BEASLEY SCHOOL OF LAW

About the Program

The Master of Laws (LLM) in American and International Law is designed for foreign-trained lawyers. It is equivalent to a "General" or "Traditional" LLM or an "LLM in American Law." Temple's program is appropriate for international attorneys; legal academics, counsel, and government officials; recent law graduates; and those who have earned a first degree in law.

Our LLM program is one of the longest running in the United States, with alumni around the world. U.S. News & World Report ranks Temple Law as a top law school, particularly in healthcare law, international law, legal writing, tax law and trial advocacy. Courses within our specialty rankings are popular with international students.

At Temple University's Beasley School of Law, LLM students take courses together with Juris Doctor (JD) students, becoming part of a tight-knit community. Students earn degree credits at our main campus in Philadelphia, where living is affordable. Strategically located on the East Coast of the United States, Philadelphia is close to both New York City to the north and Washington, D.C. to the south. Students may also earn degree credits at our campuses in Rome, Italy and Tokyo, Japan.

This general legal studies degree program includes two required courses (JUDO 0414 Legal Research & Writing and JUDO J425 Introduction to the American Legal System), an advanced writing course, a first-year JD course, and a series of elective law subjects. Students, in consultation with the program director, select electives based on their interests.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 4 years

Campus Location: Main campus in Philadelphia and abroad in Rome, Italy and Tokyo, Japan

Full-Time/Part-Time Status: The degree program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis.

Job Prospects: Although most U.S. states require applicants to hold a JD degree to seek admission to the Bar, some U.S. states have historically permitted graduates of an LLM program who do not hold a JD degree to sit for the bar examination. Those individuals must meet other requirements related to both their prior degree and the types of credits earned during the LLM program. For more information, visit Taking the Bar Exam. Most of our LLM graduates return to their home countries shortly after graduation.

Further education may be an option, although one's admission to and/or awarding of the LLM does not guarantee admission to the JD program. Main campus LLM graduates may only be considered for JD admission with transfer credit if they demonstrate an excellent LLM grade point average or present a competitive LSAT score. LLM graduates who want to apply to Temple’s SJD program must satisfy that program’s independent admission requirements.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy: Students must be matriculated in the program to take courses.

Financing Opportunities: Temple Law offers partial tuition scholarships based on need and merit. The amount of any award offered is only shared after a final admissions decision has been made. Even without financial aid, Temple’s LLM tuition is highly competitive when compared to tuition at other U.S. law schools. For more information, visit our Financial Aid webpage.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

For applicants to the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA program:

Fall: March 15
Spring: October 1

For applicants to the Rome, Italy program:

Summer: May 1

For applicants to the Tokyo, Japan program who do not need a student visa:

Fall: July 1
Spring: November 1
Summer: April 1

For applicants to the Tokyo, Japan program who need a student visa:

Fall: April 15
Spring: September 10
Summer: January 15

Student Visa Application Deadline:

Fall: May 15
Spring: October 10
Summer: February 15

Applicants are admitted on a rolling basis and are encouraged to apply as early as possible while space is available in the program. The application deadline may be extended upon request.

Payment of the $50 application fee may be remitted directly to Temple Law by check or money order payable to "Temple University." The application fee may be waived upon request.

NOTES:

1. All documents must be submitted in English. Submit both the originals and translated versions whenever relevant.
2. If you have already submitted an admissions application through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), please do not submit an application at the links below. Your application in the LSAC system is already in process.

APPLY ONLINE to this program in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

APPLY ONLINE to the summer program in Rome, Italy, where up to 5 credits can be earned in classes taught in English by American and European law professors that can later be applied toward the American and International Law LLM degree.

APPLY ONLINE to this program in Tokyo, Japan.

Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 2

From Whom: The reference letters may be written by a professor and/or employment supervisor and should candidly evaluate the applicant’s academic abilities and/or professional skills. Relevant work experience may also be considered evidence of potential for graduate study.

Degree Required for Admission Consideration: All matriculants to the LLM program must have earned a first degree in law, such as an LLB, outside the United States. Official law transcripts or proof of passage of home country lawyer license examination must be submitted either electronically or as hard copy received in a sealed envelope from the issuing institution, with English translation if needed. Translations must be certified by a credentialed evaluation service.

Statement of Goals: Outline your interest in the program in a one- to two-page personal statement. Applicants should explain their interest in graduate study, as well as any other factors the admissions committee should take into consideration when evaluating their application. The statement should demonstrate the applicant’s organizational, analytical and writing skills. Thus, applicants should invest appropriate time and effort in preparing this statement. The personal statement is carefully evaluated by the admissions committee.

Standardized Test Scores:
Unless a waiver is provided, lawyers trained in a non-English-speaking country must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:

• TOEFL iBT: 88 (send officially using TOEFL code 2906, department code 03)
• IELTS Academic: 6.5, with no individual score below 6.0
• Duolingo: 115

The score requirement is waived for applicants whose native language is English or who earned a degree from an institution where the language of instruction was English.

Resume: Current resume or CV is required.

Interview: An interview is not required, but prospective applicants are welcome to visit or schedule an informal video chat so that questions about the program may be answered.

Other Requirement: All students are required to attend an LLM orientation session. A two-week session is held in August for Fall admits. In limited cases, a one-week session is held in January for Spring admits. Students take an introductory course on the American legal system and participate in other lectures and workshops in preparation for studying law in the United States. During orientation, students meet classmates, faculty, deans and other members of the Temple community and learn about Temple’s opportunities and resources.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements
Number of Credits Required to Earn the Degree: 24

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Courses
JUDO 0402	Civil Procedure I	3-4
or JUDO 0404	Constitutional Law
or JUDO 0406	Contracts
or JUDO 0410	Criminal Law I
or JUDO 0418	Property
or JUDO 0420	Torts
JUDO 0414	Legal Research & Writing	3
or JUDO J414	Legal Research & Writing
JUDO 0415	Adv Legal Research/Writing 1	2-3
JUDO J425	Introduction to the American Legal System	3
Electives
Select courses from the following totaling 11-13 credits:		13-11
JUDO 0416	Professional Responsibility
or JUDO 0806	Professional Responsibility
JUDO 0437	Introduction to Transactional Skills
JUDO 0440	Unincorporated Business Organizations: Agency, Partnerships and LLC's
JUDO 0490	Doing Business on the Internet: The Law of E-Commerce
JUDO 0497	International Health Law
or JUDO 0997	International Health Law
JUDO 0508	Corporations
JUDO 0511	Corporate Taxation
JUDO 0556	International Law
JUDO 0622	Sales
or JUDO 0967	Sales
JUDO 0654	Business Immigration Law
JUDO 0665	International Criminal Law
JUDO 1029	Advanced Financial Regulation: Corporate Scandals and Crises
JUDO 1046	International Investment Law and Arbitration
JUDO 1052	International Compliance
JUDO 1055	Treaties and Negotiations
JUDO 1068	International Human Rights of Children
JUDO 5042	Introduction to Compliance and Ethics
Total Credit Hours		24

¹

JUDO 0415 fulfills the requirement for a second writing course. Alternately, students may substitute a JD writing seminar for this course.

Cumulative GPA Required to be Awarded the Degree: 2.0 minimum

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