Curriculum

Programs of Study

LLM in American Law

The program requires 24 credit hours of study. A minimum of 6 credits is required courses in U.S. law, professional responsibility, and legal research and writing. The remaining 18 credits are electives. Students choose electives according to their interests. Students studying full-time can complete degree requirements within one academic year.

In order to tailor the LLM in American Law to your interests, Mizzou Law offers courses in many areas. Course descriptions are available on the JD curriculum section. Please note: Every effort is made to teach each of these courses every year, but the ability to offer them depends on faculty availability and budget constraints.

Some of the concentrated areas in the JD curriculum include:

  • Civil Litigation
  • Corporate Law
  • Commercial Law
  • Criminal Law/Litigation
  • Dispute Resolution
  • Estate Planning
  • Ethics, Law and Society
  • Family Law
  • Health Care Law
  • Intellectual Property Law
  • Labor and Employment
  • Public Law and Policy
  • Real Estate
  • Tax

For a partial list of LLM course options, arranged by subject matter, see Course Options for LLM-American Law Students. Note, course availability varies from year to year.

For the schedule, see JD Course Schedule.

LLM in Dispute Resolution Online

LLM in Dispute Resolution On-Campus

The program requires 24 credit hours of study. A minimum of 9 credits are required courses in dispute resolution and the remaining 15 credits are electives. Students choose electives according to their interests. With the approval of the director of the LLM Program, students can apply six (6) credits of graduate-level courses outside the Law School toward the LLM graduation requirements.

Students studying full-time can complete degree requirements within one academic year. Part-time domestic students in a continuous course of study can complete the program within two academic years.

Below are descriptions for the required core courses along with a listing of some recommended electives relevant to the dispute resolution field.

Required Core Courses (9 credit hours):

  • Dispute System Design (3 credit hours):
    Analysis of system design principles and basic research evaluation methodologies. An underlying theme is program quality.
  • A non-binding method course (3 credit hours):
    Mediation
    Negotiation
  • An arbitration course (3 credit hours):
    Arbitration
    International Commercial Arbitration

Optional Academic Track:

  • Development and presentation of substantial research paper on a current topic in dispute resolution.
  • Independent research project supervised by a faculty member for a minimum of 3 credit hours.

Law Electives (15 credit hours):

Each student will be able to choose electives according to his/her interests and statement of purpose for enrolling in the LLM in Dispute Resolution program. NOTE: Some courses may not be offered in some years.

Arbitration (if not taken as a core course)
Conflict and Conflict Management
Cross-Cultural Dispute Resolution
Dispute Resolution in the Digital Age
Emotional Intelligence in Law
International Commercial Arbitration (if not taken as a core course)
LLM Externship
LLM Independent Study
Mediation (if not taken as a core course)
Mediation Clinic
Negotiation (if not taken as a core course)
Practicum on Dispute Resolution Training and Education

Other Suggested Electives:

This list includes some recommended electives from the Truman School of Public Affairs because of their obvious relevance to the dispute resolution field. These courses are generally offered online.

  • Group Dynamics and Conflict Resolution (3):
    Public Affairs course that focuses on the study of group psychology in the context of communities and organizations. It examines the emergence and resolution of conflict.
  • Organizational Analysis and Change (3):
    Public Affairs course that investigates the social and psychological dynamics of intervention and change. Students study organizational life from the viewpoint of experienced organizational consultants. The predominant theoretical approach offered in this course is clinical and psychodynamic. Readings and discussions rely on case examples to ground theory in practice.
  • Organizational Change in a Community and Global Context (3):
    Public Affairs course that examines changing organizations in their task environments, which include communities and the global economy.
  • Organizational Dynamics and Leadership (3):
    Public Affairs course that focuses on understanding human action in administrative situations and on developing personal capacities for effective action in varied and difficult organizational settings.