Wait before doing an LLM | Law Careers

Ultimately, the decision of whether to undertake an LLM is up to the individual and dependant on ones circumstances. Firstly, the time between starting an LLM and finishing your degree will allow you to decide how specific a masters you would like to undertake – whether you would like to do something more general, along the lines of EU law for example, or something more focussed such as environmental law and policy.

Employers are most often looking for someone who has taken the initiative to get some experience relevant to their academic studies and a period as an intern or as part of a work placement will do wonders for your CV and make you more attractive to employers on completion of your masters.

Alternatively you might wish to undertake your LLM part time whilst you continue to work. This will require enormous discipline and time management skills.

Whichever route you take, the practical application of the skills you have learned through your undergraduate degree will be invaluable as you undertake your Masters, as it will highlight an area where you might like to go into greater depth.

A period of work prior to taking on a LLM may also be more appealing for those who are unable to afford the fees right away. A year or two working might enable you to pay off current student loans, or at least make a dent in them, or allow you to save, providing you with the necessary funds to pay to for the LLM without having to consider a loan.

For students who have undertaken a three or four year degree, a gap year between an undergrad and an LLM might be just what is needed before you undertake another hectic workload. Depending on the duration of your LLM, it might be daunting for some to launch right into it after writing final year exams.

A break from it all might very well enable you to jump back into academia with a new and revitalised approach to your studies, perhaps with a more mature outlook and a greater insight of how you wish to progress with your career.

This will also enable you to get the most out of your LLM, tailoring it for your needs, asking the right questions, choosing the right modules and picking the most appropriate University. Undergraduates are often inclined to choose a University which resounds with them on a personal level, either because it is close to home, or as far away from home as possible, or because a lot of their peers are attending – all these motivations are not necessarily wrong and very often make the transition easier for students. But at masters level the type of institution chosen must be seen from an objective point of view with the ultimate motivation being the one that will enable you to gain the best teachings for your chosen subject course. 

In making this decision you might very well find that the course you choose is a little more costly or a little further away than expected and a gap year will allow you to do your research properly, making an informed decision about where and what to study, and to make the necessary arrangements that will enable you to undertake the LLM without having any added pressures.

Dani Cyrus

LLM graduate

30-09-2009