Among the most distinguished U.S. law schools, the University of Chicago is the only one which offers the combination of a small LL.M. program with a real sense of community among its students, a challenging academic experience both inside and outside the classroom and an exciting urban location in one of the great cities of the world.

Our LL.M. graduates often say that their year at the Law School had a great impact on both their subsequent personal and professional lives. They also look back fondly at the friendships that developed and the experiences they shared with classmates and others in the University community. Here is a closer look at some of the factors which made their time here so rewarding and may help to explain why they are so enthusiastic about Chicago

Academic culture

Critical reasoning is a crucial part of the University of Chicago Law School experience some would say it's our defining characteristic. Our faculty and students are deeply involved in the "life of the mind," as we call it, and delight in spending their days challenging each other to dig ever deeper into the law as an intellectual discipline. We hope that by spending time in this portion of our Web site, you will learn about the teaching and research philosophies that make the Law School unique.

Faculty

The Law School has assembled a faculty that is distinguished for its scholarship and its teaching ability. Many LL.M. students are surprised to discover how accessible and available the faculty are. The custom is for faculty to work in their offices with their doors open. Students do not need to make appointments to meet with them. In addition to the full-time members of the faculty, the Law School has approximately 50 practitioners, faculty members from other areas of the University and visiting professors from other law schools who teach courses and seminars each year. Detailed information about individual faculty members can be found on our web site. A significant portion of the faculty represents academic fields other than law, including economics, history, philosophy, and political science. The strong orientation of the faculty toward research provides students with unusually good opportunities and LL.M. students often do independent research projects with members of the faculty instead of taking a class or seminar.

After graduation

Each year a number of LL.M. students express interest in locating positions in the United States or elsewhere following graduation. The Law School'sOffice of Career Services works closely with students in helping them to do this. In addition to employment assistance, the Law School arranges alumni activities regularly around the world.

Curriculum

During a typical academic year, the Law School offers approximately 150courses and seminars (smaller classes of about 15 students usually requiring papers in place of examinations) with an average class size of about 36 students. All of these courses and seminars are open to LL.M. students. Not all courses and seminars are offered each academic year. If there is a particular course in which you are interested, please inquire to insure its availability.

(美国法学院 LLM _ Chicago Law School from Chicago Law School website)