LL.M. in Chinese Law

LL.M. in Chinese Law

The LL.M. (Master of Laws) program in Chinese Law is a graduate law program offered by the KoGuan School of Law Shanghai Jiao Tong University, one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in China. The program has a focus on Chinese civil and commercial law and offers foreign law students and legal professionals an excellent opportunity to study Chinese law and legal processes and engage in Chinese and comparative law research.

The two-year program contains one year of the school curriculum and one year of independent research and thesis writing. All of the LL.M. courses (see the Curriculum) are taught in English and specifically tailored for international students. The courses will be taught not only by our regular faculty but also by experts from public and private practice. An academic advisor will be assigned to each student to supervise his/her research and LL.M. thesis writing. We encourage students to write a publishable thesis.

Our Faculty

KoGuan School of Law has been ranked among the top 10 law schools in the nation. Our faculty are known for their academic excellence as well as the commitment to students. Our distinguished faculty and administrative staff have also established strong ties to various governmental departments and agencies, courts, law firms, multinational corporations, and other important institutions in the Shanghai metropolitan area and beyond. This secures our students a variety of extracurricular offerings on a not-for-credit basis, such as study visits and internship opportunities. The Program will offer you both unique insights into the Chinese legal system and exciting practical experience in Shanghai and China.

Our Students

The LL.M. Program is interested in attracting intellectually curious and thoughtful students from a variety of legal systems and with various career plans. As an intellectually and culturally diverse program, we welcome students from around the world. The diversity of the participants in the LL.M. program will contribute significantly to the educational experience of all our students at KoGuan School of Law. International students can forge lifelong friendships with KoGuan law students, faculty and alumni, and establish a part of a global network of KoGuan Law graduates.

Degree Requirements

Students are required to complete a minimum of 30 coursework credits (16 compulsory coursework credits) and write a degree thesis under the supervision of a faculty member.

To qualify for the LL.M. degree, students must:

1. Successfully complete 26 coursework credits (6 compulsory coursework credits)
2. Successfully complete independent research and write an LL.M. thesis under the supervision of a KoGuan Law faculty member within a year
3. Carry a total of no fewer than 14 coursework credits per semester
4. Spend at least two semesters in residence

For the year of independent research and LL.M. thesis writing, students are not required to stay in Shanghai.