Suitable groups and course offerings for LLM applications in American universities

Choosing the judicial examination after graduation has become the choice of many domestic law graduates. Some of them will choose to study in the United States to pursue a Master of Laws (LLM). However, experts studying in the United States recommend that applicants must be familiar with the suitability of LLM before applying. Have a clear understanding of the crowd, course settings, school conditions, etc., so that you can make a targeted application when applying for LLM in the United States.

Applicable groups for LLM application in American universities:

LLM is a master’s degree in law, and its full English name is Master of Law. Anyone with a bachelor's degree in law or above can apply for the LL.M. in the United States. The duration is 9 months. School starts in August and September every year and graduates in April and May of the second year.

Generally speaking, there are two types of people who apply to study LLM in the United States: One is lawyers or legal practitioners with work experience. The second is some students who have just graduated from undergraduate degrees.

In China, many students whose undergraduate degree is not in law often apply for a master's degree in law. However, experts studying in the United States here especially need to emphasize that it is not suitable to apply for an American LLM if you do not have a law degree in China. Students and parents often ask whether they must not apply for LLM if they do not have a law degree. In this regard, American study abroad experts point out that unless the applicant has a strong legal background, such as 3-5 years of work experience in a foreign firm or 3-5 years of legal work experience in foreign-funded enterprises, otherwise American universities will not accept applicants without a law degree.

American university LLM curriculum:

In terms of curriculum, American LLM is divided into two types: General Program and Specialized Program. The general program has a wide range of course options, except for two courses that are required:

The first is Legal Writing;

The second is Introduction to the American legal system In addition to U.S Legal System), students are free to choose other courses. For example, a feature of the curriculum of the LL.M. program under Yale Law School is that all courses are electives, there are no required courses, and there are no professional branches under the LL.M. The Specialized Program focuses on areas such as tax law, intellectual property law, corporate law, human rights law, etc. Most of its course selections revolve around this major. NYU has opened eight professional branches of LL.M.: Competition, Innovation and Information Law; Corporate Law; Environmental Law; International Business Management, Litigation and Arbitration (International Business Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration); International Legal Studies; International Taxation; Legal Theory; Taxation.

Selection of LLM colleges in the United States:

When choosing a school, applicants need to spend a certain amount of time to understand whether the characteristics and preferences of the school they are applying for are consistent with their own characteristics. .

Some law schools in the United States prefer students with work experience in specific fields. Although fresh graduates can also apply, the admission rate is very low. For example, it is almost difficult to be admitted to Stanford University's law school without two years of work experience; The law schools of Yale University and the University of Chicago basically focus on cultivating scholars and attach great importance to students' academic abilities; another example is that the law school of the University of California, Berkeley, has historically rarely admitted Chinese students. Therefore, when applying, Be cautious.