Programs of Study

The JD (Juris Doctor) is a three-year program. The first year is an immersive introduction that gives you the writing, advocacy, and analytical skills you will need as a lawyer. The second and third year gives you the opportunity to hone those skills by exploring an area of particular interest through advanced classes and seminars, clinical work, and writing projects. 

Many JD students find their goals are best served by delving even deeper into interdisciplinary training and earning a degree in another field. In obtaining a dual degree, students can benefit from the reputation and prestige not only of Michigan Law but that of the university as a whole, with its almost 100 top-rated schools and departments. 

With 18 established dual degree programs offered in partnership with 10 graduate schools and departments, Michigan law is an ideal setting for pursuing a concurrent degree to complement your legal education.

The one-year LLM program is intended for individuals who have been trained in law anywhere in the world and who wish to engage in comparative legal study, gain a better understanding of the U.S. legal system, pursue a field of specialization, or engage in advanced legal research.

The program starts at the end of August and ends by mid-May. Students may follow a course of study that will qualify them to take the New York bar exam.

The Michigan SJD (Doctor of Juridical Science) is the gateway to either an academic career or professional advancement. Admission is intensely competitive and is granted only to those with a strong academic record, enthusiastic faculty support, and a dissertation topic that suggests a significant and original contribution to legal literature.

Michigan Law is well-known nationally and internationally for being among a handful of law schools that produce the majority of legal academics. As part of that commitment to legal academia, Michigan Law offers a number of programs and fellowships for legal academics.