VIII. Degree Requirements for LL.M. Candidates

A. General Requirements

To be recommended for the LL.M. degree all candidates must successfully complete a minimum number of credits, complete the required coursework, meet the school residency or continuous enrollment requirements, fulfill all financial obligations to University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law (UNH Law), and comply with UNH Law’s Conduct Code. Unless otherwise stated, all rules apply to LL.M. candidates regardless of the program in which they are enrolled.

B. Required Credits

  1. Number of Credits to earn degree. LL.M. candidates must successfully complete a minimum of twenty-four (24) credits from a selection of required and elective courses. Those LL.M. candidates admitted without a JD or JD degree equivalent must complete thirty (30) credits from a selection of required and elective curriculum.
  2. Maximum Number of Credits
    1. Residential LL.M. candidates may not enroll in more than 17 credits per academic semester.
    2. Online LL.M. candidates may not enroll in more than 12 credits per academic semester or 12 credits in the summer term.
  3. Maximum Number of Credits a Candidate May Attempt
    1. Residential LL.M. candidates  may attempt 34 credits total between the the fall and spring semesters. Additional credits may be taken at the current per/credit rate if the candidate desires, subject to the per semester credit limitations noted above in (a) through (c).
    2. Online LL.M. candidates may attempt no more than 28 credits.

C. Coursework

Candidates must complete a variety of required and elective courses, depending on the program in which the candidate is enrolled.

  1. Core Required Courses
    1. Effective January 1, 2015 residential LL.M. candidates must complete the following required graduate skills curriculum, unless the candidate has successfully completed equivalent courses in a US J.D. program:
      1. LIP 801 Graduate Legal Research and Information Literacy
      2. LIP 894 American Legal Process and Analysis I or equivalent training 
      3. LIP 895 American Legal Process and Analysis II
    2. Online LL.M. candidates must complete the following required courses for the International Criminal Law and Justice degree: 
      1. LCR 923 International Legal Research
      2. LCR 924 International Criminal Law and Justice Seminar
      3. LCR 925 Comparative Criminal Justice Systems
      4. LCR 929 Capstone Research Project
    3. Online LL.M. candidates must complete the following required courses for the Intellectual Property degree:
      1. LIP 913 International and Comparative Intellectual Property
      2. LCR 923 International Legal Research
      3. LIP 944 Fundamentals of Intellectual Property
    4. In addition, LL.M. candidates for the Intellectual Property degree must choose one of two Practice Tracks:
      1. Required courses for the Patent Practice Track:
        1. LIP 954 Patent Law
        2. LIP 961 Patent Practice and Procedure I
        3. LIP 962 Patent Practice and Procedure II
      2. Required courses for the Copyright/Trademark Track:
        1. LIP 912 Copyright Law
        2. LIP 977 Trademarks and Deceptive Practices
        3. 3 credits of additional coursework related to Copyright/Trademark law and practice
    5. Part-time online LL.M. candidates must complete the following required courses for the International Criminal Law and Justice degree before enrolling in any elective offered towards the degree:
      1. LCR 925 Comparative Criminal Justice Systems​
      2. LCR 924 International Criminal Law and Justice Seminar
      3. LCR 923 International Legal Research
  2. Degree- Specific Courses
    1. Residential LL.M. Intellectual Property candidates must complete a minimum of three (3) courses and a minimum of seven (7) credits from the following elective curriculum:
      1. LIP 912 Copyright Law
      2. LIP 950 Copyright Licensing
      3. LIP 944 Fundamentals of Intellectual Property
      4. LIP 954 Patent Law
      5. LIP 961 Patent Practice and Procedure I 
      6. LIP 962 Patent Practice and Procedure II
      7. LIP 951 Technology Licensing
      8. LIP 977 Trademarks and Deceptive Practices
    2. Residential LL.M. Commerce and Technology candidates must complete a series of courses in three (3) degree- specific elective areas:
      • Intellectual Property
      • Transactions/Information Age Commercial Law
      • International Perspective and Regulation/Tax
    3. Residential IP and CT LL.M. candidates must complete their program requirements by selecting additional approved electives.
    4. Online LL.M. candidates must complete their electives from the following approved curriculum:
      1. International Criminal Law and Justice degree
        1. LCR 914 CyberCrime
        2. LCR 928 Drugs and Weapons Trafficking
        3. LCR 921 Human Trafficking I
        4. LIP #957 Intellectual Property Crimes
        5. LCR 922 International White Collar Crime
        6. LCR 927 Piracy and Terrorism
        7. LCR 926 International Criminal Court and Special Tribunals 
      2. Intellectual Property degree - Copyright/Trademark Track
        1. LIP #957 Intellectual Property Crimes
        2. LIP 928 Intellectual Property Management
        3. LIP #906 Patent Strategies for Business
        4. LIP 997 Mining Patent Information in the Digital Age
        5. LIP 918 Trade Secrets Law
        6. LIP 954 Patent Law
        7. LIP 961 Patent Practice and Procedure I
        8. LIP 962 Patent Practice and Procedure II
        9. Additional Electives Selected from a List Provided by Program Director
      3. Intellectual Property degree - Patent Track
        1. LIP 912 Copyright Law
        2. LIP #957 Intellectual Property Crimes
        3. LIP 928 Intellectual Property Management
        4. LIP 997 Mining Patent Information in the Digital Age
        5. LIP #906 Patent Strategies for Business
        6. LIP 977 Trademarks and Deceptive Practices
        7. LIP 918 Trade Secrets Law
        8. Additional Electives Selected from a List Provided by Program Director