LL.M. Academic Policies

LL.M. students must maintain good academic standing, which requires regular course attendance and participation, as well as maintaining a grade average of at least C.

Academic standing for LL.M. students is evaluated throughout the student’s program of study. If a student fails to achieve a grade average of at least ‘C’ in the first semester, excessively fails to attend class or fails to submit assignment, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will notify the student in writing that he or she is no longer in good academic standing and afford the student an opportunity to be heard as to whether he or she is able or willing to undertake the study necessary to complete the LL.M. program. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will determine whether the student may continue in the LL.M. program or whether probation or dismissal from the program is appropriate. The student may appeal an adverse decision to the Dean of Penn State Dickinson Law.

The Penn State University Code of Conduct outlines the standard procedures and practices of the University conduct process. The Code describes behaviors that are inconsistent with the essential values of the University community (integrity, respect, responsibility, discovery, excellence and community) and that are inconsistent with Penn State’s Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. All students should be fully aware of their individual and organizational rights and responsibilities, as they will be held accountable for all aspects of the Code of Conduct and associated guidance. Penn State Dickinson Law students are subject to the behavioral provisions in the Penn State University Code of Conduct and, as a complement, the provisions contained in the Dickinson Law Honor Code.

Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner. Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity at The Pennsylvania State University, and all members of the University community are expected to act in accordance with this principle. Consistent with this expectation, the Dickinson Law’s Honor Code exists to safeguard and promote the ideals of honor and integrity by prohibiting lying, cheating, stealing, and other dishonorable conduct of an academic nature. View the Honor Code.

Prompt and regular course attendance is required of all students. Individual faculty members establish, announce, and implement a policy designed to ensure regular and prompt attendance for each course. With notice to students, faculty members may modify their methods for monitoring promptness and attendance during the semester. Viewing a class recording is not a substitute for class attendance and preparation, which is required for all class sessions (unless excused by the professor on an exceptional basis for good reason) and in order to remain in good academic standing with the law school.

The LL.M. program is designed to provide students with maximum flexibility in choosing their preferred areas of study. In addition to meeting degree requirements, LL.M. students have the opportunity to pursue concentrations in specific fields of law. To fulfill a concentration, students must successfully complete a total of 9 credits in both required and elective coursework. Concentration options include areas such as Business Law, Intellectual Property, Technology and Privacy Law, and Litigation and Dispute Resolution.

Dickinson Law’s academic calendar is maintained on the Dickinson Law website and sometimes differs from the University calendar. View the Academic Calendar.

a) International students for whom English is not a first language may request the use of a hard-copy English language and/or translation dictionary during timed, in-class assessments. In circumstances where a hard-copy translation dictionary is not available, the student may request the use of a foreign language translating dictionary in electronic form, provided it has no memory capacity, contains no other functions besides language translation, and does not connect to the internet. Legal dictionaries are not permitted for use during timed, in-class assessments.

b) Contact the Office of Academic & Student Services with questions regarding language-related exam accommodations.

Grades are based solely on the instructor's judgment of the student's scholarly performance based on the expectations set forth in the course syllabus. LL.M. student grades are not calculated into the JD grading curve.

i) LL.M. grading system:
(1) A, A-, B+ (Excellent range): Exceptional achievement
(2) B, B-, C+ (Good range): Substantial achievement
(3) C (Satisfactory range): Acceptable achievement
(4) D (Poor): Inadequate achievement
(5) F (Failure): Work is unworthy of credit and indicates the student may not be capable of succeeding in LL.M. Study

LL.M. students are not permitted to take required classes on a pass/fail basis. However, they may opt to take one non-required courses on a pass/fail basis, provided they obtain approval from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and adhere to the same credit limits as J.D. students. In such cases, students should review bar exam eligibility requirements for these courses.

Grade point averages will be calculated and noted on the student transcript. LL.M. students will not be ranked.

LL.M. students may opt to stay for a third semester of legal study with the intent of completing an experiential learning program or preparing for a U.S. bar exam. International LL.M. students may have immigration restrictions. Scholarship support is subject to availability and is not guaranteed.

Candidates for the LL.M. degree may seek to transfer to the J.D. program. Criteria for transferring to the J.D. program are set by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Each applicant must have a clear and compelling rationale for the transfer request, including a well-defined career plan that demonstrates the importance of earning a J.D. degree in realization of those plans. An applicant’s entire file is carefully evaluated with attention given to grades received during the LL.M. year and overall academic performance. Only applicants who appear capable of satisfactorily completing the J.D. program and being admitted to the bar will be permitted to transfer. Admissible applicants may be required to interview. Only a limited number of LL.M. students are permitted to transfer each year.

Application — Applicants must submit the following items to the Penn State Dickinson Law Registrar by July 1 in order to apply for transfer to the J.D. program:

• official transcript of grades and credits earned during the two semesters in the Dickinson Law LL.M. program
• letter of good standing sent from the Registrar’s Office
• one or more letters of reference from Dickinson Law professors
• résumé or CV; and
• a statement setting forth the reasons for wanting to transfer, including whether the applicant plans to take the bar exam and if so, the jurisdiction where the applicant plans to do so.

Applicants are not required to take the LSAT. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis after spring semester grades are received. Transfer applicants are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships at the time of admission. Those students not permitted to transfer may officially apply for a three-year J.D. program via LSAC.

Application Fee — There is no application fee.

Effect on Award of Degrees — Transfer students who are accepted to the J.D. program will retain the LL.M. degree. Those not accepted to transfer will receive the LL.M. degree provided all degree requirements are met.

Required J.D. coursework that was successfully completed by the applicant while an LL.M. student will be applied to the J.D. degree. To obtain the J.D. degree, transfer students must complete at least 4 semesters in residence at Dickinson Law and complete all upper-level requirements for the J.D. degree.

LL.M. students accepted for transfer into the J.D. program will be treated similar to J.D. transfer students. Accordingly,

• grades earned while enrolled as a LL.M. student will not be calculated into the student’s GPA as a J.D. student
• grades earned while enrolled as a LL.M. student will not be calculated into the student’s class rank as a J.D. student.

LL.M. transfer students who have a cumulative GPA that would generate a rank equivalent to the ranks outlined for Academic Honors will be awarded honors according to their rank equivalency. The award of honors to a LL.M. transfer student shall not displace a non-transfer student who qualifies for honors recognition when transfer students are removed from the class rank calculation.