Thesis or Seminar Writing Option
LLM students must complete a two-hour writing requirement. The student may select either the thesis option or the seminar paper writing option.
(1) Thesis Option. The thesis requirement may be a paper written independently under the guidance of a faculty adviser for which the LLM student receives two hours of course credit. Those students who are completing the thesis independent of another course will prepare a paper commensurate with what would be expected in a two-hour seminar course.
In the alternative, the thesis can be written in conjunction with a seminar/paper course in which the LLM student is writing a significant paper. Those LLM students who are completing the thesis in conjunction with another course should produce a significant paper that will, in quantity and quality, satisfy both the paper requirement of the course and the two-hour thesis requirement. Thus, the paper for the other course can be expanded in quantity and detail to satisfy both the paper requirement for the course and for the two-hour thesis requirement.
The LLM student can elect to have the thesis graded on a pass/fail basis. No oral defense of the thesis is required.
(2) Seminar Paper Writing Option. LL.M. students who opt not to write a thesis must satisfactorily complete an upper-level seminar course that requires the research and writing of a significant paper in conjunction with at least a two-hour course. This paper will be undertaken under the supervision and grading of the professor teaching the course.
