Academics: LL.M. Programs

Key Program Features

The LL.M. in International Law is a professional development degree that allows graduates of ABA accredited law schools to further develop their knowledge and expertise in the area of international law.  With the growing global economy, studying international law in a dynamic, multi-cultural city that is home to the busiest land and port entry in the world is a unique opportunity for U.S. attorneys.

• Candidates have significant flexibility to create a course of study that focuses on their particular areas of interest within the field of international law
• Available courses highlight practical as well as theoretical knowledge, and focus on a wide range of subjects that impact legal transactions in the U.S. and around the world
• Candidates for this degree have the opportunity to study side by side with the attorneys, judges and government officials from around the world who are enrolled in our LL.M. in Comparative Law program
• Events sponsored by USD’s Transborder Institute, Ahlers Center for International Business and Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice provide additional opportunities to enhance classroom learning
• Subject to prior approval, courses taken abroad through the university-sponsored Institute on International and Comparative Law may also be credited toward this degree

Program Timeline

• Students may begin the program in the Fall, Spring or Summer term
• Candidates may complete the degree requirements in as little as 1 year, or may take up to 4 years
• Full-time (9 or more credits) and part-time (8 or fewer credits) options are available
• Many courses are offered in the day as well as evening

Degree Requirements

• A candidate for this LL.M. degree must successfully complete 24 credit hours of appropriate coursework
• Required courses: Public International Law and International Business Transactions
• 4 of the 24 credits must fulfill a written work requirement, which may be satisfied by a thesis or a minimum of two research papers in the area of international law
• 15 of the 24 credits must come from core curriculum courses
• Remaining credits may be chosen from our elective offerings
• Full details of the degree requirements may be found in the School of Law Academic Rules in the Student Handbook

Career Advancement

• Candidates work closely with the Graduate Programs Coordinator to design a program that fulfills not only the degree requirements, but also the attorney’s professional goals
• Our Career Services Office offers individualized career counseling appointments, as well as many other resources ranging from networking events to information about specific job opportunities
• Alumni of this program practice in numerous areas, including international business law, immigration law, and human rights law, as well as with governments and non-profit organizations

LL.M. Tuition, Fees and Scholarships

Please visit our Financial Aid page for tuition, fee and scholarship information

Core Curriculum Courses

• Business Immigration Law
• Comparative Constitutional Law
• Comparative Corporate Law Seminar
• Comparative Law
• Conflict of Law
• European Legal Cultures
• European Union Law
• Foreign Relations Law
• Fundamental Rights in Europe
• Immigration Clinic
• International Arbitration
• International Business Transactions
• International Civil Litigation
• International Criminal Law
• International Environmental Law
• International Human Rights
• International Organizations
• International Negotiation
• International Sales Transactions
• International Taxation
• International Trade Law
• Law of the Sea
• Mexican Law
• NAFTA
• Public International Law

Click here for current core curriculum course offerings.