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OVERVIEW
The philosophy of the LL.M. program is to offer our students a broad platform to design their own course of
study within parameters set by the Harvard Law School faculty. Those parameters include some exposure
to U.S. law, some writing experience, and, in the case of students who hold a J.D. degree from a school in
the U.S. or Puerto Rico, some exposure to legal theory. See Degree Requirements. Within this framework,LL.M. students have enormous latitude in planning their year. Interested faculty, the Graduate Program
staff, and special student advisors work hard throughout the year to help students identify and refine their
study objectives, then develop an appropriate sequence of courses and other work.
Most of a student's program will be drawn from the regular Harvard Law School curriculum - some 250
courses and seminars each year, offered to J.D. and graduate students alike. Students also have the
opportunity to pursue a limited number of credits at other faculties within Harvard and other area schools
and a variety of writing projects. About half of the LL.M. class each year write a 75- to 100-page paper
(called the "LL.M. paper") on a topic the student develops in consultation with his or her faculty supervisor.
We also offer the more extensive LL.M. thesis, an option designed for students who already have
significant research and writing experience and plan careers in law teaching. Other students write shorter
papers, whether independently or in conjunction with a course or seminar.
Given the flexibility of the program, the range of curricula students design is enormous. Some students take
a varied curriculum, with courses ranging from environmental law to corporations to public international law.
Others select courses primarily in a single area, such as constitutional law, business organization and
finance, legal theory, or human rights.
Finally, our students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of extracurricular and co-curricular
offerings on a not-for-credit basis. Graduate students participate in the full range of student organizations at
the Law School. Other opportunities are designed specifically for graduate students. For example, in a
typical year we offer between six and eight Byse workshops, taught by specially selected S.J.D. students
and treating such disparate subjects as game theory and the law, police misconduct, feminist approaches
to law and development, and the history of private international law. Other offerings include the Law
Teaching Colloquium, a full-year offering that explores different approaches to the teaching of law, and the
Legal Practice Workshop, designed to acquaint students with modes of legal analysis and writing used in
the American law firm environment.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
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The philosophy of the LL.M. program is to offer our students a broad platform on which to design their own
course of study within parameters set by the Harvard Law School faculty. All students must satisfactorily
complete a minimum of 22 credit hours and a maximum of 26 credit hours in one academic year; most
students complete between 22 and 24 credits. Students also must satisfy some specific course and written
work requirements. More specific requirements applicable to international students and U.S. students
follow.
International LL.M. students are required to take at least one of the following courses in American Law:
Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Corporations, Criminal Law, Property, Taxation, and Torts.
International students also must write either the 75- to 100-page LL.M. paper, the more extensive LL.M.
thesis, or a paper of 25 or more pages that involves independent reflection, formulation of a sustained
argument and, in many cases, outside research. Both types of papers may be written either independently
or in conjunction with a seminar. Finally, we urge students to take at least one course focusing on legal
history, legal theory, policy analysis or legal process.
For students who hold a J.D. from a law school in the United States or Puerto Rico, the emphasis is slightly
different. For these students, the LL.M. degree is designed as preparation for a career in law teaching.
These students are provided the opportunity to take a step back and relate the doctrinal areas in which they
previously concentrated to broader intellectual, social and cultural traditions; and pursue an extended
writing project. Thus students from the United States and Puerto Rico must take at least one course in legal
theory or jurisprudence and write either the LL.M. paper or the LL.M. thesis.
ACADEMIC RESOURCES
Workshops & Colloquia
Legal Writing Workshops| Byse Workshops | Colloquia
The Graduate workshops and colloquia, led by the Byse Fellows, by Graduate Fellows and by Graduate
Program administrators, are non-credit offerings that meet approximately every two weeks during the
course of a semester or the year. In the case of workshops, discussion is generally organized around
reading materials and/or an exposition by a workshop participant or guest speaker. For colloquia, the
perspectives of the student participants contribute to the direction and content of the series. Schedules of
meetings can be obtained by contacting the workshop or colloquium leader.
Byse Workshop participants who wish to write a paper in conjunction with the workshop can receive one
credit for the paper as long as (a) the paper is at least 25 pages long, and (b) a faculty member acts as theformal supervisor of the paper.
