Law, Master of Laws in United States Business Law (LL.M)
The LL.M degree is for foreign lawyers. It is a one-year program, intended for students who have earned a foreign law degree and desire to augment their existing education with training in United States business law. The program is based on the existing concentration in Business Transactions, with the addition of an introductory course designed to introduce foreign-educated lawyers to the structure of the American legal system and the basics of U.S. law.
LL.M. candidates would have the option of registering for up to one additional law school course to supplement the required courses.
Admissions Criteria: Applicants will be required to (1) hold a foreign law degree (such as an LL.B.) qualifying them to apply for or sit for a licensing examination that would enable them to practice law in their home jurisdiction and (2) demonstrate a command of the English language sufficient to allow them to achieve success in their course work here in the United States. The first of these qualifications will be highly variable and dependent upon the country and jurisdiction in which the prospective student practices or lives. Prospective applicants to the LL.M. program will be required to show unequivocal proof of their graduation from a recognized degree granting institution in their home country before gaining admission to the degree program.
Language Requirements: Students for whom English is not their first language must submit a score of at least 570 (paper-based exam) or 88 (internet-based exam) points on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam, or a score of at least 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or other comparable evidence of English proficiency in order to be considered for admission to the LL.M. program.
Admission Requirements: Applicants with degrees from foreign institutions must have earned a minimum of a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent on all undergraduate work and must have been in good academic standing upon graduation from their legal degree granting institution.
Continuous Funding: Before admission can be granted, applicants must document availability of sufficient funds for 12 months of studies, either in the form of savings, grants, loans, or otherwise reliable sources of funding. Please visit http://law.utk.edu/financial-services/tuition-and-fees/ for the most current estimate of expenses.
