Law

www.law.uiuc.edu

Dean of the College: Thomas Mengler
Director of Graduate and International Legal Studies: Janet Murphy
Correspondence and Admission Information: Ann Perry, Office of Graduate and International Legal Studies
215 Law Building
504 East Pennsylvania Avenue, Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 333-6066
E-mail: llm@law.uiuc.edu

Graduate Degree Programs

Programs of graduate study in law are designed for law graduates who wish to pursue advanced study and conduct independent research under the direction of the College of Law faculty. Two advanced degrees are conferred by the College of Law. The principal post-J.D. degree conferred by the College of Law is the Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree; in rare circumstances, the Doctor of Science of Law (J.S.D.) is conferred. Overall coordination of the graduate program is the responsibility of the director of the Office of Graduate and International Legal Studies, and individual inquiries should be addressed to this office.

Admission

The Graduate College admission requirements apply. In addition, the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) requirement is 600 (250 on the computer-based test). Students are not required to take the general Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Students are admitted on an individual basis according to a review of their prior accomplishments with an emphasis on academic achievement. Admission is made during the fall semester only.

Master of Laws

The Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree is open to both graduates of U.S. law schools and applicants whose prior law study was concluded in a foreign country. Non-U.S. applicants are eligible for admission if they have met the requirements to practice law in their home country.

The LL.M. degree requires the completion of 32 graduate hours of credit. All candidates are required to take Introduction to U.S. Law, a 4 graduate hour course. The remaining 28 graduate hours are selected by the candidate from any College of Law courses.

For candidates from noncommon law backgrounds, credit from dissertation or thesis work generally may not be applied toward the LL.M. degree. If the candidate has a degree from a common law country, 16 graduate hours of credit may be achieved by the writing of a dissertation or thesis. Variations from these requirements require advance approval from the College of Law and, in some instances, from the Graduate College. Petition forms are available from the Graduate Office.

Doctor of the Science of Law

Usually, no applicant will be admitted to Doctor of the Science of Law (J.S.D.) candidacy unless he or she has completed a master’s degree in law at the University of Illinois. The decision to admit will be based on an outstanding level of performance in courses taken during the period in residence as well as a demonstrated ability in independent research and writing.

The requirements for the J.S.D. degree consist of the preparation of a dissertation of publishable quality and a program of study prescribed by the Committee on Graduate and International Legal Studies. This program of study includes, as an essential element, research and writing under faculty supervision in areas related to the candidate’s J.S.D. thesis. Candidates will generally be required to take those courses and seminars from among the College of Law course offerings that relate to the candidate’s dissertation topic and to pass an oral examination in defense of the dissertation before a doctoral committee of the faculty specifically convened for that purpose.

Financial Aid

Applicants to the College of Law graduate programs are welcome to apply for scholarship assistance. Scholarships typically are awarded to applicants with a combination of excellent academic and professional credentials and proven financial need. Awards usually provide part or all of tuition and rarely cover living expenses. There are always more qualified applicants than there are funds available. Therefore, applicants are strongly encouraged to explore alternative sources of funding.