LL.M. Curriculum

LL.M. students

Penn State Dickinson Law offers a generalized LL.M. degree program designed to provide students with a thorough understanding of the U.S. legal system. LL.M. students study alongside J.D. students and have the flexibility to enroll in a diverse range of courses, allowing specialization in specific areas of law or law-related topics. Concentrations are available in various fields.

To fulfill the LL.M. requirements, students must earn a minimum of 24 credits. This can be completed full-time over one academic year or part-time over three to four semesters. Full-time students are required to enroll in at least 12 credits per semester, with a maximum of 17 credits. Additionally, students may choose to extend their studies into a third semester to participate in an experiential learning program or prepare for a U.S. bar exam.

Starting from the 2025-2026 academic year, Penn State Dickinson Law will offer a unified LL.M. program, providing students the opportunity to study at either location. For 2024-2025, the following curricular requirements apply.


Carlisle Location, 2024-2025 Academic Year

To earn the LL.M. degree, students in Carlisle must successfully complete the following courses:

  • LWLLM 901, Introduction to the U.S. Legal System (2 credits, Fall semester)
  • LWLLM 904, LL.M. Legal Research (1 credit, Fall semester)
  • LWLLM 903, LL.M. Legal Writing (2 credits, Spring semester)

Additionally, LL.M. students must successfully complete one course from the following list:

  • Civil Procedure
  • Constitutional Law I
  • Contracts
  • Criminal Law
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Property
  • Torts

For a complete list of course offerings, please refer to the Courses section. Students should be aware that not all courses are offered every semester, and some courses may have overlapping schedules. Before each semester begins, a detailed schedule of course offerings is published. Courses are typically scheduled Monday through Friday, with very few evening courses available.

For more information on the LL.M. degree program requirements at Carlisle, please see the Student Academic Handbook, LL.M. Supplement.
 

University Park Location, 2024-2025 Academic Year

To earn the LL.M. degree, students in University Park (currently Penn State Law) must successfully complete the following courses:

  • Introduction to the U.S. Legal System — This course provides students with an overview of the U.S. legal system, and occurs in an intensive format during the first two weeks of the LL.M. students’ semester in August.
  • Legal Analysis Writing and Research for LL.M. Students — This course instructs students in American legal analysis and discourse. The course helps students develop skills in three fundamental areas of United States legal practice:
    1. common law legal analysis,
    2. case law research, and
    3. effective communication of legal analysis.

For more information on the LL.M. degree program requirements at University Park, please see the LL.M. Academic Handbook.

LL.M. Curricular Tracks

The LL.M. program is generalized to allow students maximum flexibility to pursue desired coursework in specialized areas of law. In addition to completing basic degree requirements, LL.M. students may opt to pursue specific curricular tracks to fulfill prescribed course requirements associated with bar exam eligibility or to concentrate in a particular area of law. Full-time students must enroll in at least 12 credits but no more than 17 credits each semester.

Standard LL.M. Track — Carlisle Location, 2024-2025
Fall Semester Spring Semester
Introduction to the U.S. Legal System (2)
LL.M. Legal Research (1)
3-4 other elective courses		 LL.M. Legal Writing (2)
4-5 other elective courses

Additionally, LL.M. students must successfully complete one course from the following list: Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law I, Contracts, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Property or Torts.

Example: New York Bar Exam Track — Carlisle Location, 2024-2025

Earning an LL.M. degree in the United States does not guarantee eligibility to sit for a bar examination. Each U.S. state sets its own eligibility requirements that should be considered. While the Dickinson Law curriculum provides all coursework necessary to sit for the New York bar examination, students must plan accordingly to ensure that appropriate coursework is completed. For more information, see The New York State Board of Law Examiners.

Fall Semester Spring Semester
Introduction to the U.S. Legal System (2)
LL.M. Legal Research (1)
Civil Procedure (4) or Torts (4)
Criminal Law (3)
Criminal Procedure (3) or Constitutional Law II (3)
Professional Responsibility (3)		 LL.M. Legal Writing (2)
Evidence (3)
Constitutional Law I (3)
Contracts (4) or Property (4)
Supplemental Bar Prep Course (2)*

*New York bar applicants may not count credits in any type of bar review or preparation course, independent study, directed study, research papers or projects toward the 24 semester hours of credit required to qualify for the bar exam.

Note: As of August 2024, the New York State Bar Examination is administered twice per year, in February and July. Applications must be filed during the month of November for a February examination and during the month of April for a July examination.

Eligibility requirements for applicants who wish to qualify for the New York State bar examination based on the study of law in a foreign country must complete a Foreign Evaluation Form. If a deficiency in one’s foreign legal education must be “cured” by completing an LL.M. degree, one must seek an Advance Evaluation of Eligibility from the Board. It can take up to six months for an eligibility decision to be made.

