LL.M. in Air and Space Law

The University of Mississippi School of Law is a world leader in air and space law education, research, and public service.

The LL.M. in Air and Space Law is a graduate degree designed for both U.S. and foreign-trained law school graduates interested in a rigorous legal curriculum in the U.S., international and comparative air and space law.  It is the first and only LL.M. program in the U.S. offering a combined air and space law postgraduate law degree at an ABA-accredited law school. It is intended for students and practitioners who seek substantive expertise in the field and who seek to draft a publishable work of scholarly literature on air and/or space law.

Program Advantages

• A unique emphasis on U.S. air and space law.
• Extensive air law expertise and over 45 years in space law.
• On-campus or online, full-time or part-time.
• Participate, if qualified, in the Journal of Space Law.
• Comprehensive air and space law collection.
• American Bar Association accredited law school.

Curriculum

A student may be awarded an LL.M. by earning 26 credits and satisfying the following requirements:

• Successful completion of 4 core courses (12 credit hours) and 2 elective courses (6 credit hours);
• Successful completion of 8 Master’s thesis credits supporting a Master’s thesis; and
• Successful completion of a Master’s thesis constituting a publishable work of 30,000 words in length.

Master’s Thesis Credits

In addition to course credits, students will earn 8 Master’s thesis credits for independent research conducted on their thesis topics. Topics will be approved in advance by a supervisor, who will guide students in the development and research of thesis topics and provide support and critical assessments of the thesis project.

Master’s Thesis

A Master's thesis is a 30,000-word project, including abstract, footnotes, and bibliography, that provides a substantial analytical contribution to the current academic discourse on a topic or to novel concepts or practices. The thesis must demonstrate substantial knowledge, intellectual curiosity, critical argument, and scholarly ambition and it must clearly articulate theoretical and methodological approaches to the research and writing.

Applications

Please note that online courses are available to students inside the United States. Such availability must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. If you are located outside of the United States, please contact the Directors of the Air and Space Law Program prior to applying for online courses.

Eligibility Requirements and Admission Requirements

To be considered for the LL.M. program in Air and Space Law, an applicant must have a J.D. degree (Juris Doctor) from an ABA-accredited U.S. law school or a first law degree (J.D., LL.B., and Bachelor of Laws) from a foreign law school.

In evaluating applications, the Admissions Committee takes into consideration the applicant’s grades and rank in his or her law school and other university studies, letters of recommendation, areas of interest, proposed thesis topic, and professional and personal accomplishments.

English Language Requirement

The University of Mississippi School of Law requires official score reports for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) before admitting an applicant whose primary language is not English. The minimum score required is 100 on the TOEFL Internet-based test, 600 on the TOEFL paper-based test, or 7.0 on the IELTS.

Application Process

• Step 1 – Register with LSAC’s LL.M. Credential Assembly Service.
• Step 2 – Submit an application through the LSAC website.
• Step 3 – Submit a personal statement.
• Step 4 – Submit Letters of Recommendation.
• Step 5 – Submit your Curriculum Vitae.
• Step 6 – Submit a thesis proposal.
• Step 7 – Submit your English Proficiency scores (foreign applicants only).
• Step 8 – Submit Transcripts.
• Step 9 – Submit application fee.

Center for Air and Space Law

The Center for Air and Space Law is dedicated to providing the premier platform for excellence in global legal scholarship and practice in the fields of air and space law while nurturing the development and implementation of pioneering and practical legal solutions to present and future issues facing humanity.

The Center serves the public good and the aerospace industry by addressing and conducting research, education, and outreach activities related to the legal aspects of applying air, space, and cyber technologies to human activities.

The Center regularly engages in and sponsors a variety of activities related to domestic and international space and aviation law.