Program Information for USC J.D. Students
USC Law School has established a dual degree program with the London School of Economics (LSE). This program consists of two years of law study at USC Law School followed by one year of study at the London School of Economics. Upon the successful completion of the three years of study, dual degree program participants will receive the J.D. degree from USC and the LL.M. degree from the University of London.
LSE is one of the largest schools of the University of London, and certainly one of the best known. It has an outstanding international reputation, not only in economics but in all of the social sciences. LSE has a very cosmopolitan character: over half of its 6000 students and many of the faculty come from outside the United Kingdom. Visit their web site at:http://www.lse.ac.uk/.
ELIGIBILITY
USC Law School’s Graduate & International Programs (G&IP) office administers this dual degree program. This program allows for up to four students from USC Law School to attend LSE each academic year. Transfer students, LL.M. students and visiting students are ineligible to participate in USC Law School’s dual degree program.
USC students interested in the program should actively consider and review the requirements of the dual degree program in their 1L year. Prospective candidates will submit an application form near the end of their 1L year and will be required to complete a guided registration process for their 2L registration. Candidates are expected to take all their required courses prescribed and must have successfully completed 33 numerically graded units in their 1L year. They must also complete at least 64* numerically graded units in total by the end of their 2L year to qualify for this dual degree program. Under this program, courses offered outside the Law School are not counted towards the J.D. degree.
Candidates will be selected after their 1L year by the USC Law School’s Study Abroad Programs Committee, in consultation with LSE. Selection will be based upon academic performance, interest in studying abroad, and potential benefits from overseas study. In-person interviews will be conducted at USC Law School. Students must have excellent law school records, must have at least a 3.0 GPA, must be in good academic standing, and must not be on 'restricted enrollment', in order to be considered for admission to the program.
ACADEMIC CALENDAR
The LSE academic year is run on a term system, with two ten-week teaching terms followed by a third ten-week term (in which the first 2-4 weeks are dedicated to teaching and is followed by a period of 4-6 weeks in which exams are taken). For the 2008-2009 academic year, the first term begins in early October and ends in mid December; the second term is from mid January through the middle of March; and the third term is from late April through early July. The academic calendar may be viewed at: http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/termDates/.
APPLICATION
Dual degree program applications must be submitted by May 2, 2008 for the 2008-2009 academic year. Applications are available at http://lawgip.usc.edu/studyabroad.cfm
CURRICULUM
The list of LL.M. courses is available for review on the LSE web site at: http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/law/programmes/llm/llm-current.htm
The curricula at the LSE provide USC students an opportunity to select from their LL.M. designated graduate law courses. These classes must be submitted to the G&IP office in order for approval to be granted.
Students must consult with USC Law School Study Abroad Programs Academic Director, Professor Edwin M. Smith, before choosing classes at the LSE. Choices and any subsequent changes must be submitted to USC Law School's G&IP office.
Each LL.M. course at the LSE is offered on a “full-unit” and “half-unit” basis. USC students must satisfactorily complete a prescribed number of subjects during the academic year at the LSE. Two half-unit subjects are the equivalent of one full-unit subject. Each full-unit subject is usually taught for 2 hours per week for the whole of the teaching year. Some subjects may also have extra tutorials.
Sample Student Programs:
LL.M. in International Business Law
Fall & Spring terms (Michelmas & Lent Terms)
- Int’l Business Transactions I: Litigation (1/2 LSE unit = 3 USC units)
- Int’l Business Transactions II: Substantive Law (1/2 LSE unit = 3 USC units)
- The Law & Practice of International Finance (1 LSE unit = 6 USC units)
- European Monetary & Financial Services Law (1 LSE unit = 6 USC units)
- European Union Competition Law (1 LSE unit = 6 USC units)
Total USC Law units = 24 units.
LL.M. in Public International Law
Fall & Spring terms (Michelmas & Lent Terms)
- Int’l Law: Theory & Practice (1 LSE unit = 6 USC units)
- Human Rights of Women (1 LSE unit = 6 USC units)
- Terrorism & the Rule of Law (1 LSE unit = 6 USC units)
- Constitutional & Institutional Law of the European Union (1 LSE unit = 6 USC units)
Total USC Law units = 24 units.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
When candidates complete the LL.M. program successfully, they may elect to be awarded either a general LL.M. or a specialty LL.M. (e.g. LL.M. in Public International Law, or LL.M. in Corporate Law). To obtain a specialist LL.M., they must take at least three subjects from the relevant subject grouping. The acknowledged LL.M. specialties and their relevant subject groupings are listed on the LSE Law Department’s website.
At least one of the courses taken at LSE must be a full-unit subject assessed by means of a 15,000 word dissertation. Students may meet this requirement by selecting a full-unit subject for which the normal mode of assessment is a full-unit dissertation. Alternatively, and with the permission of the LSE LL.M. Program Director, students may elect to substitute a dissertation for the nominated formal assessment for one of their courses. Students may not make this election in more than one subject. This dissertation does not fulfill USC Law School’s upper division writing requirement.
Participating USC students (1) may participate in graduation ceremonies in May with their J.D. class (provided that they can make the necessary travel arrangements without compromising the end of their LSE studies) but will not be awarded their J.D. degree until December or whenever they have met the dual degree program requirements; (2) are not eligible to take the first Bar exam following their completion of the dual degree program; (3) will not be allowed to reschedule 7th semester fall exams at USC, which will conflict with LSE's December LL.M. graudation ceremony.
