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REGISTRATION INFORMATION Students are required to register online and should follow the instructions below to maximize their chances of being admitted into the courses of their choice. It is important that, well in advance of October 24, you claim your AccessIT ID (as described below), which you will need in order to register. Any questions about course selection should be directed, well in advance of the October 24 registration date, to Kandice Thorn, Director of International and Non-J.D. Programs, at kthorn1@law.fordham.edu. Technical and all other questions about registration should be sent to the Masters of Laws Office at llm@law.fordham.edu. I. TIMING AND MANNER OF REGISTRATION Online registration for Spring 2012 semester courses will take place on Monday, October 24. You should register as early as possible (after 7:00 a.m. New York time) on October 24 to maximize your chances of getting a seat in the courses of your choice. Courses close quickly due to enrollment limits, so do not delay in registering. Students may adjust their course registration up until the end of the first week of classes, subject to space restrictions and enrollment limits.
II. COURSE CREDITS, OFFERINGS, AND SELECTION Fordham LL.M. students are required to take certain courses in fulfillment of the requirements for their programs. Additionally, students who do not hold a degree from a U.S. law school are required (with limited exceptions) to take Introduction to the U.S. Legal System and Legal Writing for LL.M. Students (as described below). Apart from these requirements, LL.M. students may choose from among the broad range of courses open to LL.M. students. Students who have received a degree from a U.S. law school should not enroll in a course that is the same or substantially the same as a course that they have already taken. A. NUMBER OF CREDITS Master of Laws students are required to complete at least twenty-four (24) credits of work in approved courses, and may take up to twenty-five (25) credits. Students who enroll in Introduction to the U.S. Legal System may take up to twenty-seven (27) credits total; credits earned in Introduction to the U.S. Legal System count toward the 24-credit minimum, but do not count toward the 25-credit maximum. Credits earned in all courses, including Introduction to the U.S. Legal System and Legal Writing for LL.M. Students, count toward the total number of credits required for graduation. Typically, one "credit" signifies one hour of in-class time per week for the duration of the semester. Thus, for instance, a two-credit course generally would meet for two hours during each week of the semester. Full-time Students It is recommended that full-time students enroll in approximately twelve (12) credits each semester, although they may register for as few as ten (10) credits or as many as fourteen (14) credits. International students should note that although they may be accustomed to attending more hours of class in their home countries, many students tell us that the required reading for each class is far more substantial and time consuming in the U.S. Full-time students are required to schedule their academic program so that they have classes on at least three (3) days per week. Part-time Students Part-time students may enroll in up to nine (9) credits per semester and must complete their program requirements within three (3) years of enrolling in the LL.M. Program. Part-time students who exceed nine (9) credits will be considered to be full-time students and will be charged tuition at the full-time student rate. No student should enroll for more credits than permitted for his or her respective division. Students who register for more than the maximum number of credits may be randomly dropped from one or more courses by the Registrar. Students will not be able to re-register for courses from which they have been dropped if the course has subsequently closed due to enrollment limits. B. STUDENTS WHO DO NOT HOLD A DEGREE FROM A U.S. LAW SCHOOL 1. INTRODUCTION TO THE U.S. LEGAL SYSTEM Students who do not hold a degree from a U.S. law school are required to take Introduction to the U.S. Legal System (2 credits) during their first semester of study in the LL.M. program. Students who are admitted to the bar of any state in the United States may seek a waiver from this requirement. Requests for waivers must be made by email to Kandice Thorn at kthorn1@law.fordham.edu. Please note that, other than in the circumstance identified above, requests for waivers of this course are strongly disfavored. Introduction to the U.S. Legal System is offered on an intensive basis during orientation, and continues through the first several weeks of the semester. In the fall semester, multiple sections are offered; each student should register for the section that best fits his or her schedule. A written examination will be given approximately four to six weeks after the start of the semester. 2. LEGAL WRITING FOR LL.M. STUDENTS Foreign-trained LL.M. students are required to enroll in Legal Writing for LL.M. Students. Students are exempt from this course if they are a member of the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction, or if they hold a degree from a law school in the U.S., Australia, English-speaking Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, North Ireland, South Africa, or the United Kingdom. Once the course lists are posted you will see that there are numerous sections of Legal Writing for LL.M. Students offered at different times. Each student should register for the section that meets at the time that best suits his or her schedule. 