Specific workshops and colloquia for 2008-2009 are described below:
http://www.law.harvard.edu/academics/degrees/gradprogram/llm/academic-resources/index.html#legalhttp://www.law.harvard.edu/academics/degrees/gradprogram/llm/academic-resources/index.html#legalhttp://www.law.harvard.edu/academics/degrees/gradprogram/llm/academic-resources/index.html#bysehttp://www.law.harvard.edu/academics/degrees/gradprogram/llm/academic-resources/index.html#colloquiahttp://www.law.harvard.edu/academics/degrees/gradprogram/llm/academic-resources/index.html#legalhttp://www.law.harvard.edu/academics/degrees/gradprogram/llm/academic-resources/index.html#bysehttp://www.law.harvard.edu/academics/degrees/gradprogram/llm/academic-resources/index.html#colloquia -
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LEGAL WRITING WORKSHOP
Dr. Jane Fair Bestor - Full Year
The LL.M. Writers' Workshop is a voluntary, non-credit workshop that supports students in completing
the LL.M. written work requirement. All LL.M. students must satisfy the written work requirement for the
LL.M. degree. The workshop is open to all LL.M. students interested in learning about the process of
writing an academic paper in an American law school.
Workshop Objectives:
Help students conceptualize, research, and write an LL.M. Paper or Thesis.
Introduce students to basic legal research skills (both U.S. and international) and American legal
writing techniques.
Facilitate advising relationships between LL.M. students and an S.J.D. candidate, and with library
research staff.
Help structure and set deadlines for researching and writing LL.M. Papers.
Provide guidance and other non-technical support for LL.M. writing projects.
BYSE WORKSHOPS
Law and Money: Five Theories For Understanding Money Conceptually and Legally, Iain Frame, Fall 2009,
Friday 11:00am - 12:30pm, Contact: [email protected]
From Athens to E-Democracy: The Promise and Perils of a Participatory Governance, Jennifer Shkabatur,
Spring 2010, Time TBD, Contact: [email protected]
Byse Workshops are named in honor of Byrne Professor of Law Emeritus Clark Byse, and meet
approximately every two weeks during the course of a semester. The Workshops, which are open to J.D.,
LL.M. and S.J.D. students alike, are led by selected S.J.D. students, and provide an in-depth treatment of
some aspect of their dissertation scholarship. Participants who wish to write a paper in conjunction with the
workshop may be eligible to receive one credit for the paper as long as (a) the paper is at least 25 pages
long, and (b) a faculty member acts as the formal supervisor of the paper. The Graduate Program can
provide students with further information about how to make such arrangements. There is no need to
register for a Workshop in advance.
For more information, please contact Ms. Nancy Pinn ([email protected]) or the individual
Workshop leaders, identified below.
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COLLOQUIA
Law Teaching Colloquium - Christopher Taggart, [email protected] - Full Year
The Law Teaching Colloquium is a year long series of presentations sponsored by the Graduate
Program and the J.D. program, and organized by the S.J.D. community. Sessions promote discussion
amongst students and professors from HLS, Harvard University and beyond, about the nature, structure
and aims of legal education. Topics range from methods of teaching and the hiring process to the
internationalization of law schools and visions of legal education. The Colloquium is open to all members
of the Harvard community.
Eligibility Requirements
To be considered for the LL.M. Program, an applicant must have a J.D. (Juris Doctor) from an accredited
U.S. law school or a first law degree (J.D., LL.B. or the equivalent) from a foreign law school. Harvard Law
School is rarely able to accept into its LL.M. Program anyone who already holds or is pursuing an LL.M. or
equivalent degree from another law school in the United States.
Admissions Criteria
Admission to the LL.M. Program is highly competitive. Last year approximately 1,500 applicants competed
for around 150 places in the LL.M. Program. Most applicants are fully qualified for the program, and the
Committee on Graduate Studies must select from among a large number of candidates who have excellentcredentials. In evaluating applications, the Committee takes into consideration the applicant's grades and
rank in his or her law and other university studies, letters of recommendation, occupational interests,
professional and personal accomplishments, and other factors, including the following:
FOR LL.M. APPLICANTS FROM ABROAD
The Program is designed for intellectually curious and thoughtful candidates who come from a variety of
legal systems and backgrounds and who have demonstrated an intent to return to their country tocontribute to the academy or legal profession. We are equally interested in applicants pursuing careers in
law teaching and research, government service, the judiciary, international organizations, non-
governmental organizations and private practice.
