University of Texas at Austin (“UT Law”)

About the University

The University of Texas at Austin is one of the largest and best public universities in the U.S. It was founded in 1883 and now has 17 colleges and schools and more than 50,000 students.

UT has a high academic quality and relatively low costs and is therefore often cited as one of the best values in American higher education. It does well in other rankings, as well: the Times of London, in 2004, ranked UT the 15th-best university in the world.

Students also love Austin. The city has green rolling hills ringed with lakes. It is the state capital, an important high-tech center and a hub for contemporary arts and music. On campus, there are 900 registered student organizations, 7 museums, 17 libraries and a variety of sports activities.

About the Law School

UT is a large law school (about 1500 students) that offers a rich and diverse education in small educational settings. The curriculum includes colloquia where students interact with cutting-edge scholars, clinical programs, lecture courses, and other classes with active participation--some even as small as 7 students. The course offerings include historical, philosophical, and economic perspectives on law, as well as international human rights, environmental issues, health policy and political justice. There are a wide variety of electives to choose from. Students can also take advantage of the faculty of UT's other schools.

UT offers award-winning clinical programs in public interest, immigration, childrens' rights, mental health, criminal law and trial advocacy, which give students the chance to work on real cases with supervision.

The academic diversity is matched by the ethnic diversity of the student body. Students from all over the world meet at UT Law.

UT Law is ranked number 15 in the nation by U.S.New and World Report.

UT Law combines the best of many worlds -- a big law school with rich variety and small classes, in a small city that offers the excitement usually found only in big cities. That must be why student satisfaction surveys consistently rank UT at the top.

About the Program

The LL.M. program is small and extremely selective. The class of 2009-2010 is composed of 40 students from 14 countries.

The program allows each student to custom-make an individual course of study to his or her own interests. Much of the program is drawn from the J.D. curriculum and most of the learning is done in the classroom, side-by-side with U.S. law students in the J.D. program. LL.M. students can also design a program that is focused on research and writing, comprised of seminars and individual research projects. It is also possible to complement their law school classes with courses from other UT faculties.

There are three different LL.M. programs. The U.S. Law for Foreign Lawyers program is aimed at providing a basic understanding of the U.S. legal system to lawyers who studied at foreign law schools. Students may choose to specialize in a particular area of U.S. law or to, instead, get a general overview.

The Law School has a new Center for Global Energy, International Arbitration, and Environmental Law which provides an innovative one-of-a-kind LL.M. program that explores the intersections between natural resources law, environmental law, and international arbitration. This cutting-edge, interdisciplinary program is open to both U.S. and foreign attorneys.

The Law School also offers a program in Latin American and International Law, in conjunction with the Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies (LLILAS). The program is meant to enhance understanding of the transnational legal environment in the Americas for U.S. and foreign lawyers. Students may also enroll in LLILAS courses in areas such as art history, anthropology, economics, history, public policy, literature, politics, sociology and zoology and may be eligible for a Certificate in Latin American Studies in addition to their LL.M. degree.

The Programs

About the Entry Requirements

Applicants must have earned a J.D. from an ABA approved law school in the U.S., or its equivalent from a law school in another country.

Those applicants whose native language is not English must take the TOEFL or IELTS examination.

About the Tuition & fees

Tuition and fees are among the least expensive in the country among top ranked law schools.

Tuition and Fees for Texas non-residents $39,630
Books $1,130
Room and Board $10,250
Transportation $1200
Miscellaneous $2,950
Insurance $1,192
Total estimated costs $56,532