Curricula and LLM Programs

Emma Steckelberg: Welcome back to Navigating Grad Law at WashU. My name is Emma Steckelberg, and I am a program coordinator at the Graduate and International Programs Department here at WashU Law. I am joined by Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine, the Assistant Dean and Director of Graduate and International Programs. And today, we are going to talk a little bit more about our programs.

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Well, thank you. I’m very excited about telling everyone about the WashU Law programs.

Emma Steckelberg: What graduate programs do we offer here at WashU Law?

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Emma, we offer the LLM, which is a Master of Laws; our MLS, which is a Master of Legal Studies; and we offer a JSD. Now, some of you prospective applicants are wondering, “Hmm — is the JSD the same as an SJD?” And yes, it is. At WashU Law, you receive a JSD.

Emma Steckelberg: Thank you, Jeanne. Can you walk me through the difference between the Master of Laws and the Master of Legal Studies?

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: I certainly can. Our Master of Legal Studies, commonly called MLS, is the program for students who do not have a first degree in law but are interested in studying the law. Our LLM program is primarily for students who have a law degree, or are studying a master’s of law program in their home country.

Emma Steckelberg: Thank you, Jeanne. Under these categories, do we offer specific degrees?

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Yes, we do. So for the LLM program, we have what’s called our General LLM, and that’s just a Master of Laws. We have an LLM in U.S. Law. An LLM in Taxation. And an LLM in Intellectual Property and Technology Law — we call that the IPTL program.

We also offer one concentration, and that is in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution. So you would be a student with a General Master of Laws LLM, and your transcript would then indicate that you also have the concentration in NDR.

So, Emma, with our MLS program — we have the General Master of Legal Studies, and we have our Master of Legal Studies in Taxation.

Emma Steckelberg: What kind of applicants would apply for the Master of Legal Studies in Taxation?

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Again, those would be students who do not have a first degree in law. However, their current position or future jobs would require them to have some knowledge in U.S. tax law. So, if somebody is working with contracts, or with a governmental agency, or even sometimes working in a law firm and they’re not a lawyer, this Master of Legal Studies can be very helpful.

Emma Steckelberg: Jeanne, can you talk a little bit more about the difference between the General LLM and the LLM in U.S. Law?

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: That is a very common question that we receive — both while applicants are applying, but also once they’re here in the U.S. and they’re making their final decision about which program they want to be in. The only real difference between our General LLM and the LLM in U.S. Law is what is stated on your diploma and transcript.

Some students prefer to have the LLM in U.S. Law on their diploma, because that’s what their future employer is looking for. They want to know that you studied U.S. law. But there is no difference between our General LLM, which is the Master of Laws, and the LLM in U.S. Law in terms of curriculum. They’re exactly the same.

Emma Steckelberg: Can you walk us through what a specialization is?

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Absolutely. Emma, we’re fortunate at WashU Law in that, in addition to your degree, we have four specializations that students can acquire during their time at WashU Law. These specializations require a smaller number of credits than if you were to get the full degree in a program. We have four, and they are open to all degree-seeking students in the LLM and MLS programs.

As an exchange student, unfortunately, you don’t qualify for the specializations. They are just for our degree-seeking students. Again, we have four: Business and Corporate Law; Intellectual Property and Technology Law; International and Comparative Law; and Negotiation and Dispute Resolution. That makes up our four specializations.

Emma Steckelberg: So, Jeanne, you mentioned that we have a degree in Intellectual Property and Technology Law and a specialization in Intellectual Property and Technology Law. Can you explain the difference between a degree and a specialization?

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Emma, that’s a really great question, and that’s one I get very often from students. So if you’re going to get a degree in one of our degree programs, besides the Master of Laws, you will need to do 15 credits in your degree program. You will need 15 credits in the Intellectual Property and Technology Law curriculum for the degree.

However, if you are a student who would like to have a specialization in Intellectual Property and Technology Law, you will only need nine credits from the curriculum. So if I want to pursue Intellectual Property and Technology Law, but I don’t want to get the degree, I can do nine credits in the curriculum and receive a specialization.

That specialization — any of the ones I’ve talked about — will show up on your transcript, Emma. They will not show up on your diploma. So just keep that in mind. Also, we only allow one specialization. The great thing is, if I am an Intellectual Property and Technology Law student but I really would also like to get the NDR — the Negotiation and Dispute Resolution specialization — I can do that.

This opportunity allows WashU Law students to walk away with more than just a degree. It gives them an opportunity to add a specialization if that’s important to them.

Emma Steckelberg: Jeanne, can you talk a little bit about how many semesters it takes to complete the LLM program?

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: At WashU Law, the minimum number of semesters it would take for you to receive either your LLM or MLS is two semesters. We also offer a three-semester program and a four-semester program.

Emma Steckelberg: Can you break down the pros and cons of completing the LLM degree in two, three, and four semesters?

