Researching LL.M. Programs II: Factors to Consider

Here is Part 2 of Matthew’s article on researching LLM programs:

After you’ve narrowed your search for U.S. LL.M. programs somewhat,
you’ll need to thoroughly examine the different schools and programs.
The following is a list of factors you might use to determine which
schools or programs offers the best fit with your background and
goals.

Admission requirements: The elite law schools all have similar
requirements for admission to their LL.M. programs, but slight
differences may be important (e.g., two schools might both require a
score of 100 on the TOEFL iBT, but one might require a minimum of 25
on each of the four test areas, and the other may have no such
restriction). Some schools may consider applicants whose TOEFL scores
are slightly lower than the standard, but require those applicants to
take a summer English course if accepted. Other schools will simply
not make such considerations.

Programs: In addition to LL.M.s, many schools are offering M.C.L.
(Master of Comparative Law) programs and other alternative degrees and
certificates. Some schools offer dual programs (such as Georgetown
University’s M.I.A./LL.M. – MIA stands for Master of International
Affairs -, and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Business and
Law Certificate).

Tracks and concentrations: Many schools offer only one LL.M. for
international students, and give students basically free reign to
decide which courses to take to to gain the required number of
credits. Other schools offer tracks or concentrations. A “track” can
mean a “course work only” track versus a “thesis” track, but it can
also mean “major”, i.e., a focus on a certain area of law like
corporate governance, environmental law, or taxation. If your purpose
in taking an LL.M. is to increase your knowledge in one specific area
of law, you may want a school that allows you to focus on that area
and that will recognize it as a concentration on your degree. Also, if
a school offers a concentration in a certain area, it is a good
indication that the program is strong in that area.

Research and writing: Most schools require a certain amount of
research and writing as part of the degree, but check that the
requirements and limits are compatible with your interests and goals.
In many programs you can choose a longer or a shorter research
project, or choose to omit the project. If there is a certain faculty
member you would like to work with on a research project, you will
need to check whether the school will allow this and whether the
professor is open to the idea.

Extra-curricular/co-curricular activities: Some schools offer LL.M.
students workshops (not for credit) on legal practice or law teaching
led by J.S.D. students or faculty. Some offer externships that can be
undertaken during the LL.M. (for example, Columbia offers externships
in arts law and to the United Nations). Some schools encourage LL.M.
students to work as research assistants to faculty members,
participate in community programs, or take part in student government.

Courses in other subjects: Do you have an interest in taking one or
more courses outside the law faculty during your LL.M.? Many schools
will allow this (e.g., Northwestern allows LL.M. students to take up
to two courses at Kellogg for credit toward the degree), but check the
limits and details.

Alternative formats: While most LL.M. programs require attendance on
campus on a full-time basis at least from September until April of the
following year, many schools are now offering different formats. The
University of California, Berkeley, offers a summer program where
international students may earn an LL.M. by attending two 10-week
summer sessions over two years. Northwestern offers an executive LL.M.
through its partnerships with universities in Seoul, Madrid and Tel
Aviv. In this 12 month course, classes are offered only in evenings
and on weekends to allow students in those locations to continue to
work full time while studying. NYU now offers an executive LL.M. in
taxation which can be taken almost entirely on-line, and which may
also be taken on a part-time basis over a maximum of 5 years.

-Matthew

Researching LLM programs I: Some Web Resources

While we have been focusing almost entirely on MBA programs on our blog, we are hoping to publicize more information and resources for non-business school prospective applicants. One of our counselors Matthew has a special interest in legal issues although he also works with MBA applicants. He recently wrote an excellent article on how to research LLM programs and we will post it on our blog in two parts. The first part, “Web Resources,” is below and I will publish his second more detailed post next week.

Matthew is currently working as legal editor at one of the top law firms in Tokyo and has interests in international law (general), international transactions, intellectual property, and employment law. He has a Bachelor of Laws from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and is currently in the middle of the Transnational LLM program at Temple University in Tokyo. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
The way you research different U.S. Master of Laws (LL.M.) programs for
international students will depend on your background,
your reasons for pursuing the degree, and other factors. The number of
schools and the variety of programs and courses can be overwhelming,
so in this post, I’ll get you started with some basic Internet
resources you can use to look at different schools and programs.

School websites
If you have a school or two in mind already, the obvious first step is
to read the schools’ websites, which will probably be able to answer
most of your questions. Make the most of this resource by registering
with the site and reading not only information about the specific
program you’re interested in, but also student blogs and any other
information that might give you a greater understanding of the school
and its programs.

If after reading the website you require more information, any school
will be happy to answer your questions sent by e-mail. Although
generally they do not interview LL.M. applicants, many schools
encourage prospective applicants to visit their campuses (see
Cecilia’s blog entry of August 5), and offer varying
degrees of support for this (e.g., providing student-led tours of the
law school, allowing visitors to observe classes). If your plans
include a thesis or other research project with a certain member of
the faculty, or if one or more professors are key in the area you wish
to specialize in, then it is a good idea to contact faculty members
individually with your questions.

Other websites
The International Law Institute (a Washington D.C.-based NPO)
maintains a list of all U.S. law schools offering LL.M. programs for
international students as well as a lot of other useful information on
the study of U.S. law from an international perspective:
http://www.ili.org/orientation/law_schools.html
You may be looking for the prestige that comes with an LL.M. from an
elite U.S. law school. The US News website
(http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/rankings)
ranks law schools according to a variety of factors, especially
post-graduation employment. An advantage of this site is that you can
adjust the ranking list according to factors like geographical
location and strength of certain program areas. The downside is that
most of the information (including tuition costs and employment rates)
is focused on J.D. programs not LL.M.
The LLM Guide website (http://www.llm-guide.com/usa) has a wealth of
information on LL.M. programs around the world, as well as articles,
discussion boards (get the inside scoop from students who have applied
to, been accepted/rejected by/graduated from various schools), and
tips.

In my next post, I’ll talk about factors to consider when looking
in more detail at the different schools and programs.

-Matthew