Tribal Policy, Law and Government, LLM
Expand your law degree and gain the current legal knowledge you need to work with Native American tribes and businesses. Acquire a detailed understanding of the nature of tribal government and law and policy development within the domestic federal structure.
Quick facts
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
This Master of Laws program is designed for you, as a lawyer or law school graduate who plans to work on issues related to tribal law and federal Indian law at the professional and academic levels.
The LLM program in tribal policy, law and government can be focused in one of three areas: Indian gaming; tribal self-governance; or tribal policy, law and government. Core curricular offerings focus on domestic tribal law, federal Indian law and American institutions of law and government. The program explores the expression of domestic law within contemporary administrative, governmental and judicial institutions.
Home to the nationally known Indian Legal Program, the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law leads the nation in producing graduates specializing in Indian law. You benefit from the extensive resources committed to the Indian Legal Program, including a director, experienced Native faculty and staff, and an Indian law clinic.
Arizona State University is located in the heart of the southwestern U.S., home to roughly one-third of the Native population in the U.S. and where many of the largest Indian nations in the country are located. The university is the academic home for several nationally known scholars researching American Indian issues, and it houses many unique resources for such scholarship, including the Labriola Collection at Hayden Library.
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below.
The program is administered by the Indian Legal Program and is oriented toward students who seek practical experience in tribal law and federal Indian law. It provides intensive instruction to students who graduated from a law school that had few or no courses in Indian law and who now seek to practice in these areas at a professional level. This degree program requires a minimum of 24 credit hours of study. A thesis is not required. Students immerse themselves in the study of tribal law and federal Indian law, and they apply the knowledge and experience they gain through the practical component of the degree program, which may consist of research projects for tribal courts and governments; state, tribal and federal court practice; and tribal code drafting. Graduates are well equipped for professional positions that require knowledge of and expertise in tribal law and federal Indian law. Students have the option of pursuing the degree on a part-time basis.
Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill both the Graduate College and the College of Law English proficiency requirements. Admission to the program is competitive. To be admitted, an applicant must have completed a Juris Doctor degree or law degree at a foreign institution that would qualify the applicant to practice law or pursue license to practice in that country, and have submitted a complete application to the program. Selection is based on academic background and potential, career experience and ambitions, diversity of experience and background, space and resource limitations in the law school, the applicant's strength of experience related to the program sought, and other factors. Applicants are encouraged to apply electronically through the Law School Admission Council website: https://www.lsac.org. To be considered complete, the application must include the following: Transcripts and letters of recommendation or evaluations must be submitted through the Law School Admissions Council's Credential Assembly Service and provided to ASU Law by LSAC. Students should see the program website for application deadlines.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students receive financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of lawyers is projected to grow 4% between 2024 and 2034. Completing the LLM program in tribal policy, law and government can lead to a number of opportunities in Indian law, at large, helping current lawyers advance in their careers by enabling them to refine their leadership skills, become fluent with advanced terminology, and develop a keen sense of professionalism.
Graduates of the program are prepared for lucrative careers in government, economic development or health care positions that impact Native populations.
Career examples include:
- chief executive officer
- chief legal officer
- court justice
- election director for Native communities
- judge
- law firm administrator
- law firm partner
- law school professor
- litigation support director
- politician or member of Congress
- private banker for Native communities
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law
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BCLS 420
llmasu@asu.edu
480-965-1474
Admission deadlines
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