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: I certainly can. So, if you complete your degree in two semesters and you are an international student on a visa, you have the opportunity to do what’s called OPT — Optional Practical Training. You’re allowed to stay in the United States for one year and actually work in law, which you cannot do while you’re here as a student, but you can work in the area of law. Many students use that time to go ahead and study for the New York bar. Many of our students take the bar exam.

If you decide that three semesters is something you’re interested in — obviously, it takes a little longer, and you will be paying full tuition for those three semesters. The advantage is that in your third semester, you qualify for CPT — Curricular Practical Training. So while you’re here in your last semester, you will be allowed to do experiential programming, experiential work, which you’re not allowed to do in the first year based on your visa.

We have students who do four semesters. Some students are required to do the four semesters, and that’s based on their English language proficiency score. However, you are always welcome to do the four semesters — keeping in mind, in the third and fourth semesters, you would qualify for CPT, Curricular Practical Training. And some students just want to be here in the United States as long as they can and as long as they’re eligible to do so. So that four-semester program really allows students to get even more out of WashU Law.

Emma Steckelberg: Jeanne, will you talk more about the four-semester program and how it can help our students who maybe had a lower English language proficiency exam score?

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Yes. So I mentioned students who must take the four semesters. Again, that will be based on your English language proficiency score. You will be taking New York bar requirement classes during that first year, in addition to getting the opportunity to work on your English language. So some students would be required to take that class, and other students take a year to increase their ability to speak and read and write and listen, and also knock off some of those requirements for both the program and for the New York bar.

Emma Steckelberg: Can you walk us through the LLM and MLS curriculum and requirements?

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: As an academic advisor for all of the Graduate and International Programs students at WashU Law, I can definitely speak to the curriculum. All two- or three-semester LLM and MLS students are required to take a fundamentals or foundation class the week before school starts. If you are a fall student, you will be taking the Fundamentals of U.S. Law. If you are a spring-starting student, you’ll take the Foundations of Law. It’s a one-week, one-credit course that is required for all students in the program.

The other class that is required is Intro to U.S. Law and Methods. That is a three-credit course in the fall that includes a lab. In the spring, it’s a one-credit course. So altogether, you will get four credits. Those four credits are credits you can use toward the New York bar requirements, but it is a requirement for all of our LLM and MLS students, along with the one-credit course before classes start.

The degree requires 24 or more credits. Here’s a little tip: if you end up taking 25 credits or 26 credits, you pay the same amount as everyone who took 24. So if you want to take a few extra credits — and some of you will need to because of your programs — you will not be charged for that. Just a little tip there. But you are required to complete 24 credits for both our LLM and our MLS program. Now, those 24 credits include the one credit before classes start and that four-credit required course of Intro to Law.

Beyond the couple of required courses, you will be taking your courses in the upper-level electives. Here at WashU Law, you have the opportunity to take LLM/MLS-only courses. Those will be courses that are offered in our curriculum and only LLM and MLS students can take them. Those same classes will also be available with the JDs. So we have a great program. Many schools only offer the LLM/MLS track. At WashU Law, you will have the opportunity to choose, for many courses — not all of them, but for many courses — whether or not you want to take them with the LLM/MLS students or with the JDs.

Emma Steckelberg: Let’s circle back to the JSD program. Can you talk a little bit more about it?

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Yes. Following admission to the JSD program, the JSD committee will appoint a faculty advisor. During that first year of the program, students are expected to form their dissertation committee, comprised of at least three members. The faculty advisor will serve as the chair of the committee.

In the first year of the JSD, students will enroll in a research design course, which will help them along the way as they put together their dissertation. First-year JSD students will meet with their advisor to plan and study and possibly audit courses. However, coursework is not required, Emma, for the program — but by the end of the first year, students are required to have completed a literature review and made any necessary revisions to their proposal.

During the second year and the following years, JSD students focus on submitting drafts of chapters and revised chapters to their faculty advisor on a regular basis. The JSD program emphasizes original research and writing, culminating in the preparation of a significant and extensive dissertation of publishable quality.

Emma Steckelberg: Thanks, Jeanne. Can you explain the length and requirements in a little bit more detail?

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: That’s a great question. Students must complete their dissertation and have it accepted by the candidate’s dissertation committee within five years of matriculation, but no less than three years. Also, there is a one-year residential requirement. Students will pay tuition for two full years and an administrative fee for the following semesters. All JSD candidates must defend their dissertation in front of their committee in person.

Emma Steckelberg: Jeanne, thank you so much for taking the time to explain all of this.

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Emma, it was my pleasure.

Emma Steckelberg: If our listeners have any questions, who should they contact?

[Closing voiceover]: If you have any questions, send us an email. Our email address is gradlaw@wustl.edu — that’s G-R-A-D-L-A-W at wustl.edu. We would love to hear from you. On our application page, you can also find links to make Zoom appointments with individuals who can answer any question that you might have.