Dual degree participants will have the option to complete all of their required coursework for both USC and the LSE within six semesters or they may return to USC for a seventh semester to complete their J.D. degree requirements. Students are not eligible for either portion of their dual degrees until they complete the requirements for both degrees.
CONSIDERATIONS
Students should note the following when considering the dual degree program:
(a) Writing projects taken at LSE do not fulfill USC Law School’s upper division writing requirement. Students will have to complete their upper division writing and skills requirements at USC Law School.
(b) By participating in the dual degree program, students will be required to complete a guided registration process for their 2L fall and spring registrations.
(c) Participation in the semester abroad program may impact students' eligibility to participate or enroll in Honors Program Boards, student organization leadership rolls, Moot Court, the OCI program, and Order of the Coif during their semester abroad.
(f) Students who choose to study abroad are not eligible to sit for the first bar exam following their completion of the program.
(g) Students who choose to participate in this J.D./LL.M. program cannot participate in another USC dual degree program, such as the J.D./M.B.A.
(h) It is our understanding that students who have J.D. and/or LL.M. degrees are not eligible to take the England and Wales Bar Exam. It is the student's responsibility, however, to review their eligibility requirements in this regard.
(i) If students choose to return to USC for a seventh semester, their final exams may conflict with the LSE's commencement ceremonies. USC exams and final assignments cannot be rescheduled for this purpose.
GRADING
Classes at LSE are conducted as seminars or lectures meeting on a weekly basis for 1 to 2 hours. Students are generally evaluated through written assignments, research papers and tests, with primary emphasis on a major examination for each subject at the end of the year. Attendance is crucial for successful completion of the program. Students are graded on a numeric basis:
| Mark | Grade |
| 0 - 49% | Fail |
| 50 - 59% | Pass |
| 60 - 69% | Merit |
| 70 - 100% | Distinction |
However, in accordance with USC’s grading policy for courses taken at foreign institutions, courses taken at LSE by USC J.D. students will be converted to Credit/No Credit by USC and will appear on the student’s USC Law School transcript as CR/D/F units (consistent with the Law School’s grading system). Thus, by enrolling in the study abroad program, USC J.D. students will earn Credit (CR) units for all LSE courses that they complete satisfactorily.
TRANSCRIPT
At the conclusion of the study abroad program, students must ensure that LSE supplies an official transcript of results to them. An official transcript from LSE must be sent directly to the USC Law School’s G&IP Office in order to apply credits toward the USC degree.
The student will also be required to write an evaluation of the dual degree program. The evaluation should be filed with the G&IP office within one month of the student’s return from the overseas institution.
TUITION & FEES
Students participating in USC Law School study abroad programs will pay tuition to their home institution. Thus our students will continue to pay tuition to the USC LAW SCHOOL even if they are enrolled in 12 units / semester (i.e. 24 units / year) or fewer at LSE.
Students also will be responsible for all other expenses, including travel, housing, meals, special fees, health insurance, medical/dental or other expenses not covered by health insurance, textbooks, clothing, passport and visa costs and all other costs incurred in connection with their year abroad. It is estimated that these expenses will amount to roughly $25,000 and in addition, USC students also should expect to spend an extra $1,500 to cover expenditures associated with relocation. Proof of medical insurance coverage by USC students (either USC’s health insurance plan or an equivalent insurance policy) is mandatory.
USC students may also be expected to pay some student fees while studying in London. USC students' financial aid may be affected by participation in this program; the amount of financial aid awarded may increase or decrease as a result of participating in this program. It is expected that the cost of living in London will be somewhat more expensive than the cost of living in Los Angeles. This may vary considerably year to year dependent upon the exchange rate and other factors.
VISA
Students must have a valid passport. USC Law School’s G&IP Office and LSE will assist with the provision of documents necessary for the student to obtain the appropriate visa. For visa processing purposes, study abroad students will need to provide evidence of sufficient funds for accommodation and other personal expenses during their study abroad.
HOUSING
LSE housing will be available to USC students and approximately 40 per cent of new graduate students who apply for LSE accommodation are offered a room. We anticipate that most USC dual degree students will opt to rent an apartment in London in lieu of utilizing LSE housing. The University of London also provides accommodation for LSE students in intercollegiate halls. Living expenses at the LSE are approximately $18,000 per academic year. The LSE Accommodation Office offers advice on apartment rentals in the private sector. For more information on housing, please visit: http://www.lse.ac.uk/accommodation/.
CANCELLATION
LSE reserves the right to cancel any course for reasons of insufficient student registration. Students should receive due notice to that effect. If changes are announced prior to a student’s departure from the U.S., and the student is unable to identify satisfactory substitute courses, he or she may choose to withdraw from the program. If cancellation occurs after the student has arrived in London, substitute courses must be selected and submitted for approval to the USC Law School Study Abroad Academic Advisor, Professor Edwin M. Smith.
POLICIES
USC J.D. students in attendance at LSE must abide by all the rules and regulations of the London School of Economics.
* This requirement is effective for students entering in the fall of 2008 for the LL.M. program at LSE.
**Please note that all the information on this website is subject to changes.
For more information, please contact:
USC LAW SCHOOLGraduate & International Programs Office
699 Exposition Blvd. Room 105
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0071
Tel: (213) 821-5916
Email: studyabroad@law.usc.edu
