Online Master of Laws (LLM) in Taxation

Students in the program will gain a comprehensive understanding of federal, state, and local tax law and will graduate prepared to assist individuals and organizations in all major areas of tax, such as estate planning, employee benefits, and corporate taxation. With a history of providing exceptional legal education, Washington University’s Top-20 School of Law* offers an online Master of Laws (LLM) in Taxation designed for lawyers and law school graduates who want to specialize in tax law.

Students in the online LLM in Taxation program will learn from a faculty of tax law experts bringing a wealth of industry knowledge and real-world experience to the classroom. The curriculum provides students with an overview of tax law, including the procedural and technical aspects as well as the tools they need to solve complex tax problems and adapt to ever-changing legislation.

Courses

Students will complete one required course and then choose from a variety of tax electives to meet their individual career goals. Check out our course catalog to view course descriptions.

Required Courses

Students are required to complete Federal Income Taxation.

Electives

Elective Courses (21 credits)

Elective courses allow students to focus their studies on areas that directly relate to their industry and career goals. Electives are available in areas such as; State and Local Taxation, Federal Tax Procedure, Federal Estate and Gift Taxation, International Taxation, Tax-Exempt Organizations, Accounting for Tax Attorneys, Tax Research Writing, Externship, Supervised Research
Partnership Tax, Corporate Taxation

LLM in Taxation students may take 6 credits from the general curriculum:

  • Business Associations
  • International Business Transactions
  • Corporate Compliance
  • Employment Law
  • Negotiation
  • Mediation & Arbitration
  • Entrepreneurship

Optional In-Person Learning

Students have the option to supplement their online learning instruction with in-person learning experiences, including a tax law externship and supervised research. Each is designed to provide students with new opportunities to apply their tax law expertise.

Externship

The School of Law helps match interested students with a law firm to complete a 3-credit externship. Students will apply the skills they have gained in the classroom and gain real-world experience in the tax field.

Supervised Research

Students in the 3-credit supervised research course meet with professors regularly to develop a thesis paper on a tax-related topic that interests them or aligns with their career goals.

* 2023 Best Law Schools. US News & World Report Ranked in 2022.