The LL.M. degree program must consist of a minimum of 24 semester hours of credit. All coursework must be physically completed at the Dickinson Law location. No credit is allowed for distance, correspondence or external study or for an on-line program or course. It is recommended that students in this track take all bar-tested courses.

Minimum Required Coursework:

  • 2 credits in professional responsibility;
  • 2 credits in legal research, writing and analysis course;
  • 2 credits in a course on American legal studies, the American legal system or a similar course designed to introduce students to U.S. law; and,
  • 6 credits in subjects tested on the New York bar examination, which are: Constitutional Law, Civil Procedure, Torts, Contracts, Property, Evidence, Business associations, Conflict of Laws, Criminal Law and Procedure, Family law, Trusts and Estates, Secured Transactions.

For more information, see The New York State Board of Law Examiners.

LL.M. Concentrations

As a generalized LL.M. degree program, students may enroll in a wide variety of courses that allow concentration in certain areas of law. LL.M. students must complete 9 total credits of required and elective coursework to satisfy a specific concentration requirement. A minimum grade of ‘C’ is required for each course being used toward a concentration.

For the 2024-2025 academic year, the two locations will handle concentrations differently.

Carlisle Location

For the Carlisle location, students must request advance approval from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs before the end of the final semester prior to graduation to request formal recognition. Concentrations require a combination of required and elective courses. Concentrations available at the Carlisle location include:

Business Law
Core Courses:
Contracts and Business Entities I		 Elective Courses:
Business Entitles II, Entrepreneurship Law, Accounting for Lawyers, Corporate Compliance, Federal Securities Regulation, International Investment Transactions, Lawyering and Ethics for the Business Attorney Seminar, Sales, and Taxation of Business Entities
Civil Rights, Equal Protection and Social Justice
Core Courses: Constitutional Law II and Criminal Procedure Elective Courses:
Advanced Criminal Procedure, Civil Liberties Litigation, Constitutional Law I, Education Law, Election Law, Employment Discrimination Law, First Amendment Law, Gender & Sexuality Law, Immigration Law, Innocence and Wrongful Convictions, International Criminal Law, International Human Rights Law Seminar, Law of Individuals with Disabilities, Poverty Law, Protection of Individual Rights Under State Constitutions, Race & Equal Protection of the Laws, and Race, Racism & American Law.
Intellectual Property, Technology and Privacy Law
Core courses: Property and Intro to Intellectual Property Elective courses:
Antitrust, Artificial Intelligence and the Law, Blockchain, Biotech, Pharmaceuticals and the Law, Cryptocurrency & Law, Copyrights, Cybersecurity Law & Policy Seminar, Cyberspace Law & policy Simulation, Information Privacy Law, Internet Law, National Security Law, Patents, and Trademarks
Litigation and Dispute Resolution
Core courses:
Civil Procedure or Criminal Law and Evidence		 Elective courses:
Advanced Persuasion, Advocacy I, Advocacy II, Appellate Advocacy, Civil Liberties Litigation, Client Counseling, Criminal Procedure, Criminal Procedure: Applied Skills, Federal Criminal Practice, and Negotiation/Mediation.
University Park Location

For the University Park location, students must submit a Concentration Declaration Application before the end of the final semester prior to graduation to request formal recognition. Concentrations available at the University Park location include:

  • Administrative Law and the Regulatory State
  • Advocacy and Litigation
  • Antitrust and Competition Law
  • Arbitration, Mediation, and Negotiation
  • Arts, Sports, and Entertainment Law
  • Banking and Financial Regulation
  • Commercial Law
  • Corporate Law and Practice
  • Constitutional Law and Civil Rights
  • Criminal Law
  • Energy and Environmental Law
  • Families, Children, and the Law
  • Health Law
  • Immigration and Migration
  • Intellectual Property
  • International, Foreign, and Comparative Law
  • Labor and Employment Law
  • Law, Science, and Technology
  • National Security, Military, and Veterans
  • Public Interest Law
  • Race, Law, and Equity
  • Taxation

Additional Curricular Considerations

Independent Study

With the approval, LL.M. students may take independent study courses for up to three credits in any one semester, and no more than a total of four credits may be counted toward fulfillment of the LL.M. degree requirements.

Experiential Learning

With the approval, LL.M. students may enroll in experiential learning courses, including pro bono, clinical, and externship programs. Opportunities are very competitive. International LL.M. students may have immigration compliance restrictions that may limit experiential learning options.

Bar Examination

Earning an LL.M. degree in the United States does not guarantee eligibility to sit for a bar examination. Each U.S. state sets its own eligibility requirements that should be considered. While the Penn State Dickinson Law curriculum provides all coursework necessary to qualify for the New York bar examination, for example, students must plan accordingly to ensure that appropriate coursework is completed. For more information, see The New York State Board of Law Examiners.

Summer Enrollment

Penn State Dickinson Law does not regularly offer summer courses. An exception is a one-credit summer externship class. Enrollment in that course is limited to international J.D. students to satisfy the unique visa-related requirements for employment and Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for those students.