FOR LL.M. APPLICANTS FROM THE UNITED STATES
The Program is designed for graduates of U.S. law schools who have had at least two or three years of
experience beyond law school and who have committed themselves to a career in law teaching. In theadmissions process, the Committee focuses primarily on applicants who have excelled in their basic law
school studies, who elicit strong letters of recommendation from law school teachers and others familiar
with their work, and who have spent at least two years working as a law school teacher, judicial clerk, or
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practitioner in a public agency or private practice. Evidence of graduate education in a field other than law
is also significant. Weight will be given to materials demonstrating the applicant's interest in, commitment
to, and capability for a career in law teaching.
FINANCING STUDY IN LAW SCHOOL
A year in Harvard Law School's LL.M. program is expensive. Tuition for 2007-2008 is $39,325; in addition,
the costs of dormitory housing, food, medical fees, books and supplies, activity fee, and personal and travel
expenses for a single student come to at least $23,097, for a total of at least $62,422. For the 2007-2008
academic year, the standard budget for married students calls for at least another $12,540 in living
expenses for the spouse, $7,212 for the first child, and $7,116 for each additional child.
All financial aid awards are primarily based on the applicants demonstrated financial need. Financial aid is
offered in the form of both grants (scholarships) and loans. The average grant is approximately half of
tuition; for a small number of students with particularly acute financial need, we are able to offer grants
covering full tuition and a portion of living expenses. In addition to our grant funds, we are able to offer
students with financial need access to educational loans on favorable terms through Harvard Universitys
special loan program with Citibank. Everyone in the LL.M. class of 2007-08 who demonstrated financial
need received some form of aid, whether as grant, grant and loan, or loan only; more than 85% of these
financial aid recipients received some amount of grant funding from Harvard.
All applicants who wish to apply for financial aid should complete the financial aid forms appearing in the
LL.M. application materials and return them with their application for admission to the Graduate Program.
Because the processes for making admissions and financial aid decisions are completely separate, your
application for financial aid will have no impact on your application for admission. In addition, given our
funding limitations, prospective applicants are encouraged to seek other sources of funds early in the
application process.
OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDS
Applicants seeking financial assistance should investigate funding sources in their home countries well in
advance. Examples of such sources include employers, government agencies and foundations. Loans from
private lending institutions in the U.S. may also be available to international applicants.
The United States Embassy or consulate in an international applicant's home country may have information
on U.S. government grants under theFulbright program and other information on fellowship opportunities.
Applicants who are from certain countries or who meet certain specific criteria may be eligible for a number
of scholarships administered by Harvard University'sCommittee on General Scholarships. Please note that
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many of these scholarships have their own application procedures and deadlines, and students must apply
for some of these funds by contacting committees or agencies in their home countries.
In some cases it may be possible for students to undertake part-time paid employment on campus, e.g.,
working in the Law School Library or as research assistants for faculty members. Generally speaking,
students can expect to earn up to a total of $3,500 over the course of the academic year in return for 1012hours of work per week. These positions cannot be arranged through the Graduate Program Office.
Admitted applicants interested in such employment must seek out such positions after arrival at Harvard
Law School. Off-campus employment during the year of study is not permitted for international students.
Application Deadlines
For the LL.M. class beginning in September 2011, the application deadline is December 1,
2010. (We strongly encourage all application materials be submitted by November 15, 2010.)
In addition to submitting theHarvard Law School Online LL.M. Applicationby the deadline,
applicants must make sure that any required documents (e.g., transcripts, TOEFL results) be sent
out in time for delivery to our officeon or before the deadline. Please note that the application
deadline will be strictly observed. It is your responsibility to make certain that all required materials reach
the Graduate Program office by the deadline.
Application Materials
To apply to the LL.M. program, applicants must complete the relevant parts of the Graduate Program's
application materials. These call for applicants to provide information about themselves and the studies
they propose to pursue at Harvard, letters of recommendation from professors and others who know their
work, and transcripts from each university they have attended.
In addition, all applicants from non-English speaking countries or who did not receive their legal education
entirely in the English language must take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
examination within two years prior to submitting their applications. The Graduate Program requires a
minimum score of 600 on the paper-based test (with a minimum score of 60 on each of the three
subsections and a score of at least 5.0 on the TWE), or a minimum score of 100 on the internet-based test
(with a minimum score of 25 on each subsection). Applicants with at least two years of university education
conducted entirely in English may request a waiver of the TOEFL exam; however, such waivers are not
automatic, and are granted at the sole discretion of the Graduate Program.
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TOEFL is offered by the Educational Testing Service at locations around the world. For more information,
check theirweb site or contact them at TOEFL Services, Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6151,
Princeton, NJ 08541, USA.
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