LL.M. Facts & Requirements
Length of LL.M. Program: Academic Year (August to May)
The U.S.Law & Language program is often a requirement for LL.M. students and is held during the month of July before the LL.M. program begins at the University of Pittsburgh.
Estimated LL.M. Tuition & Fees: $35,000 tuition + $900 fees
Estimated LL.M. Living Expenses: $1,400 / month
Apartments in Pittsburgh can be very inexpensive. This estimate includes phone, electricity, groceries and social expenses. Your student identifcation card entitles you to free bus rides throughout the county. See our page about "Living in Pittsburgh" for more information including links to apartment ads and foreign cultural affiliations such as churches and nationality clubs in Pittsburgh.
Credits Required to Complete LL.M. Degree: 24
Required Courses for LL.M. Degree:
| FallSemester: |
Legal Analysis, Research & Writing - 2 credits |
| Spring Semester: | LL.M. Colloquium Class - 1 credit |
Each student must also complete a faculty supervised legal writing project in either a seminar or independent study project (usually 2 credits).
LL.M. Internships
A University of Pittsburgh LL.M. student can intern at a law firm or other organization associated with his or her field of interest. Because our program is small, we work to match our LL.M. students with the best possible internships for their legal careers.
Academic Program Outline:
LL.M. students must take at least 10 credits per semester to retain full-time status. Because 24 credits are required to graduate with the LL.M. and most students complete the LL.M. in two semesters, it is expected that students will take 11-13 credits per semester. If students register for too many credits in one semester, they may find themselves at an academic disadvantage.
| Fall Semester: | Credits |
| Legal Analysis, Research & Writing | 2 |
| Introduction to American Law | 3 |
| Electives | At least 5 |
| Spring Semester: | |
| LL.M. Colloquium Class | 1 |
| Electives | At least 9 |
| Either Semester (usually Spring): | |
| Writing Requirement: Seminar or Independent Study | 2 |
| Total Credits: | 24 |
The LL.M course of study requires a total of twenty-four credit hours to be completed in two semesters. In the first semester, all LL.M. students are required to take two courses: Legal Analysis and Writing and An Introduction to American Law. Each student must also complete a faculty supervised legal writing project in either a seminar or an independent study project. Students will have the opportunity to present their research in their seminar or in the Spring term LL.M. Colloquium. Here are descriptions of these required courses.
The structure of the program allows each student the opportunity to obtain both an in- depth view of the fundamentals of U.S. legal practice, while concentrating elective courses in a specific area of interest. Elective courses also allow LL.M. students to participate with J.D. students in the regular academic life of the School of Law. Electives can be selected from the full array of courses offered in the law school which the registrar lists for each semester here.
