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New York City
LL.M.-J.S.D. in International and Comparative Law
LL.M.-J.S.D. Program in International and Comparative Law
This program is designed especially for graduate applicants who are prospective or current international law and comparative law teachers. The degree creates continuity between the LL.M. degree and the juridical science doctorate (J.S.D.) program for a small number of graduate students focusing on international and comparative legal scholarship.
Those admitted are designated as Institute for International Law and Justice (IILJ) graduate scholars and are mentored during their LL.M. studies in the research and development of a dissertation proposal to facilitate their non-guaranteed entry into the J.S.D. program the following year. The program provides a fully integrated academic experience involving the presentation of research in conferences, working papers, and workshops, along with funded internships and clerkships in international law.
Along with LL.M. coursework, students will write a supervised thesis during the LL.M. year which may provide a basis for J.S.D. work. Scholars will have the opportunity to participate in specialized international law colloquia and high-level seminars on advanced international law topics and to present and discuss their research at workshops attended by Institute faculty and fellows and invited outside specialists.
The LL.M. year requires the completion of 24 credits. Students must attend the IILJ Scholars Seminar. They may opt to register for credit if they would like to write a paper for a grade in the seminar. Other than the supervised thesis and the IILJ Scholars Seminar, there are no specific courses that must be taken during the LL.M. year. Students should work with the Faculty Director to design an academic program that best suits their research interests. (Note that this differs significantly from the LL.M. in International Legal Studies.)
Interested students are asked to electronically attach a one page essay, of no more than 500 words, with the LL.M. application form. The essay should explain how your approach and commitment to legal scholarship and your career interests make you a suitable candidate for the LL.M.-J.S.D in International and Comparative Law. Please also check the appropriate box on the graduate application form.
The Committee on LL.M.-J.S.D. Admissions will review the files of those applicants who indicated an interest in being considered for the program. Decisions regarding the LL.M.-J.S.D. program will be released on or about April 1 to applicants with foreign education credentials who supplied all materials necessary to complete their files by the December 1 deadline. Applicants with domestic credentials will receive decisions as they are made.