Joint Degree Program in Corporate Law and Finance, Intellectual Property, Self Directed Law, or Tax Law

Joint Degree Program Admission Requirements

A Cooley J.D. student must have completed 45 credits, earned at least a "B" in the J.D. "qualifier" course and should be in the top half of the student's class to be considered for provisional admission in the joint program.

Full Admission to LL.M. Program

A J.D./LL.M. student may be fully admitted to the LL.M. program once the J.D. degree is awarded. The J.D. graduate must submit an Intent to Continue Graduate Program form (pdf), and be capable of achieving a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 required for graduation from the LL.M. program in order to be fully admitted.

The LL.M. degree may be earned at Cooley's campuses in Lansing, Auburn Hills, and Grand Rapids.

Students can take up to five years after taking their first LL.M. level course to complete the academic requirements needed for the LL.M. degree.

Counting Credits

Nine credit hours of time and tuition are saved through the joint degree program.

Cooley would accept the nine LL.M. credits as electives toward the J.D. degree (90 credits required for J.D. degree).

The nine LL.M. credits would also be counted toward the Cooley LL.M. degree (24 total credits - 9 credits = 15 remaining credits).

Scheduling LL.M. Courses and Origination Sites

Classes are primarily offered on the weekend. Sometimes courses are scheduled during the week or in an accelerated format. The Graduate Tax Program offers special sections beginning after the bar exams, and the Graduate Programs in Intellectual Property law offers web-based classes.

Joint degree students may register for required LL.M. courses at any Cooley campus. Joint degree students will not be permitted to enroll in web-based courses.

Tuition

J.D. students pay their J.D. tuition rate for LL.M. courses. The LL.M. tuition rate will apply once the student is awarded the J.D. degree and is fully admitted into the graduate program.

Application

Joint Degree Graduate Program (pdf)

Contact Us

Cathy J. McCollum
Director, Graduate & Extended Programs
(517) 371-5140, ext. 2703

Vanessa Ramakers
Administrative Assistant
Graduate and Extended Programs
(248) 751-7830, ext. 7783

Thomas M. Cooley Law School is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) Michigan educational corporation and
is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
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