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Pepperdine | Caruso School of Law

LLM in Dispute Resolution Curriculum

Required Courses

10 units required (8 units required for those waiving Legal Research and Writing I)

  • Arbitration Course Requirement
  • Mediation Theory and Practice
  • Negotiation Theory and Practice
  • Psychology of Conflict Communication
  • Legal Research and Writing I (Required only for International Attorneys) *

International students sitting for the California Bar exam would complete 12 units of required courses listed above and 12 units of substantive law courses as required by the California Bar.

Elective Courses

14 units (or 16 units for those waiving Legal Research and Writing I)

  • ADR and Social Entrepreneurship
  • Advanced Decision Making Under Conflict
  • Advanced Mediation Seminar
  • Advanced Trial Practice
  • Apology, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation
  • Appellate Advocacy
  • Arbitration Law +
  • Arbitration Practice and Advocacy +
  • Conflict Consulting and Coaching
  • Cross-Cultural Conflict and Dispute Resolution
  • Current Issues in International Dispute Resolution: International Study Tour
  • Dispute Resolution in Education
  • Dispute Resolution and Religion
  • Dispute Resolution Externship
  • Divorce and Family Mediation
  • Employment Disputes
  • Entertainment Industry Disputes
  • Ethical Considerations in International Arbitration
  • Facilitating Dynamic Groups
  • Faith and Family Law Mediation Clinic
  • Faith-Based Diplomacy and International Peacemaking
  • International Commercial Arbitration+
  • International Commercial Arbitration and the National Courts +
  • International Commercial Arbitration Procedure and Practice +
  • International Commercial Arbitration Theory and Doctrine +
  • International Commercial Mediation Theory and Practice
  • International Investment Disputes
  • International Litigation
  • Interviewing, Counseling, and Planning
  • Introduction to US Law
  • LL.M. Independent Study Project 
  • Mediation Clinic
  • Mediating Complex Public Policy Disputes
  • Olympic and International Sports Dispute Resolution
  • Ombuds Theory and Practice
  • Online Dispute Resolution
  • Resolving Conflicts and System Design for Organizations and Corporations
  • Restorative Justice
  • Selected Issues in Dispute Resolution:
    • Healthcare Dispute Resolution
    • Intellectual Property
    • International Identity-Based Conflict and Dispute Resolution
    • Labor Disputes
    • Mediation Advocacy
    • Strategic Alliances
  • Trial Practice
  • Trial Preparation and Settlement or a Substantive Law Class with Advisor Approval

International students sitting for the California Bar exam would complete 12 units of required courses listed above and 12 units of substantive law courses as required by the California Bar.

+ If this course was not taken to fulfill the arbitration requirement, it can be taken as an elective.

Available Concentrations

Mediation

Students in the LLM in Dispute Resolution can pursue a concentration in Mediation. This concentration will allow students to use their electives to focus on aspects of the mediation process.

Students in the Mediation Concentration will be asked to declare their concentration prior to graduation, and must include three of the below courses:

  • Advanced Mediation Seminar
  • Mediation Clinic
  • Cross-Cultural Conflict and Dispute Resolution
  • Divorce and Family Mediation
  • Mediating Complex Public Policy Disputes
  • Apology, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation
  • Related Independent Study with advisor approval

Arbitration

Students in the LLM in Dispute Resolution can pursue a concentration in Arbitration.  This concentration provides students with the flexibility to balance both domestic and international arbitration topics.

Students in the Arbitration Concentration will be asked to declare their concentration prior to graduation, and must include three of the below courses:

  • Arbitration Law or Arbitration Practice and Advocacy
  • International Commercial Arbitration Theory and Doctrine
  • International Commercial Arbitration Procedure and Practice
  • International Investment Disputes
  • Related Independent Study with advisor approval

Litigation

Students in the LLM in Dispute Resolution can pursue a concentration in Litigation. This concentration focuses on understanding the U.S. legal process, and will give students the opportunity to take traditional practice-oriented law courses.

Students in the Litigation Concentration will be asked to declare their concentration prior to graduation, and must include three of the below courses:

  • Trial Practice and Settlement
  • Trial Practice
  • Advanced Trial Practice
  • Appellate Advocacy
  • Complex Litigation
  • International Ligation
  • Lawyering Process
  • Related Independent Study with advisor approval