Requisites for Applying for the LL.M. American law students who wish to pursue the Master of Laws degree must hold an A.B. degree or the equivalent from a law school which is a member of the Association of American Law Schools, which is approved by the American Bar Association or which is a state-accredited law school. Students from other countries who wish to apply for the LL.M. must hold a degree equivalent to the J.D. from a recognized law school and must have an academic record and study program acceptable to the faculty of the law school. Each student's qualifications and record of legal studies must reflect high scholarly aptitude, and the data required in the LL.M. application forms must set forth a well-conceived plan of specialized study and research. At the end of the second semester of resident study, the law school will review the student's file. Most LL.M. students fulfill all their course work within the required two semesters of residence, and many complete their LL.M. thesis within one year.
Some students take longer to fulfill the thesis requirement.
Approximately 90 percent of the LL.M. students graduate within the six years allowed for the completion of the LL.M. degree. When all the requisites are fulfilled, graduation is authorized by the dean of the School of Law and the dean of the Graduate School. The University of Georgia is a state university which benefits from generous financial support from the people of Georgia. Accordingly, tuition costs are substantially lower than at many comparable institutions. The location of the University in the college town of Athens means that housing, meals and other costs are lower for students.