Quick Facts

For visa purposes, international students must take at least 5 credits per semester to be considered full-time students, but must complete the program in 18 months absent extraordinary circumstances.  Visa requirements and length of study in the U.S. should be discussed well in advance with our International Students and Scholars Office.  To ensure compliance with Homeland Security regulations, international students must remain in contact with ISSO throughout their stay in the U.S. and must inform ISSO of any travel plans outside the U.S. while they are students here.U.S. students may opt to spread their program over a period of up to a maximum of two and a half years.  We provide this flexibility to accommodate busy work schedules. 

Area of Specialization: The term "environmental law" is often used to describe both the laws of pollution control and the laws regarding management of natural resources and wildlife. Lewis & Clark offers education in all aspects of environmental and natural resources law, including the laws of the U.S., international law, and related areas such as environmental justice and animal law. Lewis & Clark's LL.M. is entirely dedicated to the area of environmental and natural resources law, and is not suitable for those seeking a more general education in U.S. law.

Number of LL.M. Students: We keep this program deliberately small, between 12 and 20 students in any given year, so that LL.M. students have the opportunity to work closely with our environmental faculty and staff.

Time requirements: The LL.M. program requires students from the U.S. and common law countries to complete 26 semester hours of credit, including the required courses discussed in the next section.  U.S. students attending full-time can generally complete the LL.M. program in one academic year (two semesters). 

International students without previous background in the common law are also required to take the two-credit Summer Seminar for International Lawyers, bringing their required credits to 28.  Although it is also possible for international students to complete the program in two semesters following the Summer Seminar in August, we strongly recommend that international students budget for three academic semesters (fall, spring and summer or fall, spring and fall) due to the intensity of study required.

Course requirements: All students must take a two-credit LL.M. seminar (one credit in the fall, one in the spring).  In the fall, students participate in discussions with faculty about cutting-edge environmental law topics.  In the spring, students produce a paper and accompanying presentation on their chosen environmental topic under the guidance of a faculty mentor.

Students from the U.S. and common law countries are required to Administrative Law and a survey Environmental Law class if they have not already taken these in their J.D. or LL.B. programs.

International students from non-common-law countries are required to take the Summer Seminar for International Lawyers and a survey Environmental Law class.  Administrative Law is recommended, but not required.  For the remaining credits required for the degree, students may choose from Lewis & Clark's vast array of curriculum choices, including up to 8 credits of non-environmental classes.

Thesis option: Exceptional students may have the option of completing a major written thesis for six credits. This option is not open to all LL.M. students and must only be undertaken after consultation with and permission of the program director and faculty thesis supervisor.  If your goal in writing a thesis is to produce a publishable paper, it can be met by your LL.M. graduate seminar paper; which is supervised by a faculty member.  LL.M. students have successfully published their papers in law journals around the country.

Fall and spring entrance: U.S. students can apply to begin their LL.M. studies in the fall semester, which begins in late August, or in the spring semester, which begins in mid-January. International students begin in early August with an intensive Summer Seminar designed to introduce them to the U.S. legal system and law studies in the U.S.

Tuition, fees and living expenses:  Please visit our Law School Admissions Office for the most current information about tuition, fees and living expenses.