Curriculum

Overview

LL.M. students can take courses of interest from across the law school’s extensive offerings. Our specialty programs offer introductory overview courses, supplemented by advanced courses and seminars that enable students to develop a deep understanding of subject areas. In-depth and interdisciplinary offerings in emerging areas of legal practice provide the opportunity to work with lawyers and law professors, as well as professionals from other fields, on issues that transcend traditional boundaries.

The School of Law's specialty programs attract top faculty and students from across the country, providing opportunities for in-depth scholarship and teaching. LL.M. students are required to specialize in an area of established expertise at the School of Law, ensuring they will develop expertise in their field of choice.

Degree Requirements & Completion Timeframe

LL.M. students must complete 26 credit hours to satisfy all degree requirements. Full-time LL.M. students typically enroll in 12 to 14 credits during each of two semesters, and complete the degree requirements during one academic year of full time study. LL.M. students completing the LL.M. program in two semesters must enroll in a minimum of 12 credits during each semester of enrollment. LL.M. students wishing to pursue the LL.M. program on a part-time basis may do so by enrolling in a minimum of three semesters. LL.M. students must complete degree requirements within 36 months of initial enrollment in the School of Law.

Sample Program Schedule

First Semester (Fall)		Second Semester (Spring)
Introductory Survey of American Law	3	Course in Specialty	3
Course in Specialty	3	Course in Specialty	3
Course in Specialty	3	Course in Specialty	3
Course in Specialty	3-4	Course in Specialty/LL.M. Research Colloquium	3-4
Total Credits	12-14	Total Credits	12-14

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Required Courses

Students who do not hold a J.D. degree from a U.S. law school must take our 3-credit course entitled Introductory Survey of American Law. Students electing the Thesis Option take the LL.M. Research Colloquium. There are no other required courses, allowing great flexibility in course selection.

Choosing Courses

Student coursework will vary based on the student’s chosen area of specialization. Students work closely with a faculty supervisor to design a customized course of study in the area of specialization. Students must earn at least 12 of the 26 credits required for graduation in courses within the area of specialization. The course catalog details courses available within the various areas of specialization. The course catalog provides a comprehensive list of courses offered at the School of Law.

No more than 4 credits of externships or practicums may be counted toward the 26-credit degree requirement. A student may not receive credit toward LL.M. degree requirements for elective Moot Court or other teams or for work on student publications.

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LL.M. Thesis Option

Students who wish to write a thesis in the area of specialization may do so. A student will earn 6 credits toward degree requirements for satisfactory completion of the scholarly thesis.

The Product

The thesis must have an extensive research component and be of substantial length and publishable quality.
The thesis must be original. A work product that merely reports, compiles or describes the work of other authors rather than engaging in original, thoughtful analysis is unlikely to qualify.
A product less than 50 pages is unlikely to satisfy the standard for a thesis.
The thesis must receive a grade of B or better to satisfy the standard.

The Process

The student submits a written thesis proposal to the faculty supervisor at the start of the first semester. The faculty member will meet regularly with the student to supervise the written project.
The student attends the fall semester research colloquium to expand the thesis proposal.
The faculty supervisor reviews and comments on written drafts of the paper before the student submits the final version.
The faculty supervisor will communicate to the student the evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the student's final written product.
When the faculty supervisor is prepared to certify that the student's final written product satisfies the standard, the student must complete and submit to the faculty supervisor a Thesis Certification Form. The faculty supervisor then must sign the Thesis Certification Form, certifying the student's satisfaction of the requirement, and file it in the law school’s Office of Registration and Enrollment.

Required Courses

Students who do not hold a J.D. degree from a U.S. law school must take our 3-credit course entitled Introductory Survey of American Law. Students electing the Thesis Option take the LL.M. Research Colloquium. There are no other required courses, allowing great flexibility in course selection.

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Good Standing

Students must satisfy the requirements of good standing in regard to both character and academics.

In regard to character,

Not be subject to matters of the Student Disciplinary and Appeals Procedure
Not be subject to matters of the Student Honor Code
Have satisfied the Tuition and Fee Payment Policies

In regard to academics, maintain a weighted cumulative average of at least 2.0.

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Credit Transfer and Leave of Absence

A student may not transfer or apply credits earned elsewhere toward degree requirements at Maryland.

A student who returns to the School of Law after an approved period of absence may be subject to changes in the graduation requirements that apply to the class with which the student is expected to graduate. The student must contact the Dean for Academic Affairs and the Office of Registration and Enrollment to discuss requirements.

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U.S. Bar Exam Eligibility and Process

You may be eligible to take U.S. bar exams or the Maryland bar exam after completing our LL.M. program, depending on the courses that you take. Bar admission requirements vary among jurisdictions. For more information about eligibility to take a bar examination and bar admission requirements in US jurisdictions, see the Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements, published by the National Conference of Bar Examiners, as well as the website of the bar authorities for any state in which you are interested in taking the bar. International students wishing to be eligible to take a US bar exam may need to take certain courses. The LL.M. academic advisor will guide you appropriately, and counsel you as you navigate the application process. More information about the Maryland Bar Exam below:

What is the process for applying to sit for the Maryland bar exam?

1. Review the process for requesting a Waiver for Graduates of Non-ABA Law Schools found at mdcourts.gov/ble/generalbarexam.html.
2. You must complete a minimum of 26 credit hours in Maryland bar-tested courses in your LL.M. program at Maryland Carey Law in order to qualify for the waiver and be eligible to sit for the bar exam. Bar-tested subjects on the Maryland bar include Business Associations, Commercial Transactions, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Family Law, Maryland Civil Procedure, Professional Conduct, Property, and Torts.
3. If you qualify, request the following from the law school’s Office of Registration and Enrollment (ORE) in Suite 280.

I. Certification letter as required by the rule;
II. Current law school transcript showing LL.M. courses completed and/or in progress;
III. Course descriptions of the LL.M. courses; and
IV. Copy of your LSAC/admissions file

You will be contacted by ORE when the items listed above are ready for you to pick up. It is your responsibility to send these items to the State Board of Law Examiners (SBLE), along with the items in 4, below.

1. You, the applicant, will also need to provide the following to the State Board of Law Examiners:

I. Certificate of good standing from the foreign jurisdiction(s) where you are admitted to practice law
II. A waiver request letter, signed by you, and containing a detailed description of:

a. Your pre-legal education achieved, indicating the name and location of each college or university attended, the date of graduation (if any), and the degree(s) obtained (if any);
b. Your legal education achieved, indicating the name and location of each law school(s) attended and the date of the law school graduation; and
c. Your experience in the practice of law
d. A valid mailing address to which the State Board of Law Examiners can respond

After you have completed the waiver request letter (4.b., above) and compiled the supporting documentation (3.a., b., c., d. and 4.a.), you will need to mail or deliver the original documents to the State Board of Law Examiners (SBLE) by the waiver deadlines (preceding April 20^th for a July exam and preceding November 20^th for a February exam).

After the SBLE reviews your waiver request and supporting documents, the SBLE will mail a determination letter to the address you provide. Your waiver request letter must include a return address if you wish to receive a response.

If you are permitted to sit for the Maryland bar exam, you will be contacted by a member of the Character and Fitness Committee regarding the Character and Fitness process, which is a requirement for admission in the State of Maryland. This contact often occurs after the exam dates.

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