Program Overview

Introduction to the Real Estate Law LL.M. Program

The Real Estate Law LL.M. program at Fordham provides students with a comprehensive foundation in real estate law, including key areas such as real estate finance, residential and commercial leasing, land use, and affordable housing. The 24-credit program can be completed in as few as two semesters, although students can also choose to take the Master on a part-time basis.

Program Structure

• The program is designed for attorneys looking to deepen their understanding of real estate law or to open up new career opportunities in real estate.
• Classes include Real Estate Transactions, Real Estate Finance, Real Estate Drafting, Commercial Finance-Secured Transactions, Affordable Housing Law Practice & Policy, and many others.
• International students will also take courses to acclimate them with the U.S. legal system and practice.

Credit Hours and Course Requirements

• Each student is required to complete a minimum of 24 credits of approved courses; the maximum number of credits permitted is 30.
• Full-time students take 10-15 credits per semester (11-13 recommended); part-time students take 2-9 credits per semester and must complete the program within 24 months of starting.
• Up to 4 credits may be taken during summer terms.

Program-Specific Required Courses

• The 24-credit minimum must include 12 credits of Specialization Distribution Courses approved for the Real Estate program.
• The 12-credit Specialization Distribution Course requirement must include the following core courses:
  • Real Estate Finance (2 credits)
  • Real Estate Transactions (3 credits)
• Remaining credits needed to fulfill the 12-credit Specialization Distribution requirement must be chosen from among the wide selection of Specialization Distribution Courses approved for the Real Estate program.

Additional Required Courses

• All LL.M. students are required to complete the following course:
  • Quantitative Methods for Graduate Students (required in the first semester of study)
• All LL.M. students who do not hold a J.D. from a U.S. law school are additionally required to take the following courses:
  • Introduction to the U.S. Legal System and Process (required in the first semester of study)
  • Legal Writing and Research for LLM Students (required in the first semester of study)
  • Introduction to the U.S. Legal Profession
  • At least 6 credits of Content Outline courses
  • Fundamental Lawyering Skills for LLM Students
  • 2 credits of experiential coursework

Elective Courses

• Any remaining credits may be chosen from among the wide variety of courses that are open to LLM students.
• For most classes that are closed to LLMs, students may be admitted on a space-available basis.

Note for Part-Time Students

• The LL.M. program strives to ensure that there is a wide range of courses available in the evening in each of our LL.M. areas of specialization.
• However, it would be impossible to ensure that any specific course will be offered at a time that is convenient to all students.
• Students are encouraged to look at the schedules from past semesters to get a sense of what courses may be offered in the future.