LLM Program At a Glance
About the LLM Program
The Michigan Law LLM program began more than 130 years ago and continues to flourish today. Unique among its peers, our program stands out for many reasons.
In our LLM program, you will:
- develop meaningful and lasting relationships with your classmates
- be fully immersed in the US legal system by taking classes with JD students
- learn from our faculty of globally renowned scholars and practitioners
- become part of a community of more than 45,000 graduate and undergraduate students from six continents
- reside in a small city that is widely recognized for its high quality of living in the heart of the United States
- have easy access to restaurants, cafes, shops, theaters, museums, athletic venues, and parks
Do you have questions? We have answers!
We've asked our current and former LLM students to offer an insider’s view on some of the questions we hear most from prospective students. Browse popular questions, read student profiles, or submit your own.
Why Choose Michigan Law’s LLM Program?
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Flexible Curriculum
Our flexible curriculum empowers you to select from nearly all of the Law School’s courses to design your own focus and experience.
Our LLM program will give you unmatched access to world-renowned faculty. You can earn academic credit while pursuing independent research under the direct supervision of your professors.
Interdisciplinary Opportunities from Across the University
By studying at one of the world's leading public research institutions, you will have a wealth of interdisciplinary opportunities at your fingertips. We encourage you to take courses from across the University of Michigan's multitude of other top-ranked programs.
Mini-seminars Address Unique Topics in Intimate Settings
You'll also have the option to participate in mini-seminars, which are small classes that typically meet in professors’ homes. Our mini-seminar topics have ranged from the explorations of the law behind book bans to the unique challenges facing women in the legal industry to technology trends that are redefining the practice of law. The only limit is our faculty's imaginations.
Problem Solving Initiative Classes Tackle Real-world Challenges
In our innovative Problem Solving Initiative (PSI) courses, you'll become part of a multidisciplinary team learning to address real-world challenges. Working with graduate students from other units on campus—such as business, engineering, public policy, and public health—our PSI students tackle issues related to autonomous vehicles, climate change, social media, human trafficking, and other societal concerns.
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Small Cohort
Because each LLM student is carefully selected, the class is extremely bright, inquisitive, and diverse.
With only a few dozen participants, our LLM students become friends with their classmates and receive individualized mentoring and support from faculty and staff. Our students develop meaningful connections that last long after their LLM year.
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Full Integration into the Law School Community
Students study and attend class with our 1,000 JD students, who come from nearly every US state and more than 15 countries. Outside the classroom, LLM students have the option to join more than 70 student organizations at Michigan Law.
By learning and studying with JD students, our LLM students expand their social and professional networks and are fully integrated into life at the Law School.
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Learn from the Best
With an interdisciplinary mindset and a genuine love of teaching, our professors are outstanding scholars, practitioners, and mentors.
Our faculty have unparalleled expertise in a wide variety of legal areas. Many have lived, studied, or worked outside the United States, and they are fluent in more than a dozen languages. Our faculty are accessible and approachable, and they host seminars at their homes and invite students to group lunches.
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Commitment to Global Education
Michigan Law has long been held in high esteem among the international legal community.
In 1878, the first students from Japan earned law degrees from the University of Michigan, and the Law School granted its first LLM degrees in 1890.
The Law Library became the first depository for European Union documents at an American university in 1957, and Ann Arbor is the birthplace of the American Society of Comparative Law.
We foster the development of international legal scholars and lawyers by providing our students opportunities to present research in the Salzburg Cutler Fellows Program and participate in the Overseas-Trained LLM Student Interview Program in New York every winter.
The University of Michigan fosters a global campus, as evidenced by the over 8,000 international students who enroll at the University every year. The University of Michigan consistently ranks among the top 15 universities in the United States in hosting international students.
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A Robust and Loyal Alumni Network
Graduates join the ranks of more than 22,000 Michigan Law alumni around the globe, becoming lifelong members of the Law School community.
Our alumni’s expertise and experience span six continents, and they:
- serve as members of the judiciary and government (international, federal, and local)
- teach and research at renowned law schools
- advocate for public interest and non-governmental organizations
- practice at elite law firms and businesses
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Quality of Life in Ann Arbor
Students enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience in Ann Arbor, a small city that is widely regarded as one of the top places to live in the country.
With more than 400 restaurants, the largest stadium in the United States, more than 150 parks, a dozen museums, more than 90 miles of bike paths, the Huron River, and multiple theaters and performing arts venues, Ann Arbor has something to offer everyone.
The Law School is just steps away from downtown Ann Arbor, the center of the city. Within a 30-minute drive of Ann Arbor is the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, an international hub that offers direct flights to destinations around the country and the world.
LLM Degree Requirements
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Degree Requirement Details
- Earn at least 24 credits. At least 18 of these credits must be earned in Michigan Law School courses.
- Satisfy the constitutional law requirement. Successfully pass either Introduction to Constitutional Law and American Legal Process (Law 631, for LLM students only) or Introduction to Constitutional Law (Law 540, the JD required course).
Law 631 Law 540
- Satisfy the research requirement. Successfully complete a qualifying seminar or course or earn two credits of Independent Research (Law 900).
Law 900 - We encourage students not only to consider courses in their area of legal interest, but also to take courses that expand the way they think about the law and legal problems.
- Students should also consider the professor teaching the course. Many students select classes for the opportunity to engage with specific professors, not only for the course topic, but for the excitement of their intellectual approach to legal studies.
- Earn at least 24 credits. At least 18 of these credits must be earned in Michigan Law School courses.
Apply Now for Michigan Law’s LLM Program
The Michigan LLM is a full-time program, and all students begin classes in late August and graduate in early May. LLM students are permitted to enroll in most Law School courses, including several clinics. In fact, we reserve seats in many fall semester courses to ensure places are available by the time you enroll. We offer two courses that are exclusive to LLM students (a constitutional law course and a research and writing course). Both courses are optional, though generally recommended.
Michigan Law offers an intellectually stimulating environment within a close-knit community. It has a wonderful curriculum in international and comparative law and opens up incredible opportunities.