LLM Specializing in Environmental & Energy Law

Assistant Deans: R. Abate and D. Attanasio

Faculty Advisers: R. Glicksman, E. Hammond, R. Pierce

Programs of study are offered in Environmental Law and in three specialized fields—Energy and Environmental Law, Government Procurement and Environmental Law, and International Environmental Law. Course requirements for each field are provided below.

All candidates for the LLM degree must complete a total of 24 credit hours, including course work that satisfies the written work requirement. Those working towards a specialized degree must complete the minimum required number of hours in courses listed below for that program. Related courses are recommended for the remaining course work.

 

LLM Double-Degree Program in Energy & Climate Law and Energy & Environmental Law

The George Washington University Law School (GW Law), located in Washington DC, U.S., and the University of Groningen, located in the Netherlands, offer an exciting double-degree opportunity for LLM students interested in the study of energy, environmental, and climate law.

In this program, students will undertake a rigorous course of study over two to three semesters, with residency for at least one semester on each campus, covering the subjects of energy and climate law under both European Union and United States law.

Learn More About LLM Double-Degree Program

LLM in Environmental Law

A minimum of 16 credit hours from the following courses is required.* For U.S. law school graduates, this requirement must include completion of Air Pollution Control (6432), Water Pollution Control (6434), and Control of Solid and Hazardous Wastes (RCRA & CERCLA) (6442). U.S. law school graduates may not enroll in Environmental Law (6430). For U.S. law school graduates this requirement must include 4 credits graded on the basis of a research paper or research papers. This typically entails completion of Thesis (6690-91) or two research papers, each of which is written in connection with a 2-credit course.

For non-U.S. law school graduates, this curriculum requirement must include completion of one of the following courses: Law 6432, 6434, or 6442. Non-U.S. law school graduates may enroll in Environmental Law (6430) unless the student has previously completed a survey course in U.S. Environmental Law. Non-U.S. law school graduates also must complete one research paper, as part of a 2-credit course graded on the basis of a research paper, or complete Thesis (6690-91).

Any research paper used to satisfy the written work requirement must be at least 8,000 words in length, and U.S. law school graduates must achieve a minimum grade of B+. Graduates from non-U.S. law schools must achieve a passing grade for their research paper. For students who choose to write a thesis, Thesis (6690-91) and a minimum of 12 credits in the field of study are required. Students are encouraged to write a thesis.

Courses

• Land Use Law (6332)
• Regulated Industries (6406)
• Animal Law Seminar (6424)
• Environmental Law (6430)
• Wildlife and Ecosystems Law (6431)
• Air Pollution Control (6432)
• Water Pollution Control (6434)
• Trade and Sustainable Development (6435)
• Coastal, Navigation, and Wetlands Resource Law (6437)
• Energy Law and Regulation (6438)
• Natural Resources Law (6440)
• Energy Law Seminar (6441)**
• Control of Solid and Hazardous Wastes (RCRA & CERCLA) (6442)
• Oil and Gas Law (6443)
• Regulation of Toxic Substances Risk (6444)
• Environmental and Toxic Torts (6449)
• Federal Facilities Environmental Law Issues (6450)
• Selected Topics in Energy Law (6451)**
• Environmental Issues in Business Transactions (6452)
• International Environmental Law (6454)
• International Climate Change Law (6455)
• Sustainable Communities Law and Policy Seminar (6457)
• Environmental Negotiations (6458)
• Atomic Energy Law (6459)
• Selected Topics in Environmental Law (6461)**
• Environmental Crimes (6464)
• Environmental Law Seminar (6466)**
• Graduate Environmental Placement (6468)
• Environmental Lawyering (6469)
• International Trade Law (6526)
• Advanced International Trade Law (6527)
• International Project Finance Law (6545)
• Graduate Independent Legal Writing (6696) (Environmental Law topic)

*Torts (6206) and Property (6208) also will be available; only students with a non-U.S. law degree who plan to take the New York bar examination may count these courses toward the 16 credits required in the field.

**Students should consult the Supplement to the Bulletin for information on the available seminars for each semester. For guidance on which seminars meet the LLM requirements, students should consult with their program director.

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LLM Specializing in Energy & Environmental Law

Except for students in the double-degree program with the University of Groningen (UG), a minimum of 16 credit hours from the following courses is required,* including completion of:

1. Energy Law and Regulation (6438);
2. three of the following courses, or for students electing to write a thesis, one of the following courses: Energy Law Seminar (6441); Oil and Gas Law (6443); Energy Commodities, Climate Change, & Derivatives (6447); Selected Topics in Energy Law (6451); Atomic Energy Law (6459); or International Project Finance (6545);
3. two of the following courses: Environmental Law (6430) unless the student has previously completed a survey course in U.S. environmental law; Natural Resources Law (6440); Wildlife and Ecosystems Law (6431); Air Pollution Control (6432), Water Pollution Control (6434), or Control of Solid and Hazardous Wastes (RCRA & CERCLA) (6442); Environmental Impact Assessment (6445); Climate Change Law and Justice (6461); or Selected Topics in Environmental Law: Environmental Justice (6461); and
4. the written work requirement.

