LLM in Animal Law Degree Requirements

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​​​​Required courses are subject to change. For more​ information, please view the latest amendments to the Student Handbook or contact the Office of the Registrar​: registrar@vermontlaw.edu. An overview of this degree, including other details, can be found here ».

​​​Requirements of the LLM in Animal Law Degree​​​​

  • A minimum of 30 credits, including all required courses
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.3 for successful completion of the degree
  • Students have up to 5 years from the date of matriculation to complete the LLM
  • Students may start the LLM residentially in the fall or summer semesters, or online in any one of our six term start dates

 

Required Courses

All of the following courses:
Course Code Course Title Credits
LLM9606 LLM Graduate Seminar 3
ENV5105 Administrative Law 3
ENV5307 Animals and the Law 3
The Director of the Animal Law and Policy Institute (ALPI) may waive Administrative Law and/or Animals and the Law upon showing that the candidate has completed an equivalent course of study.

Animal Law and Policy Electives

You must take a minimum of six (6) credits from the following list:
Course Code Course Title Credits
ANM5437 Animal Ethics 3
JUR7333 Animal Law and Ethics 3
ANM5425 Animal Law in Practice 2
ANM5431 Animal Protection Policy 3
ENV5406 Animal Rights Jurisprudence 2
ENV5422 Animal Welfare Law 2
ENV5412 Biodiversity Protection 2
ENV5336 Climate Change, Extinction & Adaptation 3
ENV5480 Environmental Crimes 2
CLI9321 Farmed Animal Advocacy Clinic 4-12
ENV5411 Federal Regulation of Food and Agriculture 3
ANM5435 International Animal Law 3
ENV5108 Introduction to Food and Agriculture Law and Policy 3
ENV5235 Natural Resources Law 2
ENV5423 Ocean and Coastal Law 3
ANM5433 Science of Animal Law and Policy 3
ENV5410 The Farm Bill 2
ENV5408 The Law of Animals in Agriculture 3
ENV5901 Undercover Investigations of Animal Operations 3

Project/Writing

You must take a minimum of two (2) credits from the following list:
Description Credits
LLM Thesis or Research Project on an animal law topic 2-6
LLM Externship 4-10
Teaching Practicum 4-6
Farmed Animal Advocacy Clinic 4-12
Another VLGS clinic working on an animal law matter 4-12

Thesis, Teaching Project, or Research Project
You have the option of writing a thesis, which must be a substantial piece of written work of publishable quality. To write a thesis, you must submit a 10-15–page thesis proposal to be approved by your faculty supervisor and the Director of the Environmental Law Center or the Director's designee.
You also have the option of completing a teaching practicum or a research project. A 5-page project proposal must be approved by your faculty supervisor and the Director of the Environmental Law Center or the Director's designee.

Electives
Your remaining LLM credits may be additional credits from the above lists, or other environmental electives from an approved list of courses in the Academic Regulations.