Overview

Online Degrees at VLGS

As the premier environmental law school in the nation, Vermont Law and Graduate School offers degree programs and courses to produce leaders who want to change the world. Online students have access to nationally recognized centers, programs, and faculty—with experiential learning opportunities available from a distance.

The VLGS Online Learning Program provides access to the master’s and LLM degree programs via an online classroom. The classes in the online program are parallel to the residential classes, and transcripts do not designate whether a class was taken on campus or online. The program was designed for working professionals and is also available to non-degree seeking students and students enrolled at other schools who wish to take online classes at Vermont Law and Graduate School.

What to Expect

Vermont Law and Graduate School offers online master’s and LLM degrees in animal law, environmental law, animal law and policy, energy regulation and law, food and agriculture law and policy, and restorative justice. 

With more than 20 online learning courses covering a wide range of topics including climate change, energy law, environmental law, natural resources law, food and agriculture regulations, justice reform, and more, students tailor their degrees to meet their personal interests. Students may choose to take courses as non-degree seeking for continuing education or to transfer to another institution. Most students pursue the online Master’s and LLM 30-credit programs on a part-time basis and have up to five years to obtain their degree.

Online Learning classes are taught sequentially (one at a time) in a compressed format. Each class runs for seven weeks and is conducted in an asynchronous format. This means you don’t have to be online at any one time; you can do the work at 2 p.m. or 2 a.m., given what your schedule allows. 

Classes are highly interactive, with​ 2–3 assignments each week. These assignments require significant amounts of writing and require students to interact with their professors and each other several times weekly. You should expect to spend approximately 20 to 25 hours per week on your course. There are almost no traditional lectures, but instead conversations among students and faculty that build on material provided in class.

Online Hybrid JD

Delivered through a mixture of online classes and three brief in-person residential sessions, the online hybrid JD offers the same rigorous legal education as the school’s residential JD, but with flexibility that allows working professionals to earn a law degree without giving up their ability to earn an income or having to move to Vermont.

Online Master’s Program

Vermont Law and Graduate School offers master’s programs that can be completed in less than two years for those who do not seek a professional law degree. VLGS’ degrees include the Master of Climate and Environmental Policy (MCEP), Master of Energy Regulation and Law (MERL), Master of Animal Protection Policy (MAPP), Master of Food and Agriculture Law and Policy (MFALP), and Master of Arts in Restorative Justice (MARJ). 

Instead of studying theories about how policies work, students learn the law and how to use it to effect change. The Executive Master in Environmental Policy (EMEP) degree is a 25-credit, 16-month program that is intended for mid-career professionals

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Online LLM Programs

LLM degrees from Vermont Law and Graduate School prepare post-JD students to specialize in animal, environmental, energy, or food and agriculture law. The programs are designed to enhance career options, enabling students to make a bigger mark on their communities and their world.

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Online Professional Certificate

VLGS offers a Professional Certificate in Restorative Justice, a unique 10-credit program for students who wish to develop a career focusing on restorative justice or gain skills in restorative practices. Students pursuing the Professional Certificate can take courses that cover topics such as critical issues in restorative justice, adversity, trauma, and victimization, and new approaches to domestic and sexual violence.

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Online Courses for JD Credit

Vermont Law and Graduate School offers several online courses available for JD credit. Courses cover general environmental topics, including animal law, environmental law and natural resources law, as well as specialties in animal law and policy, energy law, climate change law and policy, and food and agriculture law.​ Courses are open to both current VLGS students and students at other law schools who may wish to incorporate specialized environmental legal training into their programs.​

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Opportunities & Options

Scholarship Opportunities

Vermont Law and Graduate School is here to help students navigate the process to make their educational goals achievable. Limited scholarships are available to online learning degree program students who demonstrate excellent academic achievement, promise, and financial need.

Financial Aid Opportunities

Vermont Law and Graduate School offers tuition scholarships to exceptional Master’s and LLM candidates each year. In addition to possessing strong academic records, scholarship recipients must demonstrate a commitment to environmental law and policy and public service. There is no separate application process for scholarships. All admitted candidates will be given full consideration. Please refer to the Tuition & Financial Aid page for all scholarship opportunities for Master’s and LLM candidates

Joint Degree Opportunities

If you are interested in pursuing a joint degree, visit the Joint Degrees Programs page for more information. It’s important to note that admission to a Master’s or LLM program does not ensure admission to a joint degree program.

