Advanced Law Degree Programs

UC Berkeley School of Law offers two advanced law degrees, the Master of Laws (LL.M.) and the Doctor of the Science of Law (J.S.D.). These degree programs are designed to provide students with a range of opportunities, from obtaining a basic knowledge of the United States legal system to undertaking original research on a particular aspect of law. The law school makes available introductory and advanced courses in many areas of legal inquiry, and seeks to enroll a student body that is diverse with respect to legal background and proposed research.

One objective of the Advanced Law Degree Programs is to integrate law students from around the world, at various levels of study. With a few exceptions, candidates for both advanced law degrees satisfy course requirements by enrolling in courses and seminars from among those offered to law students pursuing the J.D. degree. Courses in the law school generally carry two to six units of credit, varying with the number of hours of class meetings per week.

Advanced Degrees Offered:

LL.M. Degree

• Academic Year LL.M. Program
  • 9-month program. Classes begin in August and end in May. Approximately 100 students per class. Students may select coursework or thesis track. Applications available in August.
• New! Accelerated Summer LL.M. Program for International Students (begins 2009)
  • 6-month program spanning two consecutive summers. Classes begin in May and end in August. Approximately 50 students per class. Coursework track only. Applications available now.

J.S.D. Degree

• Three-year program (one year of coursework, 2 years research and writing). Approximately 10 students per class. Students work closely with a faculty adviser while developing a dissertation to be submitted their final year. Applications available in August.