfill the requirements of the Taxation LL.M. degree. Regardless of the number of Tax LL.M. credits the students completed while still in the J.D. program, all students are required to complete an additional 12 credits following conferral of the J.D. degree. Students may complete these additional credits on a full-time or part-time basis. Joint degree students are expected to complete their LL.M. credits within two years of receiving their J.D. degree.
For students in this program, all of the Tax LL.M. credits that they take while completing their J.D. degree will be shown on their LL.M. transcript, along with the additional LL.M. courses, and will be counted towards the student’s LL.M. grade point average. (Taxation I, which is a pre-requisite to matriculation in the Tax LL.M. program, will not be included among the 12 credits counted toward the LL.M. degree).
Students apply to the J.D./LL.M. joint degree program in the spring semester of their second year (in the case of Georgetown J.D. students) or during the summer following their second year (in the case of students from other law schools). To be eligible to apply for this program, students must have completed Taxation I or its equivalent.
Requirements for Two Separate LL.M. Degrees
Students who wish to complete two separate LL.M. degrees may apply to do so. Current students should submit an updated application to the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs, who will consult with the Office of Admissions. No application fee is required for current students. Those who will be beginning their first degree or who have already completed one degree should apply to the Office of Admissions and pay the appropriate application fee for the second degree.
Transfer Between LL.M. Degree Programs
A student in an LL.M. degree program may apply to transfer to a different program by submitting a written request explaining the academic reasons for requesting the transfer to the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs or the Director of LL.M. Academic Services.
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