Degree Requirements

Degree Requirements

The Master of Laws program begins with an orientation that introduces graduate students to DePaul's faculty, staff, library, computer and research facilities. Students who received legal training outside the United States also will participate in special courses introducing them to the differences between civil and common law systems, the foundations of the U.S. legal system, the methods of legal reasoning and analysis, and the basics of legal writing in the U.S. legal system.

To earn the LLM in International Law, a student must complete 24 semester hours of credit with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0. A summer term is counted as a semester for this purpose. Students who complete 24 credit hours with a GPA below the 2.0 GPA required to earn the degree will not be permitted to continue taking classes to improve their GPA. A student is automatically dismissed if he or she has a cumulative GPA below 2.0 for any three consecutive semesters.

The LLM program may be completed on either a full- or part-time basis but it must be completed within five years. With the exception of students admitted to and enrolled in the joint JD+LLM program, credits earned as part of the JD program do not count toward the LLM degree. In addition, no credit is given for law courses taken before a student is admitted to and enrolled in the LLM program.

Course Requirements

Courses must be selected from the LLM in International Law courses listed below. Candidates must complete the required courses and additional elective courses in their area of concentration, to meet the total requirement of 24 credit hours.

Required Courses for International Students

Core Courses

Students must successfully complete the required core coursework and complete the additional credit hours in one of the following areas of concentration:

International Business, Commercial & Trade Law

International Governance & Rule of Law

Required Course

Elective Courses

International Human Rights Law & Policy and Criminal Justice

Required Course

Electives

International Cultural Heritage Law 

Additional required courses:

Elective Courses