Earn Your LL.M. at Penn State Dickinson Law
One of the world’s preeminent research universities, The Pennsylvania State University combines strength in traditional academics with a forward-thinking, future-focused approach to interdisciplinary studies and internationalization. Consistently ranked in the top 1 percent of universities worldwide, Penn State is one of the largest and most respected universities in the United States.
Penn State Dickinson Law and Penn State Law are reunifying to operate as Penn State University’s single law school with two locations in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: Carlisle and University Park. While ABA approval for the reunification is pending, both schools are currently fully accredited. We submitted an application for acquiescence to operate as a single law school in July 2024 and plan to enroll a unified class in Fall 2025.
Considered among the nation’s best law schools, Penn State Dickinson Law is the oldest ABA-accredited law school in Pennsylvania and one of the oldest in the United States. For over 190 years, Penn State Dickinson Law has produced some of the world’s finest attorneys, judges, government and corporate leaders, and legal scholars.
The Master of Laws (LL.M.) program at Penn State Dickinson Law welcomes legal professionals from around the world who come to advance their legal careers through direct access to world-class litigators and legal scholars, professional specialization in specific areas or law, and innovative research and scholarship.
The LL.M. program is designed for both domestic and internationally trained legal professionals seeking to acquire specialized knowledge and pursue advanced study in specific areas of law. This flexible one-year program offers students the opportunity to choose from a diverse array of courses, enabling concentration in a wide range of legal disciplines.
One Law School — Two Locations
Penn State Dickinson Law offers unparalleled access to legal education at two distinct locations: Carlisle and University Park. The historic Carlisle location features a state-of-the-art facility and a modern research library to support advanced legal scholarship. Strategically located near Harrisburg — the capital of Pennsylvania — the Carlisle location offers proximity to judicial, legislative, and executive offices. The University Park location is located in State College, PA and is Penn State’s largest location with a diverse population of nearly 50,000 graduate, undergraduate, and professional students, including about 7,500 international students. Both locations offer convenient access to Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Baltimore and New York City.
Why Penn State Dickinson Law?
Selecting the right institution is an important decision. Here are some of the many reasons why LL.M. students select Penn State Dickinson Law:
- Our Reach. Penn State University boasts a vibrant university community with 24 campuses located throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a global alumni network of over 700,000 alumni that both prepares students to work in the global economy and ensures a Penn State connection almost anywhere in the world.
- Our Faculty. LL.M. students learn from a distinctive and dedicated full-time faculty complemented by an adjunct faculty of practicing attorneys and judges. Our professors have spent years practicing law and engage nationally and internationally through practice, research and scholarship.
- Our Curriculum. Penn State Dickinson Law offers a one-year, LL.M. program. Studying alongside J.D. students, LL.M. students can enroll in a wide variety of courses that allows concentration in certain types of law or law-related topics. The Penn State Dickinson Law curriculum provides all coursework necessary to sit for the New York bar examination.
- Our Locations. Penn State Dickinson Law offers two distinct locations in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The primary location of the law school is in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, recognized as one of the most livable small towns in the U.S. This is due in part to its diverse community, institutions, amenities, and array of community activities. Carlisle boasts a variety of restaurants, shops, galleries, an independent movie theater, a downtown farmers market, and more. Nearly everything one needs is within easy walking or biking distance, and most LL.M. students select reasonably priced housing close to Penn State Dickinson Law.
The University Park location is located in State College, Pennsylvania, a vibrant and picturesque town known for its energetic “college town” atmosphere and natural beauty. State College offers a lively downtown area with an abundance of restaurants, cafes, and shops catering to diverse tastes. Nestled near the base of Mount Nittany, the surrounding area of central Pennsylvania is known as “Happy Valley.”
Learn More
Penn State Dickinson Law offers monthly online information events throughout the academic year, allowing prospective students to gain valuable insights into the LL.M. program. These events provide an excellent opportunity for attendees to interact with faculty members, current students, and ask specific questions about the program. Our 2024-2025 meetings are scheduled the first Tuesday of every month:
- November 5, 2024 — 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time
- December 3, 2024 — 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time
Prospective students also have the option of requesting individual meetings for more personalized discussions. To schedule an individual meeting, students may use the WhatsApp widget in the lower righthand corner of the screen. Our team will happily assist you with any inquiries you may have. For location-specific inquiries, please use dickinsongraded@psu.edu for Carlisle or llmadmit@pennstatelaw.psu.edu for University Park.
Historic Beauty and Cutting-edge are Equally at Home
Prospective students are invited to visit our Carlisle and University Park locations in person or take a virtual tour online to explore our exceptional facilities and vibrant academic community firsthand.
- Tour the Carlisle location
- Tour the University Park location
Contact Us
Please contact us with any questions. For location-specific inquiries, please use dickinsongraded@psu.edu for Carlisle or llmadmit@pennstatelaw.psu.edu for University Park.
The American Bar Association (ABA) Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar has granted conditional approval for Penn State to deliver legal education by a single, unified, two-location law school known as Penn State Dickinson Law. The conditional approval by the ABA allows Penn State Dickinson Law to enroll a unified J.D. class of 2028 in both Carlisle and University Park.