Global Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law LLM
Global Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law have never been more critical, bringing together complex legal, business, and policy-making decisions.
Valuable to both U.S.- and foreign-educated graduate students, the LLM in Global Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law provides a world-leading course of graduate study and experience for students seeking greater understanding of these issues, and their associated challenges and opportunities. Students can immerse themselves in classes on mining, natural resources, and energy law, as well as skills-based classes to enhance their transactional skills for practice.
- Courses in mining law, natural resources law, energy law, water law, and sustainability.
- Experiential education with opportunities for learning critical skills for practice and externships.
- Foreign-educated graduate students will also have access to ESL support alongside introductory classes on the American legal system designed to build on their prior legal experience.
- Access to classes at the Daniels College of Business and the Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs.
Beginning Fall 2024, students enrolled in the LLM in Global Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law who are eligible for and seeking to sit for a bar exam in the United States after graduation — and who have not previously been licensed to practice law in any U.S. jurisdiction — will be provided with Themis Bar Review’s complete post-graduation bar review course designed specifically for foreign-trained LLM students at no cost, completely funded by the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Please see additional notes below concerning eligibility.
Global Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law LLM Requirements
Global Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law LLM candidates are required to complete 24 semester credit hours.
Full-time students may earn the degree in one academic year (over two consecutive semesters). Part-time students (below 12 semester credit hours a semester) may earn the degree within 36 months of matriculation. Please refer to specific F-1/J-1 status requirements that may place additional limits. Students must maintain an overall GPA of 2.7 to remain in good standing.
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Required Courses
All students entering the program are required to complete either:
US Law Practice and Research:
- Enter the LLM having obtained a Juris Doctorate degree from an ABA-accredited institution in the United States; or
- Students who received their first law degree outside of the United States must pursue one of the following options during the first year of study: 1) a minimum of 50 hours of experiential training through an internship (LAWS 4589); or 2) completion of LAWS 4287 Legal Research Skills; or 3) completion of a 10-15 page paper with the Associate Dean of Graduate and International Legal Programs or their designee as part of a non-credit directed research study (LAWS 4999).
All students who received their first law degree outside of the United States must also take:
- Introduction to the American Legal System (L4064) (2 credits)
- Legal Research and Writing for Graduate Students (L4034) (2 credits)
The remaining electives credits (17-21 credits) can be completed by choosing courses from the over forty courses in advanced degree programs in both international and domestic issues. For the remaining elective course requirement, students will customize their course of study to meet their individual professional goals.
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Bar Licensure
Students seeking to pursue licensure in a U.S. jurisdiction, including Colorado, must complete any courses required by the Colorado Supreme Court or the relevant bar authority as part of their 24 required credit hours in addition to the required courses above. Information on the requirements for Colorado are here. Please note that eligibility to sit for any state’s bar exam is determined by that state and not by the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and students should review the relevant rules for the jurisdiction they are interested in. Students interested in Colorado are advised to review Colorado Supreme Court’s Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel’s “Eligibility for Foreign-Educated Individuals to Sit for the UBE in Colorado or Transfer an Eligible UBE Score”, which can be found on the Colorado Supreme Court website. Among other things, graduates of the degree seeking Admission to the Practice of Law in Colorado with a law degree from a civil law jurisdiction have different requirements from students with a law degree from a common law jurisdiction.
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External Courses
While working in the advanced degree program, you may extend your academic credentials by taking additional credited courses offered outside the College of Law. Global Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Program students may take up to six credit hours at the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs and Daniels College of Business.
Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs (Korbel)
The Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs has an internationally renowned curriculum of graduate studies programs that attract students from many countries. Korbel prepares students for positions in government service, international organizations, and international business. Students gain expertise in a general area of international relations, such as international politics, comparative politics, political theory, and international economics.
The Daniels College of Business
The Daniels College of Business Administration provides programs in business and commercial law. Many Korbel and Daniels faculty members and associates have experience within the field of international natural resources studies.
#21 ranked program U.S. News & World Report
#6 greenest law school in the nation The National Jurist
A+ practical training preLaw Magazine
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