University of San Diego (USD) School of Law

The University

The University of San Diego is a Catholic institution of higher learning chartered in 1949. The school enrolls more than 7,000 students and is known for its commitment to teaching, the liberal arts, the formation of values and community service.

Located on 180 acres overlooking the city of San Diego, Mission Bay and the Pacific Ocean, the university campus is a community treasure, with Spanish Renaissance- inspired buildings and breathtakingly beautiful landscapes.

USD offers more than 60 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. The university adds depth to education by inspiring students to grow spiritually, morally and socially.

The Law School

An outstanding center of legal education with a distinguished faculty, a talented student body and a dedication to innovation, the University of San Diego School of Law is pursuing and achieving academic excellence and preparing our students to practice in the new century.

Founded in 1954, the University of San Diego School of Law is accredited by the American Bar Association, and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools and the Order of the Coif, the most distinguished rank of American law schools.

USD graduates practice law throughout the United States, from New York to San Francisco. Students come to USD from about 42 states, 18 countries and over 140 undergraduate institutions. Ranging in age from 20 to 58, students have a wealth of education and experience. USD graduates consistently score higher than the state average as first-time takers of the California Bar Exam, one of the most difficult in the country. USD's first-time taker passage rate for the July 2005 California Bar Examination was 80 percent, the sixth highest of all ABA-accredited law schools in the state.

The Program

The University of San Diego School of Law is a long standing leader in graduate legal education.

LL.M. in Taxation

Increasingly required by employers, the LL.M. in Taxation prepares students for the private practice of tax law, for in-house counsel positions, for positions in the tax departments of businesses or allied professions, as well as for academia. Through intensive study, students develop a broad skill set in traditional tax lawyering skills. In addition, students gain a deep understanding of the policies forming the basis of our tax laws and Internal Revenue Service pronouncements and are able to analyze the various proposals for tax reform and their correlation with current tax laws.

LL.M. in International Law

The LL.M. in International Law Program provides U.S. law school graduates with a unique opportunity to study international law in a dynamic, multi-cultural city that is home to the busiest land and port entry in the world. The program attracts candidates from private, public and government practices. Candidates for the LL.M. in International Law are taught by faculty members and international visiting faculty who are leaders in the field. Enriching this academic experience is the opportunity to study side by side with attorneys, judges and government officials from around the world enrolled in our LL.M. in Comparative Law Program.

LL.M. in Business & Corporate Law

The LL.M. in Business & Corporate Law was developed in response to the growing number of attorneys who needed to expand an existing practice to include complex business transactions, as well as those who sought to change their practice from a law firm to an in-house position as corporate counsel. Available courses provide practical as well as theoretical knowledge. Through a unique blending of core courses and electives, candidates can design a program that best meets their professional interests and goals. Available courses focus on a wide range of subjects that impact business transactions in the U.S. and around the world, including taxation, labor and employment, corporate finance, intellectual property, and international transactions.

LL.M in Comparative Law (for International Lawyers)

For over 25 years, the University of San Diego School of Law has afforded foreign educated attorneys the opportunity to study law side by side with J.D. and LL.M. students from the U.S. and around the world. This immersion into a contemporary and dynamic J.D. curriculum prepares LL.M. in Comparative Law candidates to deal effectively with U.S. attorneys on questions of common interest. Attorneys returning to practice in their home countries, as well as those serving foreign governments and international organizations, have the opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of the law and policy in a wide array of subjects. The program also offers foreign law professors a broader view of legal subjects that equips them to deal with comparative aspects of their subjects.

General LL.M with Concentration (as approved)

The General LL.M. Program is designed to provide additional education in selected areas of study such as criminal law, environmental law, health care law, intellectual property, or labor and employment law. The degree is ideal for attorneys seeking in-depth training in an area of law in which they currently practice, as well as for those seeking to develop a new area of practice. Proposed areas of concentration are approved prior to admission to the program.

The Faculty

USD has one of the highest rated law faculties in the United States, ranking 22nd in the nation according to a recent survey of more than 150 leading law professors nationwide. In April 2005, USD was ranked 12th in the nation in tax law and first in the Western United States among law schools with graduate tax programs. Eleven faculty members belong to the prestigious law reform group, the American Law Institute.

Faculty members enjoy national reputations in many areas, including administrative law, children's advocacy, civil rights, commercial law, constitutional law, criminal law, international and comparative law, professional ethics, public interest law, tax law, and interdisciplinary studies, including law and economics, and law and philosophy.

Entry Requirements

U.S. Applicants

Applicants to the LL.M. programs must possess a juris doctor (J.D.) from an ABA accredited law school. Applicants currently enrolled in U.S. law schools may apply for admission after completing two years of law school. Admission to the LL.M. programs is competitive and is based primarily upon previous excellence in law studies. Those admitted to the LL.M. programs have excellent academic credentials and may also have significant professional experience. Almost all of our accepted U.S. applicants are in the top half of their class of a nationally ranked law school.

Completed applications are reviewed on a “rolling” basis throughout the year, and many applicants will receive a decision within three weeks from the date their application becomes complete.

