Many LLM programmes are to be completed by coursework only; others by a combination of coursework and thesis. A minority of programmes offer the opportunity to skip the coursework entirely and complete the degree via a thesis.
Almost all of the law schools offering LLMs by research can be found in current or former British Commonwealth countries: Australia, Britain, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa. In the US, although a handful of schools offer so-called ‘LLMs by research’, the typical programme, such as that at the University of Michigan, requires one semester of coursework and one of research and writing. The University of Wisconsin is nearly unique in offering a degree that does not require coursework.
Unlike most other types of LLM programmes, LLMs by research often allow students to start at different times of year. The University of Bristol, for example, is not unusual in allowing students to start in January, April or October.
Another advantage of a research-only programme is that you may be able to do most of your work elsewhere – wherever you have a suitable library or internet connection, for instance. Although many programmes have formal residency requirements, they are often not enforced.
Richard Montauk
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