LL.M. Students - New York

Directed Research

Directed Research credit may be added through September 29 for fall 2008 and February 9 for spring 2009.

For non-tax students no more than four of a student’s 24 credits may consist of directed research. Tax students may take a maximum of two credits of directed research. Students must contact individual instructors and agree on a research project. A written proposal must be submitted to and approved by the instructor, then submitted to the Office of Graduate Affairs before a student may register. The student may register by using a drop/add form when the signed proposal is submitted within the stated deadlines. The normal allocation is two credits. You may ask any full-time faculty member or visiting faculty member to supervise Directed Research; adjunct professors may supervise only with the permission of the Vice-Dean. Listed at the bottom of the Academic Services page on Directed Research are the names of faculty members and the areas of law in which they will supervise Directed Research. This is only meant as a guide and you can approach any full-time faculty member as detailed above. Failure to make academic progress on a Directed Research may result in a student’s withdrawal with a grade of "WD."

Also note that requests to late-add Directed Research will only be considered if your credit load (not including the Directed Research credits) does not drop below the minimum 12 credits at any point in the semester after the drop/add period.  Students who are granted permission to late-add Directed Research will not be permitted to drop courses if the result is inconsistent with the above; please plan your schedule accordingly.

Regardless of the type of project involved, students are, of course, expected to submit original, non-duplicative work for each and every course. When in doubt about the proper use of a citation or quotation, discuss the issue with the instructor. Plagiarism is a serious offense that may merit severe discipline.

After March 13 of the student’s final semester, no faculty member may accept a request from a student to perform Directed Research or other work for law school credit unless the student has first received the approval of the Vice Dean. The Vice Dean may allow such work if the student needs the credit for May graduation and July bar certification subject to the following:

• No more than two (2) credits can be earned in this manner.
• In making his or her decision, the Vice Dean shall consider: (a) the date of the student’s request, (b) the nature of the proposal, and (c) whether the missing credits or the timing of the student’s request are the result of circumstances that were within the student’s ability to avoid. Failure of a student to properly calculate his or her credit at an earlier time, failure in a course, or removal from a course for excessive absences are examples of circumstances within the student’s control to avoid.
• If the missing credits result from circumstances outside the student’s control, the Vice Dean will permit the credit if at all academically reasonable.
• If the Vice Dean approves the student’s application, it will be the student’s responsibility to find a faculty member willing to supervise the student’s proposed work and award the credit in a timely manner.

Directed Research during the summer semester: Students may register for Directed Research during the summer semester. The summer registration deadline is July 1, unless there is prior approval by the Vice Dean.  Please note that full time students will be charged per credit for Directed Research during the summer.  All work must be submitted by September 1 or by an earlier deadline established by the supervising faculty member.