Health Law, LL.M.

Saint Louis University's Master of Laws in Health Law is a one-year program that was created for two types of lawyers: those seeking an in-depth introduction to the practice of health law and those who have a health law background but who are seeking exposure to new developments in health law.

This highly selective program allows each student individual attention and close faculty supervision. Students are encouraged to complete scholarly writing, attend the health law colloquia and participate in directed research projects. Students may choose from a range of foundational and specialized health law and policy courses and learn from faculty with more than 177 years of collective health law teaching experience. Students also are offered field placement opportunities, including the Health Law Semester in Washington, D.C.

Students in the program have access to SLU's top-tier faculty as well as to leading scholars, practitioners and employers. Students also will have access to our network of more than 1,150 health law alumni across the country.

Curriculum Overview

Requirements for the LL.M. in health law include:

• 24 credits of law courses
• Master’s thesis of publishable quality
• Up to six credits of directed research
• Up to six credits in academic disciplines outside the law school

Careers

SLU's LL.M. program prepares attorneys to work in the nation’s leading law firms specializing in health law. Graduates also work in large health care systems, federal and state agencies, academic medical centers, and provider trade associations. Selected employers of health law alumni include:

• Epstein Becker & Green P.C., New York
• Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, Baltimore
• Baylor Health Care Systems, Dallas
• Polsinelli P.C., Dallas
• Quarles & Brady LLP, Phoenix
• Express Scripts Inc., St. Louis
• Genesis Health Systems, Davenport, Iowa
• Arent Fox LLP, Washington, D.C.
• Oshner Health Systems, New Orleans

Admission Requirements

Applicants must possess a J.D. degree.

Application Requirements

• Application
• Transcript(s)
• Two letters of recommendation
• Résumé
• Personal statement

Requirements for International Students

All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students along with the following:

• Demonstrate English Language Proficiency
• Proof of financial support must include:
  • A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the time at Saint Louis University
  • A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of study at the University
• Academic records, in English translation, of students who have undertaken postsecondary studies outside the United States must include the courses taken and/or lectures attended, practical laboratory work, the maximum and minimum grades attainable, the grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations, and any honors or degrees received. WES and ECE transcripts are accepted.

Application Deadlines

Though applications may be considered until March, it is recommended that students apply by mid-December for the following fall semester.

Review Process

Applications to both LL.M. programs are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

There are many resources to assist students in financing a legal education, including scholarships, loans and work opportunities.

Financial aid award letters for new students are mailed beginning on March 1 of each year.

Although a FAFSA is not required to receive merit-based aid, students will need to complete the FAFSA to seek eligibility for federal aid programs like federal direct loans or federal work-study. Saint Louis University’s school code is 002506.

Accreditation 

Saint Louis University School of Law has been continuously accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) since December 1924. The accrediting body is the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association, 321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654, 312-988-6738.

1. Graduates will develop (to a degree necessary to be an effective professional in a position related to health law and policy) an understanding of substantive common law, statutes and regulations that control health care delivery, health insurance, and other determinants of individual and population health, which includes the powers, rights and duties of providers, insurers, regulators, and individuals.
2. Graduates will display proficiency (to a degree necessary to be an effective professional in a position related to health law and policy) both in synthesizing legal rules and public policies and in applying them to complex facts associated with health care delivery, payment, and other determinants of individual and population health.
3. Graduates will develop practical problem-solving skills (to a degree necessary to be an effective professional in a position related to health law and policy) that draw upon knowledge of substantive health laws and the skills of legal analysis.
4. Graduates will develop a basic understanding of the economic, ethical, operational, and political complexity associated with health care delivery, payment, and other determinants of individual and population health (to a degree necessary to be an effective professional in a position related to health law and policy), the contents of which will vary based upon a student’s particular interests within health law and policy.
5. Graduates will develop a professional network in the field health law and policy.

Up to six credits can be taken at Saint Louis University, outside the School of Law and up to six credits of directed research.

Continuation Standards

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses.

Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.  

Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester.  Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.