National Security Law Programs (LL.M.)

The National Security Law programs at the George Washington University Law School highlight our unique strengths: a nationally recognized faculty, a comprehensive curriculum, and access to the extensive Washington, D.C., foreign relations, cybersecurity, and national security law community. While a number of U.S. law schools offer one or two courses in these fields, few others approach the number of courses available at GW Law.

With a rigorous but manageable curriculum, the MSL program in Cybersecurity offers students the flexibility to design a courseload individually tailored to meet their needs. GW Law’s MSL helps meet the growing demand for non-lawyers to be familiar with the many ways that law influences industry. The MSL program is intended for professionals who are not interested in earning a law degree or practicing law but work in jobs where knowledge of the law is important. The knowledge gained can augment career preparation or professional advancement.

LL.M. in National Security and Cybersecurity Law

This practice area has evolved with the world’s increased connectivity through the use of modern technology and cyberspace and the accompanying growing vulnerabilities from physical and cyber threats. Courses in this practice area explore the use of the internet and technologies, as well as sophisticated cyber actors and nation-states and how they exploit vulnerabilities, steal information and money, and develop methods to disrupt, destroy, or threaten essential services. The field includes a law on the use of securing the critical cyber infrastructure, cyber breaches, armed forces and intelligence operations abroad, counterterrorism, homeland security, management of crises, congressional oversight, and classified information.

Students who choose not to write a thesis must complete National Security Law (6870), Cybersecurity Law & Policy (6879), 6 credits from the following classes:

• E-Commerce (6283)
• Reading Group (BlockChain Law & Tech) (6351)
• Reading Group (Privacy and Digital Future: AI Robot, Big Data, and More) (6351)
• Computer Crime (6369)
• Constitutional Law Seminar (Cyber, Privacy, & Speech) (6399)
• Communications Law (6412)
• Telecommunications Law (6414)
• Public Law Seminar (Telecommunication & Technology) (6426)
• Computer Law (6484)
• Law in Cyberspace (6485)
• Information Privacy Law (6486)
• Internet Law (6493)
• Selected Topics in National Security Law (Artificial Intelligence) (6869)
• Selected Topics in National Security Law (Counterintelligence) (6869)
• Selected Topics in National Security Law (Foreign Access to U.S. Technology) (6869)
• Selected Topics in National Security Law (Technology Foundations for Cybersecurity) (6869)
• Intelligence Law (6878)

and a minimum of 8 additional credits from either the courses listed above or in related courses.

LL.M. in National Security and U.S. Foreign Relations Law

This practice area, which has grown exponentially since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, explores the nature and origins of the federal government's foreign relations powers, and U.S. law implementing international law, and the U.S. law of national security and counterterrorism. The field includes law on the use of the armed forces at home and abroad, intelligence operations abroad, counterterrorism, electronic surveillance and privacy, homeland security, crisis management and continuity of government, immigration, nonproliferation, treatment of detainees, congressional investigations and oversight, and classified information.

Students who choose not to write a thesis must complete National Security Law (6870), U.S. Foreign Relations Law (6871), and a minimum of 14 credits from the courses listed below.

• Computer Crime (6369)
• Law of Separation of Powers (6384)
• Congressional Investigations Seminar (6420)
• Information Privacy Law (6486)
• International Law (6520)
• International Money Laundering, Corruption, and Terrorism (6521)
• International Litigation (6528)
• Immigration Law I (6538)
• Refugee and Asylum Law (6540)
• International Law of Human Rights (6546)
• Regional Protection of Human Rights (6547)
• Space Law (6548)
• Law of the Sea (6550)
• Law of War (6552)
• U.S. Export Control Law and Regulation (6553)
• International Criminal Law (6554)
• Nation Building and the Rule of Law (6559)
• Public International Law Seminar (6562)**
• Human Rights Lawyering (6568)
• Field Placement (6668)
• Selected Topics in National Security Law (6869)**
• National Security Law Seminar (6872)**
• Military Justice (6873)
• Comparative Military Law (6874)
• Counterterrorism Law (6875)
• Homeland Security Law and Policy (6876)
• Nuclear Nonproliferation Law and Policy (6877)
• Intelligence Law (6878)
• Cybersecurity Law (6879)
• Disaster Law (6880)