Entertainment Law Certificate - LLM
USC Gould School of Law

Earning a certificate in Entertainment Law in addition to your LLM degree gives you the insights and practical skills to succeed in legal practice relating to film, television, communications, digital media and the internet, copyright and trademark, music, sports, and much more. It also offers you a credential that demonstrates your specialized training in this exciting area of the law.

Students are limited to pursuing one certificate with their degree.

Certificate Requirements

To earn the certificate, you must take at least 12 units of mandatory and elective courses. Sample elective courses are provided below. Students must complete at least 8 units of numeric grading within the certificate courses, and should consult with an academic advisor to confirm enrollment in the correct elective courses, as electives may vary by year.

Our Entertainment Law courses emphasize the importance of acquiring both strong legal skills and familiarity with business concepts. The curriculum features a combination of lecture-style and skill-based courses taught principally in a workshop format. You also have the option of enrolling in electives through the renowned USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Mandatory Courses

Business Organizations

Entertainment Law

Intellectual Property

Electives

• Antitrust Law I
• Computer Science for Lawyers
• Contract Drafting, Analysis and Negotiation (LLM)
• Counseling the Startup
• Current Issues Challenging the Industry
• Dealmaking in the Entertainment Industry
• First Amendment
• Information Privacy Law
• Music Law in Practice
• Negotiation Theory and Application
• Patent Drafting and Prosecution
• Patent Law
• Secured Transactions
• Sports Law
• TV and Digital Media: Business and Legal Issues

Electives: USC School of Cinematic Arts

• Digital Technologies and the Entertainment Industry
• Entertainment Marketing in Today's Environment
• Feature Film Financing and the Studio System
• Seminar in Motion Picture Business
• The Business of Representation
• The Television Industry: Networks, Cable and the Internet
• The World of the Producer

You may choose to take one of the above courses at USC Cinematic Arts. To request enrollment, email gipreg@law.usc.edu with the course name and number.

Not all courses are offered every year. Courses are open to all students, not just those pursuing a certificate. You must earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.6 in your certificate coursework to receive the certificate.

Per American Bar Association requirements, courses taken outside USC Gould do not count toward the LLM degree. In addition, the New York Bar does not recognize USC School of Cinematic Arts courses.

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