The LL.M. Program in Agricultural & Food Law at the University of Arkansas School of Law still has openings for Fall 2018 enrollment, for on-campus and for distance participation.
Full time on-campus students study in Fayetteville for 14 weeks in the Fall (August 15 - November 30) and 14 weeks in the Spring (January 14 - April 26). They are eligible for Graduate Assistantships that provide a full tuition waiver and a small monthly stipend. While most GAs have already been awarded, a few awards may still be available.
Distance students enrolled in the LL.M. Program attend either full or part time, and most are able to earn their degree while working full time. They can attend some classes virtually from their home or office computers, participating fully and in real-time. Other courses are online only, and they are always welcome to visit Fayetteville for condensed courses. The fully integrated course of study allows students to move from on-campus to Distance participation seamlessly. Tuition for distance students is capped at the low Arkansas in-state rate.
The LL.M. Program provides a full curriculum of courses designed specifically for advanced study in food and agriculture. Fall courses will include:
An Introduction to the
Law of Food & Agriculture
Introductory
course that provides an overview of the legal and policy issues presented by
the production of food and fiber, including a discussion of structural changes
in agriculture, sustainability issues, and trends in consumer interest.
Food Law & Policy
An
introduction to the network of laws that govern our food system. An overview of
regulation by both the Food & Drug Administration and the USDA is provided.
Policy considerations are discussed in light of current issues.
Agriculture & the
Environment
Agriculture
is increasingly criticized for its impact on the environment. This course
examines the tensions between the need to produce food and fiber efficiently
and concern for sustainability and the protection of natural resources.
Food, Farming &
Sustainability (Survey of Agricultural Law)
This
course provides a survey of the complex legal topics that make up the body of
agricultural and food law focusing on current issues of significance.
Specialized Legal
Research and Writing
Legal
writing skill development, including training in plain-English legal writing,
electronic research training, and publication strategies. This course will
assist students in planning to meet the LL.M. writing requirement.
The Right to Food
This
course will provide an overview of the historical development of the right to
food; evaluate the rights, obligations and responsibilities of rights-holders
and duty-bearers of the right to food; and examine legal and non-legal
mechanisms that are increasingly used to adjudicate the right to food.
Business, Human Rights
and Corporate Social Responsibility in the Food/Ag Sector
The
course explores the business-human rights nexus with a particular focus on the
food and agricultural sector and on case studies from around the world. The
course introduces students to the linkages between business and human rights
from a variety of (legal, regulatory, and policy) perspectives.
Urban Agriculture Law
& Policy
Study
of the legal issues raised by the rising interest in urban agricultural
activities. Topics of study include land
use and zoning issues, farmers market issues, and legal issues associated with
community-sponsored agriculture.
Agricultural Policy
& the Federal Budget
Study
of the impact of the Office of Management and Budget and the cost scoring
system on federal agricultural policy making in Washington, D.C. Current farm policy issues are discussed
within the context of budgetary constraints and pressures.
Introduction to
Agricultural Income Taxation
This
course provides a basic overview of federal income tax law as applied to
agricultural operations.
Independent Research
in Agricultural & Food Law
Independent
research in agricultural and food law conducted under the supervision of a
faculty member.
Advanced Legal
Research & Writing
Research
in a specialized area of agricultural or food law and development of a paper
that demonstrates rigorous legal analysis and quality legal writing. This
course is typically taken during a candidate’s final semester.
Practicum in Advocacy
Experiential
learning opportunity involving practice, regulatory, or policy work in
agricultural or food law under the supervision of an experienced professional
and the Director of the LL.M Program.
Corporate Externship
in Food Industry
Research
in a specialized area of agricultural or food law and development of a paper
that demonstrates rigorous legal analysis and quality legal writing. This
course is typically taken during a candidate’s final semester.