Penn State Dickinson Law

Introduction

One of the world’s preeminent research universities, The Pennsylvania State University combines strength in traditional academics with a forward-thinking, future-focused approach to interdisciplinary studies and internationalization. Consistently ranked in the top 1 percent of universities worldwide, Penn State is one of the largest and most respected universities in the United States.

Considered among the nation’s best law schools, Penn State Dickinson Law is the oldest ABA-accredited law school in Pennsylvania and one of the oldest in the United States. For over 190 years, Penn State Dickinson Law has produced some of the world’s finest attorneys, judges, government and corporate leaders, and legal scholars.

Why Penn State Dickinson Law?

Selecting the right institution is an important decision. Here are some of the many reasons why previous students have selected Penn State Dickinson Law:

• Our Reach. Penn State University boasts a vibrant university community with 24 campuses located throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a global alumni network of over 700,000 alumni that both prepares students to work in the global economy and ensures a Penn State connection almost anywhere in the world.
• Our Faculty. Students learn from a distinctive and dedicated full-time faculty complemented by an adjunct faculty of practicing attorneys and judges. Our professors have spent years practicing law and engage nationally and internationally through practice, research and scholarship.

• Our Locations. Penn State Dickinson Law offers two distinct locations in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The primary location of the law school is located in Carlisle, PA, recognized as one of the most livable small towns in the U.S. This is due in part to its diverse community, institutions, amenities, and array of community activities. Carlisle boasts a variety of restaurants, shops, galleries, an independent movie theater, a downtown farmers market, and more. Nearly everything one needs is within easy walking or biking distance, and most LL.M. students select reasonably priced housing close to campus.

  The University Park location is in State College, PA, a vibrant and picturesque town known for its energetic “college town” atmosphere and natural beauty. State College offers a lively downtown area with an abundance of restaurants, cafes, and shops catering to diverse tastes. Nestled near the base of Mount Nittany, the surrounding area of central Pennsylvania is known as “Happy Valley”

  Prospective students are invited to visit our Carlisle and University Park campus locations in person or take a virtual tour online to explore our exceptional facilities and vibrant academic community firsthand.

  Tour the Carlisle campus
  Tour the University Park campus

Master of Laws (LL.M.)

The Master of Laws (LL.M.) program at Penn State Dickinson Law is designed for both domestic and internationally trained legal professionals seeking specialized knowledge and advanced study in a particular area of law. During this flexible one-year program, students may enroll in a wide variety of courses that allow concentration in certain aspects of law or law-related topics. The curriculum provides all coursework necessary to sit for the New York bar examination.

As a generalized LL.M. degree program, students may enroll in a wide variety of courses that allow concentration in certain areas of law. Concentrations require a combination of required and elective courses. Concentrations include:

• Administrative Law and the Regulatory State
• Advocacy and Litigation
• Antitrust and Competition Law
• Arbitration, Mediation, and Negotiation
• Arts, Sports, and Entertainment Law
• Banking and Financial Regulation
• Business Law 
• Civil Rights, Equal Protection and Social Justice
• Commercial Law
• Constitutional Law and Civil Rights
• Corporate Law and Practice
• Criminal Law
• Energy and Environmental Law
• Families, Children, and the Law
• Health Law
• Immigration and Migration
• Intellectual Property, Technology and Privacy Law
• International, Foreign, and Comparative Law
• Labor and Employment Law
• Law, Science, and Technology
• Litigation and Dispute Resolution
• National Security, Military, and Veterans
• Public Interest Law
• Taxation

Eligibility

To be considered for admission, applicants must have completed, or be in the process of completing, a first professional degree in law. This is generally a J.D. from a U.S. law school or the equivalent to the J.D. from a law school outside of the United States. Successful applicants are often licensed to practice law and have professional experience in legal practice.

Applicants must demonstrate a minimum level of English-language proficiency by providing evidence of either a TOEFL score of 88 or higher, an IELTS score of 6.5 or higher, or an equivalent score from another approved assessment.

Application

Prospective students have the option of applying directly to Penn State Dickinson Law or via LSAC. Penn State Dickinson Law does not assess application fees. However, LSAC does require certain fees. Students requiring an LSAC application fee waiver are requested to contact DickinsonGradEd@psu.edu for more information.  Fee waivers requests are limited.  Penn State Dickinson Law does not require LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS) for LL.M. applicants.

Penn State Dickinson Law admits students exclusively for the fall semester (August). International students who require a visa for study in the U.S. should apply no later than six months ahead of the anticipated semester start date. Applications are reviewed and admission decisions made on a rolling basis, so early submission is highly recommended.

Visit the Dickinson Law website for important dates, opportunities to connect and application instructions.

Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.)

The Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) degree is Penn State Dickinson Law’s most advanced legal degree. The doctoral program is designed for both domestic and internationally trained legal scholars seeking specialized knowledge and advanced study in a particular area of legal scholarship.  It is ideally suited for those who already have an advanced graduate degree in law and want to pursue a career focused on legal research and scholarship.  

Penn State Dickinson Law offers a flexible course of study that allows students to pursue supervised research leading to the production of a dissertation that should serve as an original and valuable contribution to legal scholarship. While the structure of the S.J.D. program can vary, the degree generally requires three years, one of which is spent in residence. The S.J.D. program at Penn State Dickinson Law is highly selective with limited admission each year.

Eligibility

The S.J.D. program at Penn State Dickinson Law is highly selective with limited admission each year.  In order to be accepted into the S.J.D. degree, applicants must have already earned an LL.B., B.A., or J.D. degree in law, or its equivalent, from a duly accredited or recognized national or international institution of higher education, as well as either an LL.M. degree from Penn State Dickinson Law or another American Bar Association-accredited law school in the U.S. or a duly accredited or recognized foreign law faculty, or another degree equivalent to at least a master’s degree in law.  

Each admitted S.J.D. student will be assigned a primary faculty supervisor at the time of admission. As such, each applicant must submit a dissertation proposal that aligns with the expertise of a Penn State Dickinson Law faculty member who is willing and eligible to serve as an S.J.D. faculty supervisor. Applicants are encouraged to contact a potential faculty supervisor prior to official applying for admission.  See S.J.D. Core Faculty for more information. 

Application

Applications are accepted via the Law School Admission Council beginning in the fall semester (August) only. International students who require a visa for study in the U.S. should apply no later than six months ahead of the anticipated semester start date. Applications are reviewed and admission decisions made on a rolling basis, so early submission is highly recommended. All applicants must register for the Credential Assembly Service (CAS). 

Visit the Dickinson Law website for important dates, opportunities to connect and application instructions.

Tuition & Scholarships

Penn State Dickinson Law is committed to providing every student access to a world-class education. All LL.M. & SJD applicants are automatically considered for generous merit-based scholarships. No additional application materials are required for scholarship consideration. For the most current information on tuition and fees, please see Cost of Attendance.

Learn More

Please Contact Us with any questions. For location-specific inquiries, please use dickinsongraded@psu.edu for Carlise or llmadmit@pennstatelaw.psu.edu for University Park. Students may also use the WhatsApp widget in the lower righthand corner of the website to schedule meetings, connect with students, and chat with AI generated advisor.