LL.M. Course

Last Updated on July 29, 2023 by Vishnu Nambiar

Have you completed LL.B. or Integrated Law program? Are you all set to pursue a good PG course? If yes, this article will be of help to you. Here, we will have an in-depth analysis of LL.M. course.

This article has everything you need to know about LL.M. course. Course details, duration, eligibility criteria, colleges, syllabus, admission process, fees, specializations, career prospects and salary – you will find everything in this guide!   LL.M. stands for Master of Law. It is a Master’s level law education program. The academic program is 1 year long. It lays adequate importance on classroom lectures and practical training.   LL.B. graduates, who are looking to improve their qualification or specialize in a specific domain (within Law field) will find this program very useful! Here’s an overview of the course –

• Name of course: LL.M. (Master of Law)
• Type of course: Master’s Degree
• Duration: 1 year
• Eligibility: Completed LL.B. or Integrated Law program

What’s LL.M. all about? What’s the scope and potential associated with this program? Is it an ideal PG course for me? You will find answers to these questions in the next section. Here they are –

LL.M.: Introduction & Scope

LLM stands for Master of Legislative Law. It is also known simply as Master of Law. It is a Master’s Degree program.   In the past, LL.M. program used to be two years long. Since then, the program has been revised and restructured. Modern LL.M. programs are just 1 year long.   The main aim of this program is to provide advanced law knowledge and skills to Law graduates. Through this program, a law graduate can acquire advanced skills and knowledge. He/she may even specialize in domains within the field of law studies.   Here are some notable areas of specialization –

• Criminal Law
• Cyber Law
• Business Law
• Taxation Law
• Labor Law
• International Law
• Environment Law
• Intellectual Property Law
• Human Rights Law

LL.B. and Integrated law graduates have access to a handful of PG programs. LL.M. is the most popular choice among them!   An LL.M. Degree can help them land better jobs. Apart from that, the Degree also helps them develop advanced skills and knowledge. Also check – law courses in India.   Come, let us take a closer look at the course details. In the next section, you will find details such as – course duration, eligibility, colleges, admission process, syllabus, fees etc. Here they are –

Course Details

Type of course

It is a Master’s Degree course.

Duration

The academic program is 1 year long. It consists of two semesters.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates who have completed LL.B. or 5 years long Integrated Law course are eligible to pursue this course. Minimum aggregate marks required could be anywhere between 50-55% marks.

Colleges

In India, there exists two main types of Law colleges. They are –

• Government Law Colleges
• Self Financed Law Colleges

Government colleges can further be classified into State Government Colleges and Central Government Colleges.   Law Colleges are present across all major districts in each Indian State. Here are some of the popular Law Colleges in India –

• NLUs (National Law Universities)
• AMU (Aligarh Muslim University)
• DU (Delhi University)
• Gujarat University
• Saurashtra University
• VNSGU
• ILS (Indian Law Society Law College)
• State-wise Government Law Colleges

Admission Process

Reputed Colleges rely on merit based admission process. In order to secure admission, candidates are required to crack relevant law entrance tests!   Law entrance tests are usually held at National and State level. Some colleges are also known to conduct their own law entrance test!

Entrance Tests

Some popular LL.M. entrance tests are –

• CLAT
• All India Law Entrance Test
• DU Law Entrance Test
• BHU Law Entrance Test
• State-Level LAWCET (AP, Telangana etc)
• LAT Allahabad University
• MH CET Law

Syllabus

Here are some of the important subjects present in LL.M. curriculum –

• Criminal Law
• Labor Law
• Family Law
• Constitutional Law
• Company Law
• Business Laws
• Taxation Laws
• Law of Contract
• Jurisprudence
• Consumer Protection Laws
• Civil Procedure Code
• Legal Writing
• Administrative Laws
• Legal Aid

Fees

Fees charged for the academic program may vary from one institute to another. It depends upon factors such as –

• Type of college (Government or Private)
• Rating of college
• Scholarship status of student

On an average, the tuition fees could be anywhere between 100-200K INR. Government colleges are known to charge relatively lower fees than their Self Financed counterparts.

Career Prospects

Some of the popular recruiters are –

• Law Firms
• Consultancies
• MNCs (Legal Department)
• Business Firms (Legal Department)
• Government Departments
• NGOs

In the above mentioned firms, LL.M. graduates may don the following roles –

• Criminal Lawyer
• Corporate Lawyer
• Legal Consultant
• Labor and Employment Lawyer
• Lawyer working for the Government
• Judge
• NGO worker/Social Activist
• Family Case Lawyer
• Property Lawyer
• Legal Advisor

Salary

Starting salary of a LL.M. pass outs depend on a number of factors. Some of the prominent factors are –

• Institute from which the candidate completed the course
• His/her specialization
• The domain he/she has chosen
• Job location
• Profile of the employer

On an average, starting salary could be anywhere between 50-70K INR per month. In case of a Government job, the salary will be as per the pay scale and grade.