Program Overview

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Online LLM in Health Care and Pharmaceutical Law

The Online LLM in Health Care and Pharmaceutical Law is a specialized degree designed for attorneys looking to gain advanced legal skills in the health care industry. This program is offered by Drexel University's Thomas R. Kline School of Law, which was rated 23rd in the Nation for Health Care Law by US News and World Report in 2019.

Program Overview

The program focuses on compliance in the health care and pharmaceutical industry, with a curriculum that highlights topics such as food and drug law, and the regulation of pharmaceutical and medical device sales and marketing. Students can choose to focus on either Health Care Compliance or Pharmaceutical Compliance, or take classes in both areas.

Program Features

• The program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis.
• The completely online format allows students to learn around their busy schedules.
• Students have the option to complete a thesis.
• Utilization of the Kline Graduate Programs Virtual Career Office, which is dedicated to helping students reach their career goals via access to job postings, a virtual career classroom, and one-on-one coaching with faculty and alumni.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the LLM program are typically practicing attorneys working at law firms, for the government, or as in-house counsel for pharmaceutical and insurance companies and health systems. They can also work in compliance or in other roles responsible for navigating the relevant legal systems within the health care and pharmaceutical industries.

Salary Expectations

Although salaries can vary based on organization and location, median incomes for related roles include:

• Lawyer: $119,250
• Compliance Manager: $105,610
• Compliance Officer: $71,540

Difference Between MLS, JD, and LLM

• A JD is the only postgraduate degree that gives law school graduates the ability to sit for a bar exam.
• An LLM is an advanced, specialized degree designed for those who already have a JD or international law degree.
• A Master of Legal Studies (MLS) is a graduate degree for those who may or may not have a JD, focusing on how laws and regulations work and how to properly conduct business within them.

Requirements for the Online Law Degree

To be considered for Drexel's online LLM in Health Care and Pharmaceutical Compliance, domestic students need to have earned a JD from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school. International students must have earned a Bachelor of Law (LLB) or its equivalent.

Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Credits

The Kline School of Law is accredited by PACLE (Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education) to provide distance learning CLE credits. Lawyers admitted to practice in Pennsylvania who take online graduate level or advanced degree courses at Kline may claim CLE credit as permitted by PACLE regulation.

Curriculum

The program is organized into four 10-week quarters per year, allowing students to take more courses in a shorter time period. One semester credit is equivalent to 1.5 quarter credits.

Required Courses

Course	Description	Credits
LSTU 551	Compliance Skills: Auditing, Investigation & Reporting	4.0
LSTU 554	Risk Assessment and Management	4.0

Foreign-trained students may also be required to complete:

• LSTU 550: Introduction to the Legal System
• LSTU 553: Legal Research and Analysis

Electives

• LSTU 552: Ethics and Professional Standards
• LSTU 555: Compliance Communications
• LSTU 570: Health Care Fraud: Regulation, Investigation, and Enforcement
• LSTU 571: Legal Issues for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
• LSTU 600: Health Care Rules and Regulations
• LSTU 601: Health Care Quality, Patient Safety and Risk Management
• LSTU 602: Patients and Privacy: HIPAA and Related Regulations
• LSTU 603: Legal Regulation of Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Research and Development
• LSTU 604: Legal Regulation of Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Sales and Marketing Practices
• LSTU 605: Food and Drug Law
• LSTU 660: Information Privacy Law
• LSTU 661: The Law and Strategies Surrounding Cybersecurity
• LSTU 662: European Union Data Privacy and Protection
• LSTU 998: Thesis I Scholarly Legal Writing: Planning and Preparation
• LSTU 999: Thesis II Scholarly Legal Writing: Writing, Refining, and Presentation

Total Credits

32.0 quarter credits

Admissions Criteria

• A Juris Doctor (JD) from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school.
• International applicants must have completed an undergraduate (LLB) or graduate degree (LLM) in law.

Required Documents

• A completed application
• Official transcripts from all universities or colleges and other post-secondary educational institutions attended
• Essay of approximately 500 words
• Resume
• Standardized test score reports (GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT) can be submitted but are not required
• Additional requirements for International Students

Tuition

The tuition rate for the academic year is $975 per credit. Students enrolled in an online graduate academic program will be charged a graduate online program fee of $125 per year. The program is eligible for Financial Aid, and special tuition rates are available for Drexel University Alumni, Military members, and members of Partner Organizations.

Academic Calendar

The academic calendar includes four quarters per year: Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer, with specific start and end dates for each term.