I. | Degree. The degree Legum Magister (Master of Laws or LL.M.) shall be awarded to those students who complete the study of law in the LL.M. program of the Pennsylvania State University. |
II. | Eligibility for Admissions. To be eligible for admission to the Penn State Law LL.M. program: |
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III. | Length of Study. Students will enroll in the LL.M. program on a full-time basis. Students enrolled in the program on a full-time basis will generally be expected to complete the requirements of the degree in one academic year. |
Full Time Status The LL.M. degree program is a full time course of study. Full time status for law students in Fall or Spring semester is 12 credits. International LL.M. students who want to study in Summer must comply with DISSA requirements and rules governing Extending Studies for a Third Semester. Except with permission obtained in advance from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the Directorate of Student and Scholar Advising (DISSA), all LL.M. students must be enrolled as full-time students throughout each semester in which the student enrolls. (See below for rules regarding extending LL.M. study for a third semester). In exceptional cases, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may permit an LL.M. student to be enrolled in fewer than 12 credits (Fall or Spring) if the LL.M. student demonstrates, in writing and in the judgment of the Associate Dean, adequate justification for a course load lower than full time. Examples of adequate justification include: 1. Hardship, especially if at the close of the normal drop-add period the circumstances or the events precipitating the hardship were unknown to and could not have been reasonably anticipated by the student. (Academic unpreparedness or difficulty with the demands of full time law study do not constitute adequate justification); 2. A U.S. citizen or permanent resident who is employed full time and for whom part time enrollment in LL.M. study is the only feasible option. All LL.M. students who are granted permission to enroll in less than a full time credit load must enroll in at least six credits each semester (Fall and Spring), and, must complete all LL.M. degree requirements within 24 months after the date the student commences LL.M. study. All LL.M. students who do not maintain full time status without obtaining prior approval from the law school and DISSA will be reported in SEVIS as a violation, and the student’s SEVIS record will be terminated for “unauthorized drop below full course level.” LL.M. students are subject to the law school academic rule governing dropping courses after the drop-add deadline, and all other rules as set forth in the LL.M. Academic Handbook and the Student Academic Handbook. Extending LL.M. Study for a Third Semester The LL.M. degree program is designed so that students can complete the 24 required credits in two semesters (Fall and Spring). LL.M. degree students may not start LL.M. study in Summer. LL.M. students who want to extend study for a third semester must apply for permission by completing the steps listed below. (For example, a student who starts LL.M. study in Fall, continues into Spring and wants to extend study into either Summer or Fall must apply for permission to extend.)
2. Complete the I-20/DS-2019 Request for Extension on iStart The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will grant permission to extend LL.M. degree study for a third semester if the student demonstrates that an extension will permit the student to accomplish a significant educational objective related to LL.M. degree study. Significant educational objectives related to LL.M. degree study include:
IMPORTANT NOTE: If, for any reason, the applicant decides not to extend their enrollment after approval to do so, it is the applicant’s responsibility to notify the Penn State Law Registrar immediately. This decision will affect when the student record is updated to show the student graduated. The deadline to notify the Penn State Law Registrar is the semester degree conferral date, available from the Penn State Law Registrar. If the Penn State Law Registrar is notified after the semester degree conferral date, the student transcript, and any requested graduation verification, will reflect the LL.M. degree for the following semester. |
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IV. | Graduation Requirements. In order to fulfill the requirements for the LL.M. degree, students must satisfy the following criteria: |
The Assistant Dean of Graduate and International Programs may waive one or both of the course requirements where students have satisfactorily completed equivalent courses at another U.S. law program or in a common law country. |
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Note: You can track your degree progress by using your personal Degree Audit (Academic Requirements report), in LionPath, in combination with the information here. Learn more here, Degree Audit (Academic Requirement report). |
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V. | Honor Code. LL.M. students are subject to the Penn State University Code of Conduct and the Penn State Law Honor Code. |
VI. | LL.M. Grading System |
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VII. | LL.M. Grading Norm |
VIII. | Examinations and Final Examination Information |