Dual Degree Opportunities

If you are interested in pursuing a dual degree, refer to the Dual Degree Programs page.  It’s important to note that admission to a Master’s or LLM program does not ensure admission to a dual degree program.

Transfer Credits

Credits received at other institutions transfer at the discretion of the VLGS Registrar.

Ready for Next Steps to pursue a dual degree at VLGS?

Application Process Roadmap

Application Requirements

Checklist of Materials

  • Completed application form
  • $60.00 (USD) application fee
    • Fee waived for any new Masters’, LLM or PCRJ application received by April 15th. If applying for an LLM through LSAC, please request a fee waiver code by emailing your admissions counselor or [email protected].
  • Professional resume or curriculum vitae
  • Essays as described below
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Official transcripts from all schools attended
  • All applicants whose native language is not English and have not lived or studied in an English-speaking country for at least two years must submit TOEFL, PTE or IELTS scores

Application Form

To apply for our online Master’s or LLM Programs, please use the Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS) Web Application.

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Application Fee

Vermont Law and Graduate School has an application fee of $60.00 (USD)

Required Essay

  • Describe the goals that are motivating you to pursue a Law/Master’s or LLM degree. How do you think the skills and experiences you will gain at Vermont Law and Graduate School will help you achieve these goals?
  • Diversity Statement (300-word limit) – In what ways would you contribute to and/or support Vermont Law and Graduate School’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion?

Optional Essays

  • How have you tried to effect change in relation to an issue of personal, local, or national significance?
  • If you feel your academic record is not reflective of your ability to succeed in this program, please provide an explanation or context to our Admissions Committee to consider.

Letters of Recommendation

It is preferred that one letter of recommendation be academic in nature. If an applicant has been out of school for a number of years, two professional letters will be accepted.

Recommenders will receive instructions on how to submit their letters after the applicant submits the Application Form. Recommenders’ questions can be sent to [email protected]. Letters received directly from applicants will not be accepted.

International Applicants

If you are currently enrolled at an institution that has an established International Dual Degree partnership with VLGS, please follow your home institution’s process to apply for an opportunity to study at VLGS. For individuals outside of the United States who are not currently enrolled at another institution, or who are enrolled at an institution that VLGS does not have a formal partnership with, please take note of the following additional application requirements:

International Credential Validation Requirement

All international transcripts must be evaluated by an official evaluation agency. Recommended evaluation agencies include Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE.org) and World Education Services (WES.org).

English Language Requirement

  • TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE score is required of all students for whom English is not the primary language spoken. Applicants who have studied in the U.S. or at an English-speaking institution for more than two years may be waived from this requirement.
  • TOEFL minimum score: 600 paper-based, 250 computer-based, 100 Internet-based
  • IELTS minimum score: 6.5
  • PTE minimum score: 68

Application Notification

Vermont Law and Graduate School reviews applications on a rolling basis. The Admission Committee reviews all complete applications and applicants are notified promptly of the admission decision. Please note that Vermont Law and Graduate School does not share information or offer feedback regarding admission decisions.

Application Evaluation Criteria

Applicants will be evaluated based on their overall ability to do graduate work. Factors that will be considered in the application review include:

  • GPA from undergraduate and any graduate schools
  • Successful work history after completion of the baccalaureate degree
  • Essays as described below
  • Letters of recommendation from professors or professional or volunteer experience supervisors
  • OPTIONAL: Official GRE and LSAT scores

Neither the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) nor the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is required for applicants to the Master’s programs. However, students who have taken the exams may submit their scores to support their application. Scores should be sent directly to the school (GRE & LSAT Code: 3946) for consideration.

Acceptance of Offer for Admissions

An applicant who is offered admission must make a total non-refundable tuition deposit of $750 by the deposit deadlines indicated in the admission offer to secure a place in the incoming class. This deposit will be applied in full toward the student’s tuition upon enrollment.