For the written work requirement, U.S. law school graduates are required to complete 4 credits graded on the basis of a Thesis (6690-91) or two research papers, each of which is written in connection with a 2-credit course.

For the written work requirement, non-U.S. law school graduates are required to complete at least 2 credits graded on the basis of a single research paper or Thesis (6690- 91).

Any research paper used to satisfy the written work requirement must be at least 8,000 words in length. ​Any thesis must be on a topic of energy law or both environmental and energy law or as otherwise approved by the program director. Unless otherwise approved by the program director, each research paper used to satisfy the written work requirement must be on a topic of energy law or both environmental and energy law; provided that if one research paper is on an energy law topic, the other may be on an environmental law or energy and environmental law topic. U.S. law school graduates must achieve a minimum grade of B+, and graduates from non-U.S. law schools must achieve a passing grade for their research paper. Students are encouraged to write a thesis.

​​​Students in the double-degree program with UG are required to complete, with passing grades, all of the compulsory fall semester courses (30 ECT) required by UG for the UG Energy and Climate Law LLM; UG’s Law in Practice module; and a thesis of no less than 12,000 words. The thesis topic must be approved by the thesis advisors.​​ 

​​​In addition, students must complete a minimum of 12 credits from the GW Law curriculum, as follows:

1. either Energy Law & Regulation (6438) or Oil & Gas Law (6443) (4 EC/2CR each); and
2. either Air Pollution Control (6432) or Control of Solid & Hazardous Wastes (6442) (4 EC/2CR each);
3. a thesis course to be designated (2CR);
4. students who have not received their first law degree from a U.S. law school (only), Fundamental Issues in U.S. Law (6694) (4 EC/2CR); and
5. Electives selected from the list below as needed to meet the 12-credit minimum

​​Students who have not received their first law degree from a US law school and are enrolled in the double-degree program are not required to take ​Legal Research and Writing for International LLM Students​ (6692).​

Courses

• Regulated Industries (6406)
• Environmental Law (6430)
• Wildlife and Ecosystems (6431)
• Air Pollution Control (6432)
• Water Pollution Control (6434)
• Coastal, Navigation, and Wetland Resource Law (6437)
• Energy Law and Regulation (6438)
• Natural Resources Law (6440)
• Energy Law Seminar (6441)**
• Control of Solid and Hazardous Wastes (RCRA & CERCLA) (6442)
• Oil and Gas Law (6443)
• ​​​Environmental Impact Assessment (6445)​​
• ​​​Energy Commodities, Climate Change, & Derivatives (6447)​​​​
• Federal Facilities Environmental Law Issues (6450)
• Selected Topics in Energy Law (6451)**
• Climate Change Law and Justice (6455)
• ​​Sustainable Communities Law and Policy Seminar (6457)​
• Environmental Negotiations (6458)
• Atomic Energy Law (6459)
• Selected Topics in Environmental Law: Environmental Justice (6461)**†​
• International Project Finance (6545)
• Thesis I-II (6690-91)
• Graduate Independent Legal Writing (6696) (Energy Law topic)
• ​​​The Law of Emergencies: Natural Disasters, Climate Crises, Pandemics, and Beyond (6880)​​

*Property (6208) also will be available; only students with a non-U.S. law degree who plan to take the New York bar examination may count this course toward the 16 credits required in the field.

**Students should consult the Supplement to the Bulletin for information on available energy law seminars and selected topic courses for each semester. For guidance on which seminars and selected topic courses meet the LLM requirements, students should consult with their program director.

​​†​For guidance on which ​other environmental law ​seminars and selected topic courses meet the LLM requirements,​ if any,​ students should consult with their program director.​ Students should consult the Supplement to the Bulletin for information on the available environmental law seminars and selected topics courses for each semester. ​ 

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LLM in Government Procurement & Environmental Law

A minimum of 16 credit hours from the following courses is required.

For U.S. law graduates this degree requires:

1. the one-credit Government Contracts Overview (6518) course taken in their first semester;
2. a minimum of five additional credits of Government Procurement Law including at least two of the following: Formation of Government Contracts (6502), Performance of Government Contracts (6503), and Government Contracts Cost and Pricing (6506);
3. a minimum of six credits of Environmental Law or Energy Law courses including at least three of the following: Air Pollution Control (6432), Water Pollution Control (6434), Energy Law & Regulation (6438) and Control of Solid and Hazardous Wastes (RCRA & CERCLA) (6442); and
4. completion of the written work requirement (4 credits).