3. STUDENTS PLANNING TO SIT FOR THE NEW YORK STATE BAR EXAMINATION Fordham Law School has arranged for a course entitled Perspectives in U.S. Law. This course, which is generally offered each spring semester, is designed to assist foreign-trained law graduates planning to sit for the New York State Bar Examination. This course is not a substitute for the commercial bar examination preparatory courses that most students (J.D. and LL.M.) take in the months prior to the bar examination. However, we believe that it will be very helpful in familiarizing you with many areas of U.S. law that are tested heavily on the New York Bar Examination, but that may not otherwise be part of your LL.M. studies. Foreign-trained students who plan to take the New York Bar Examination are urged to register for this course. Section 520.6 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals for the Admission of Attorneys and Counselors at Law requires that certain foreign students take at least two (2) basic courses in "American Law" as part of their LL.M. studies to qualify to sit for the New York Bar. We have been advised by the Court of Appeals that students completing the courses "Introduction to the U.S. Legal System" and "Legal Writing for LL.M. Students" will satisfy this requirement. For a listing of other courses offered by Fordham Law School that will meet this requirement click here. The New York State Bar Examination website http://www.nybarexam.org/ provides additional important information for those who plan to sit for the examination. Please note that admission to Fordham's LL.M. program does not guarantee or suggest eligibility to sit for the New York State Bar Examination. Students who plan to sit for the New York State Bar Examination should click here for additional information, including steps you should take prior to beginning the LL.M. program. C. PROGRAM COURSE REQUIREMENTS In addition to the course requirements for students who do not hold a degree from a U.S. law school, each of the specialized LL.M. programs has certain course requirements. Please click on the links below to view the specific requirements for each program. BANKING, CORPORATE, AND FINANCE LAW INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AND TRADE LAW D. ELECTIVE COURSES Apart from the courses required for students who do not hold a U.S. law degree and the requirements for specific LL.M. programs, students are free to select their courses from the wide range of courses offered for LL.M. students. Occasionally, an LL.M. student is granted permission to enroll in a course not listed as approved for LL.M. students. Students who wish to take such a course should fill out the appropriate form on the web at http://law.fordham.edu/registrar/10508.htm and submit it to Kandice Thorn as instructed on the form as far in advance of the start of the registration period as possible. Please note that LL.M. students will not be permitted to enroll in first year J.D. classes, J.D. drafting courses, externships, or clinics. E. PRE-REQUISITES AND CO-REQUISITES When you review course descriptions, you will note that some courses have pre- or co-requisites. A pre-requisite means that you must have taken the required course before you can enroll. A co-requisite means that you must take the required course at the same time, if you have not already completed the course. Waivers of a co- or pre-requisite are disfavored and should be directed to Kandice Thorn at kthorn1@law.fordham.edu. Requests should include a detailed explanation of the basis for the request and any relevant supporting material, including detailed information about prior coursework and your resume or curriculum vitae. Such requests should be made as far in advance as possilbe of the start of the corresponding semester. F. WRITING REQUIREMENT FOR GRADUATION HONORS In order to be eligible to receive magna cum laude graduation honors, an LL.M. student must have completed a significant research and writing project under faculty supervision. The student must present a topic for faculty approval, submit an outline and a draft for faculty review and comment by the deadlines established by the professor, and submit a final paper that (1) demonstrates significant research and original analysis; and (2) is well organized, carefully presented, and clearly written. The final paper must be at least 25 double-spaced typewritten pages, including single-spaced footnotes. Final papers must be submitted no later than the last day of classes for the respective semester. Such a paper may be completed in connection with a course that bears a notation that it will satisfy the Writing Requirement ("WR"); a two-credit independent study under the supervision of a member of the full-time faculty; or a three-credit thesis under the supervision of a member of the full-time faculty. Each student will be responsible for ensuring that he or she is registered for the writing requirement. Instructions on how to register for the writing requirement will be distributed via the weekly eNewsletter at the beginning of each semester. Failure to properly register for the LL.M. writing requirement may result in such student's being excluded from consideration for magna cum laude graudation honors. Graduation honors are calculated with reference to grades. For additional information, please refer to Section IV.H of the LL.M. Handbook. G. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT REGISTRATION AND ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS For additional information about academic requirements and related matters, please click here to view the LL.M. Handbook. |