International Student Applicants

Applicants to the LL.M. in Comparative Law Program for international students or the LL.M. in Taxation Program (as approved) must have the equivalent of a U.S. law degree from an accredited institution outside the United States. Candidates must have also graduated in the upper half of their law school class or otherwise establish qualifications indicating their ability to complete graduate law work successfully. Applicants may begin their studies in either the fall or spring semester. An applicant whose native language is not English must establish competency in English through successful completion of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A minimum score of 600 points on the paper-based test, 250 points on the computer based test, or 100 points on the internet-based test is required for admission. Applicants with lower scores may be considered for admission after successful completion of an English preparatory program. For more information on TOEFL, go to www.toefl.org.

Completed applications are reviewed on a “rolling” basis throughout the year, and many applicants will receive a decision within three weeks from the date their application becomes complete.

Application Procedure

Application Instructions

We accept applications prepared by using the Law School Admissions Council's (LSAC) reporting service. This service allows you to use your computer to efficiently fill out your application. Visit the law school's LSAC site at
https://www4.lsac.org/LLM/SanDiego.htm and complete the application. LSAC will then send both printed and electronic versions of your application to our office. USD requires an original certification signature even if you have applied online. For online applicants this will be sent to USD via LSAC. We believe that this service offers a distinct advantage to all applicants, since it eliminates the need to authenticate official documents multiple times and it facilitates a speedy and accurate processing of the application. The $50.00 application fee will be waived for those who submit their applications via the LSAC electronic application service.

We prefer to accept international student applications prepared by using the Law School Admissions Council’s (LSAC) credential evaluation and reporting service for LL.M. degrees. This credential service is solely for graduates of international universities or law schools who wish to obtain a master of laws (LL.M.) degree from a law school in the United States. This service will allow you to use your computer to efficiently fill out your application. Visit the Law School’s LSAC site at https://www4.lsac.org/LLM/SanDiego.htm and complete the application. LSAC will then send both printed and electronic versions of your application to our office.

If you are unable to complete the online electronic application, you can print a paper version in PDF format from our website (http://www.law.sandiego.edu) and send a completed copy directly to this law school at the address indicated below.

Application Checklist

• Application (with original signature)
• $50.00 Non-Refundable Application Fee (The application fee will be waived for applicants who submit their applications electronically through the LSAC Electronic Application service.)
• Personal Statement
• Resume
• Letter of Recommendation (at least one)
• Official Transcript (from all law schools attended)
• Official Class Rank
• TOEFL (Required of foreign law graduates. Please see below for more information.)

Materials should be mailed to:
University of San Diego School of Law
Graduate Programs – Warren Hall 207
5998 Alcalá Park
San Diego, California 92110-2492

Questions may be directed to (619) 260-4596 or llminfo@sandiego.edu.

Photocopies

Applicants should keep a copy of all materials submitted to the Graduate Programs Office. Once original transcripts and documents are received, they cannot be returned.
Questions may be directed to (619) 260-4596 or llminfo@sandiego.edu.

Deadlines

Priority deadlines are as follows:
Fall Admission: File complete by July 1
Spring Admission: File complete by December 1
Summer Admission: File complete by May 1

Applications for admission may still be considered after the priority deadlines. Interested applicants should phone the Graduate Programs Office to determine whether the deadlines have been extended.

Test of English as a Foreign Language

Foreign law graduates seeking admission must also request that Educational Testing Services submit directly to us an official report of their score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A minimum score of 600 points on the paper-based test, 250 points on the computer-based test, or 100 points on the internet-based test is required for admission. Applicants with lower scores may be considered for admission after successful completion of an English preparatory program. Our Institutional Code is 4849, and our Department Code is 03. For more information on TOEFL, go to www.toefl.org.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition for the Graduate Law programs is $1,235.00 per credit.

Please visit http://www.sandiego.edu/usdlaw/finadm/finaid/cost/tuition.php to learn more about tuition and fees.

Financial Aid

Graduate Law Scholarships

Each year Merit Scholarships are offered based on the merits of the applicant's scholastic and work experience. Students will be considered for the scholarship after they have been accepted into the program. Applicants to the LL.M. in Comparative Law Program may also want to contact external sources of funding such as Fulbright and Rotary scholarships.

Applicants are encouraged to contact the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid at the address below to learn more about student loan and other financial aid options.

Warren Hall, Room 203
University of San Diego School of Law
5998 Alcalá Park
San Diego, CA 92110-2492

Telephone: (619) 260-4570
E-mail: lawaid@sandiego.edu

Location

The University of San Diego is located on a spectacular 182-acre campus that features magnificent Spanish Renaissance architecture and beautiful grounds. USD sits high on a hill overlooking Mission Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The university's central location offers easy access to the business, cultural and recreational centers of San Diego.

For a map of campus or to take a virtual tour, please visit http://www.sandiego.edu/about/virtualcampustour/

We also invite you to visit our Building Gallery page at
http://www.sandiego.edu/administration/financeadmin/facilities/gallery.php

School of Law

The School of Law includes three buildings on the main campus –Warren Hall, the Pardee Legal Research Center and Guadalupe Hall – as well as the legal clinics facility, which is located right next to campus.

San Diego

Known for many reasons as "America's Finest City," San Diego has an almost perfect climate with warm, sunny days and cool evenings. Throughout the year, students can take advantage of San Diego's many outdoor recreational and cultural opportunities. The museums of Balboa Park, the Old Globe Theatre, the zoo, Sea World, the beaches, the opera, and downtown San Diego and La Jolla are only minutes away. The rapidly developing economy of Greater San Diego provides varied employment opportunities for the USD graduate.