The General LLM with Concentration at the University of San Diego School of Law is a professional development degree, which provides attorneys with additional education in selected areas of study. This degree is ideal for attorneys seeking in-depth training in an area of law in which they currently practice, as well as for those planning to develop a new area of practice.
- Available concentrations include: Criminal Law, Employment and Labor Law, Environmental and Energy Law, and Intellectual Property Law
- Candidates work closely with the Associate Director to design a program of study that is to their greatest interest and benefit, as well as consistent with available School of Law resources.
- Available courses may be selected from the upper-division School of Law curriculum and are taught by our distinguished full-time and adjunct faculty.
International Applicants – PLEASE NOTE:
International applicants should apply for the LLM in U.S. Law program with an optional concentration. GPA and language accommodations are available for many U.S. Law candidates. Please contact Graduate and International Programs with any questions or concerns.
- Students may begin the program in the Fall, Spring or Summer term (Summer option is only for part-time applicants).
- Candidates may complete the degree requirements in as little as 1 year, or may take up to 6 years. USD JDs who elect the Intellectual Property Law concentration may be able to complete the LLM in one semester (see below).
- Full-time (9 or more credits) and part-time (8 or fewer credits) options are available.
- Coursework is offered in both the day and evening to accommodate different student needs.
- JD students enrolled at the University of San Diego School of Law have the unique opportunity to earn a General LLM with Intellectual Property concentration in just one additional semester after completing the JD degree.
- Up to 12 credits of intellectual property courses taken as a USD JD within 30 months of enrolling in the General LLM program may be applied toward the LLM degree.
- Students considering this option should contact Graduate and International Programs for planning and advice.
- A candidate for this LLM degree must successfully complete 24 credit hours of appropriate coursework.
- 10 of the 24 credits must be from courses in the area of concentration (except IP concentration, which requires all 24 credits to be in the area of IP Law).
- 4 of the 24 credits must fulfill a written requirement of 2 papers, and at least 2 of these credits must be in the area of concentration (except IP concentration, which requires 1 paper worth 2 credits).
- 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.
- Please visit our Financial Aid page for tuition, fee and scholarship information.
Please visit the following pages to view examples of current and recently offered courses that are eligible for concentration credit in the General LLM program:
- Candidates work closely with the Director to design a program that fulfills not only the degree requirements, but also the attorney's professional goals.
- The Office of Career and Professional Development offers individualized career counseling appointments, as well as many other resources ranging from networking events to practical workshops to information about specific job opportunities.
Connect With Us
Do you have questions about the USD General LLM program? Our LLM team is here to help! Request more information and we will connect with you to answer any questions you may have.