The UMKC LL.M. program focuses on advancing lawyering skills, including legal analysis, research, writing, interviewing, counseling and negotiating. Through one capstone experience, students have the opportunity to compete in the LL.M. International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court Competition in Washington, D.C.
LL.M. students take eight credit hours of compulsory courses and 16 credit hours of elective courses from the J.D. curriculum. Students may specialize in one of eight emphasis areas.
There is no mandated curriculum. When you enroll, you'll be assigned a faculty advisor. In consultation with the advisor, the student develops a plan of study that meets the requirements for the degree. The advisor must approve enrollment in all courses.
Requirements:
Students in the LL.M. program receive exceptional academic support. International students have access to the Legal English Workshop, a four-week summer program to improve legal vocabulary and introduce key legal terms and concepts, and students who speak English as a second language may qualify for additional time on exams. LL.M. students are invited to participate in UMKC’s orientation program, which teaches students how to prepare for law study in the United States. During the semester, students have access to tutorials to provide additional instruction and advice to prepare for classes and exams. The LL.M program is relatively small so that students receive personal attention.
One of the most distinctive characteristics of the program is the welcoming environment at UMKC and in Kansas City. Faculty, staff and students are extraordinarily helpful to LL.M. students.
Many international students are eligible to take a U.S. bar exam upon completion of the LL.M. program. Graduates are eligible to participate in a specially designed UMKC bar preparation course, which has a 90% success rate. The pass rate for U.S. bar exams — New York and California — for UMKC graduates from the LL.M. program is around 70%.
UMKC provides a great education at an exceptional price and is often rated a best-value program. Tuition and fees are assessed based on the number of credit hours. Because UMKC receives some financial support from the state of Missouri, a separate out-of-state educational fee applies to those from outside of Missouri. Educational fees and student program/use fees are set by the University of Missouri Board of Curators.
View the most current fee schedule
Successful LL.M. students may transfer to the J.D. program without having to take the LSAT. Courses taken during the LL.M. program are transferrable for credit toward the J.D. for students who transfer, reducing the number of credit hours necessary to complete the J.D. program.
