LLM in Global Antitrust Law & Economics

Antonin Scalia Law School is one of the nation’s leading centers for the study of antitrust law and economics. Located at the global epicenter of antitrust, the school has a long tradition and strong commitment to antitrust law and economics. The Scalia Law faculty is the only law faculty to have heads of the two federal antitrust enforcement agencies.

Degree Requirements

To earn an LLM in Antitrust Law & Economics, students must complete 24-26 credit hours of coursework. These hours will be made up of required courses and restricted electives to fulfill the LLM requirements.

Students who have completed the JD degree at a United States Law school will receive a waiver of the required Introduction to United States Law 2 credit course. Therefore, students who have received a JD from a United States Law school must complete 24 credit hours to receive the LLM degree. Students who have not completed a JD at a United States Law school must complete the 2 credit required Introduction to United States Law course, and therefore must complete 26 credit hours to receive the LLM degree.

Students may attend the LLM program full-time or part-time. Courses are offered in the day and evening to accommodate working professionals.

Students may be able to complete the program in one academic year, though most will take a year and a half to two years to do so. Full time students typically take 12-15 credit hours per semester; part time students typically take 8-12 credit hours. For the purposes of the F-1 and J-1 visas, 10 or more credit hours are required to meet the full time requirement of the visa.

All students must finish the degree requirements within five years of matriculation and be enrolled in at least two courses each semester, unless granted a waiver or leave of absence. In order to remain in the LLM program, students must present a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.33 on a 4.33 scale at the end of each spring semester.

The course requirements and electives are below. The required and elective LLM courses are not offered every semester and new offerings for approved LLM electives may become available. Students should check with the Records Office for a current schedule of courses. A limited number of courses also will be available in the summer.

The 24 - 26 credits making up the LLM in Antitrust Law & Economics are not designed to prepare or qualify students who are not graduates of a United States law school to engage in the practice of law in the United States or to qualify them to take a bar examination in the United States. Additional coursework is possible for those trying to qualify to sit for a bar examination. For more details, see Bar Examination for Foreign-Trained Attorneys.

To develop a personalized plan of courses based on your time-frame for finishing the LLM Degree, please contact Charles Lemley, Director, Graduate Student Academic Affairs at clemley@gmu.edu.

For more information about any of the courses listed below, view Course Descriptions.

Standard LLM in Global Antitrust Law & Economics

Students must complete all required courses. Students must complete 10 credit hours comprised of restricted elective courses. Students who have completed the JD degree at a United States Law school will receive a waiver of the Introduction to United States Law 2 credit course requirement. All LLM students must complete a writing requirement. The writing requirement can be satisfied through the completion of a thesis or through completion of the restricted elective seminar/writing courses.

Required Courses (16 – 18 credit hours)

  • Introduction to United States Law (2 credits)*
  • Economics for Lawyers (3 credits)
  • Antitrust I: Principles (3 credits)
  • Antitrust II: Applications (3 credits)
  • Antitrust Economics (2 credits)
  • Statistics for Lawyers (3 credits)
  • European Union Competition Law (2 credits)
    • OR Global Antitrust Law Seminar

*Waived for students who have completed the JD degree at a United States law school.

Opportunity to specialize in Law & Economics as a concentration

In order to graduate with a concentration in Law and Economics, students must complete the following courses in place of Antitrust II, Antitrust Economics, and Statistics for Lawyers:

  • Law & Economics (2 credits)
  • Litigation and Dispute Resolution Theory (3 credits)
  • Public Choice and Public Law Seminar(3 credits) OR Perspectives on Regulation (2 credits)

Law & Economics track (15 - 16 Required Credits)

  • Intro to US Law (2 credits)
  • Economics for Lawyers (3 credits)
  • Antitrust I (3 credits)
  • Law & Economics (2 credits)
  • Litigation and Dispute Resolution Theory (3 credits)
  • Public Choice and Public Law Seminar(3 credits)
    • OR Perspectives on Regulation (2 credits)
    • Or European Union Competition Law (2 credits)
    • OR Global Antitrust Law Seminar

Electives (8 credit hours)

  • Advanced Antitrust Seminar (2 credits)
  • Consumer Protection Law (3 credits)
  • European Union Competition Law (2 credits)
  • Federal Trade Commission Seminar (2 credits)
  • Global Antitrust & IP Law Seminar (2 credits)
  • Global Antitrust Law Seminar (2 credits)
  • Independent Study / Thesis (1-3 credits)
  • IP and Antitrust Seminar (2 credits)
  • Legal Practicum: Global Antitrust Regulatory Comments (3 credits)
  • Law & Economics (2 credits)
  • Litigation and Dispute Resolution Theory (3 credits)
  • Public Choice and Public Law Seminar (3 credits)
  • Perspectives on Regulation (2 credits)
  • Contracts I (2 credits)
  • Business Associations (4 credits)
  • Comparative Law Seminar (3 credits)
  • Financial Theory (3 credits)

Introduction to United States Law (2 credits) (waived for students who have completed the JD degree at a United States Law School)

For more information and instructions on how to apply, please visit the LLM Admissions page or contact Brian Benison, Director of Graduate Admissions and International Initiatives at bbenison@gmu.edu.  Many applicants’ questions can be answered by visiting our Frequently Asked Questions.