Candidates for the Master of Laws degree must complete 24 semester hours of coursework. Full-time students are expected to complete the LLM in two semesters (one academic year). LLM students must also write at least one paper in connection with a seminar in their field of interest or in connection with a directed research project. LLM Students who received a JD or LLB (or equivalent) from a school located outside of the United States must enroll in a three-week summer orientation course, Introduction to US Law. International students must also complete and pass a legal research and writing course.<br><br>Tulane Law School is known internationally for its admiralty and maritime law program. The city of New Orleans, located near the mouth of the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, is a significant maritime center, and the lower Mississippi River is one of the largest ports in the world. New Orleans itself has the second largest admiralty bar in the United States. As a result of the natural focus on maritime issues in New Orleans, Tulane Law School has become an important center for the study of admiralty and maritime law.