LLM Program Concentrations

Two concentrations are available for international students enrolled in the general LLM Program: 

International Human Rights Law Concentration

International human rights law offers a way to turn global challenges into actionable legal work. Northwestern Pritzker Law's new International Human Rights (IHR) Law Concentration is designed for students who want to engage with issues of accountability, equality, and justice in a concrete, practice-oriented way. The concentration takes a flexible, self-directed approach, allowing students to tailor coursework as their interests evolve, with guidance from faculty advisors. Students who choose the International Human Rights concentration may take advantage of clinical and experiential courses that bring human rights principles into real-world legal settings.

Requirements

Students are required to complete a minimum of 10 credit hours of IHR coursework.

  • Students choose from a list of pre-approved classes, approved on an annual basis by the Faculty Concentration Director and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, jointly. 
  • Decisions about whether other courses can qualify for the concentration will be made by the Faculty Concentration Director and the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, jointly.
  • All the courses are electives. There are no specific courses that are required to complete the concentration. Students are strongly advised to take International Human Rights Law and/or International Law courses, provided they are offered during the candidate’s degree period.
  • Concentration candidates may declare their concentration at the start of their degree program, or later in their study, provided that they complete the required number of approved elective credits.
  • Candidates who declare their concentration at the start of their degree program will be eligible to bid for International Human Rights clinics.

Enrollment is not guaranteed in any courses that may qualify for the concentration or in any courses that may satisfy bar exam requirements.

Representative Courses

  • Business and Human Rights (2 credits)
  • Clinic: International Human Rights (4 credits)
  • Clinic: Women and Children's Human Rights (4 credits)
  • Human Trafficking (3 credits)
  • International Criminal Law (3 credits)
  • International Environmental Law (2 credits)
  • International Human Rights Law (2 credits)
  • International Law (3 credits)
  • International Legal Research (2 credits)
  • Introduction to Trial Advocacy (3 credits)
  • Professional Responsibility in Global Legal Practice (2 credits)
  • Reproductive Justice (2 credits)
  • Topics in Government Secrecy (3 credits) 

None of the above representative courses are guaranteed to be offered in a particular year.

Tax Law Concentration

Understanding tax law is a powerful lens for analyzing transactions, strategy, and long-term impact. Designed for those who want to focus deeply on tax law, Northwestern’s new Tax Law Concentration allows students to specialize their legal studies and take the required coursework to qualify for the New York Bar examination. The concentration pairs a strong foundation in US tax law with advanced electives that sharpen expertise over time. Early declarants gain access to bid on specialized courses alongside Tax LLM students, adding depth and perspective. Anchored in Chicago’s corporate and financial landscape, the program prepares students for sophisticated tax practice with national reach.

Requirements

Students are required to take a minimum of 10 credit hours of Tax coursework.

Required Courses

Students must take one of the following courses during the Fall semester:

Elective Courses
  • Students must take 3-4 additional LLM- or JD-level Tax courses totaling at least 7-8 credits.
  • Students may choose electives from among a list of pre-approved classes. Decisions about whether other courses qualify for the concentration will be made by the Faculty Concentration Director and the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.
  • Students may take both JD Federal Income Taxation and LLM Property Taxation, and both courses will count towards the 10 credit hours required to earn the concentration.
  • Early declarants gain access to bid on specialized courses alongside Tax LLM students, adding depth and perspective.
  • Below is a list of representative courses that will qualify for the Tax Concentration. Please note that not every course on the list is guaranteed to be offered every year.

Enrollment is not guaranteed in any courses that may qualify for the concentration or in any courses that may satisfy bar exam requirements.

Representative Courses

  • Advanced International Corporate Tax Transactions (2 credits)
  • Advanced Taxation of Property Transactions (2 credits)
  • Advanced Topics in Taxation Colloquium (2 credits)
  • Basic Federal Income Tax - JD (3 credits)
  • Corporate Reorganizations (2 credits)
  • Corporate Tax - JD (3 credits)
  • Corporate Taxation - LLM Tax (2 credits)
  • Estate Planning (2 credits)
  • International Estate Planning (2 credits)
  • International Taxation (2 credits)
  • Investigation, Prosecution, and Defense of Tax Crimes (2 credits)
  • Partnership Tax - JD (3 credits)
  • Partnership Tax - LLM Tax (2 credits)
  • Tax Aspects of Private Equity Transactions (2 credits)
  • Tax Treaties (2 credits)
  • Taxation of Property Transactions (2 credits)

Career Services

Students in the General LLM Program who choose the Tax Concentration will utliize the Career Services Office for the General LLM Program.  Participation in Interviews and networking events that are organized by the Tax LLM Career Services Office are only open to students who are enrolled in the Tax LLM Program.