For non-U.S. law graduates this degree requires:

1. the one-credit Government Contracts Overview (6518) course taken in their first semester;
2. a minimum of five additional credits of Government Procurement Law including at least two of the following: Formation of Government Contracts(6502), Performance of Government Contracts (6503), and Government Contracts Cost and Pricing (6506);
3. a minimum of six credits of Environmental Law or Energy Law courses, including at least two of the following: Environmental Law (6430) unless the student has previously completed a survey course in U.S. environmental law; Air Pollution Control (6432); Water Pollution Control(6434); or Control of Solid and Hazardous Wastes (RCRA & CERCLA)(6442); and
4. completion of a minimum of 2 credits as the written work requirement.

All students must complete a written work requirement. Any research paper intended to satisfy the written work requirement must be at least 8,000 words in length.

All students are strongly encouraged to take both Formation of Government Contracts(6502) and Performance of Government Contracts (6503). U.S. law school graduates are also encouraged to take Government Contracts Cost and Pricing (6506).

For U.S. law school graduates, the written work requirement must include 4 credits graded on the basis of a research paper or research papers. This requires completion of Thesis (6690 or 6691) or two research papers, each of which is written in connection with a separate 2-credit course. U.S. law school graduates are encouraged to write a thesis. For those U.S. law graduates who opt for research papers in lieu of a thesis, one paper must be on a combined Environmental and Government Procurement topic; for the other paper, which must be on a different issue of law, students may focus on another combined topic or, with the approval of the Program Directors, may choose a topic focused solely on environmental law or government procurement law. U.S. law school graduates must achieve a minimum grade of B+ for each research paper.

Non-U.S. law school graduates may satisfy the written work requirement by completing 2 credits graded on the basis of a single research paper or a 4-credit Thesis (6690 or 6691). For Non-U.S. law school students who opt for a research paper in lieu of a thesis, the paper must be on a combined Environmental and Government Procurement topic, or with the approval of the Program Directors, on a topic focused solely on environmental law or government procurement law. Non-U.S. law school graduates must achieve a passing grade for their research paper.

The following courses may be credited toward completion of the 16-credit requirement in cases in which the required courses specified above do not fulfill the 16-credit minimum. The courses marked (RP) require a research paper. No other courses count toward completion of the 16-credit requirement absent written approval of the Program Directors.

Environmental Law Electives

• Air Pollution Control (6432)
• Water Pollution Control (6434)
• Trade and Sustainable Development (6435) (RP)
• Control of Solid and Hazardous Wastes (RCRA & CERCLA) (6442)
• Environmental Impact Statement (6445)
• Environmental and Toxic Torts (6449) (RP)
• International Climate Change Law (6455)

Government Procurement Electives

• Formation of Government Contracts (6502)
• Performance of Government Contracts (6503)
• Government Contracts Cost and Pricing (6506)
• Comparative Public Procurement (6508) (RP)
• Government Contracts Seminar (6509) (RP)
• Procurement in International Development (6516) (RP)

Other

• Graduate Independent Legal Writing (6696) (Procurement and Environmental Law topic)

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LLM in International Environmental Law

A minimum of 16 credit hours from the following courses is required,* including completion of:

1. Environmental Law (6430) unless the student has previously completed a survey course in U.S. environmental law;
2. one of the following three courses: Air Pollution Control (6432), Water Pollution Control (6434), or Control of Solid and Hazardous Wastes (RCRA & CERCLA) (6442);
3. either International Business Transactions (6522) or International Organizations (6530); and
4. the written work requirement.

For the written work requirement, U.S. law school graduates are required to complete 4 credits graded on the basis of Thesis (6690-91) or two research papers, each of which is written in connection with a separate 2-credit course.

For the written work requirement, non-U.S. law school graduates are required to complete at least 2 credits graded on the basis of a single research paper or Thesis (6690-91). Any research paper must be at least 8,000 words in length.

U.S. law school graduates must achieve a minimum grade of B+ and graduates from non-U.S. law schools must achieve a passing grade for their research paper. Students are encouraged to write a thesis.

Courses

• Environmental Law (6430) Air Pollution Control (6432)
• Water Pollution Control (6434)
• Trade and Sustainable Development (6435)
• Control of Solid and Hazardous Wastes (RCRA & CERCLA) (6442)
• International Environmental Law (6454)
• International Climate Change Law (6455)
• Selected Topics in Environmental Law (6461)†
• Environmental Law Seminar (6466)†
• International Law (6520)
• International Trade Law (6526)
• Advanced International Trade Law (6527)
• International Business Transactions (6522) or International Organizations (6530)
• Law of the Sea (6550)
• Graduate Independent Legal Writing (6696) (International Environmental Law topic)

*Torts (6206) and Property (6208) also will be available; only students with a non-U.S. law degree who plan to take the New York bar examination may count these courses toward the 16 credits required in the field.

† Approval of program director required. The seminar or practicum project must be related to international environmental law.

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