Boston University LLM in Taxation in 2027

Boston University's Master of Laws (LLM) in Taxation is a 24-credit degree for lawyers, taught by practicing tax professionals, and you can complete it in Boston, fully online, or in a mix of both.

Boston University (BU) School of Law has run its Graduate Tax Program since 1959, one of the first graduate tax programs in the nation. You enter with a first law degree, such as a Juris Doctor (JD), a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or an international equivalent, and you leave with advanced training in how tax law works in practice.

Four foundation courses give everyone the same base. After that you pick from more than 40 courses offered each year, covering federal income tax, corporate and partnership tax, international tax, estate planning and financial services taxation. The program director says every course is taught by lawyers who are practicing or recently retired in their subject areas, so you learn from people who handle these matters for clients.

The degree prepares you for careers in law firms, accounting firms, corporations, government agencies and academia. BU Law reports that within nine months of graduation, 95.5% of students from the past five years secured employment in professional services firms, law firms, government agencies and financial services companies.

The school is invited each year to take part in recruiting programs including the Tax Attorney Recruiting Event and the International Student Interview Program. A dedicated LLM professional development office handles career support, and you join a global network of more than 3,000 tax alumni.

LLM Guide lists the program among its Top 10 for US tax law in 2026, and the school's site cites the National Law Journal placing it second among LLM programs.

Where this degree can lead: Masters in Taxation Jobs.

Who It Fits

• Lawyers who work during the day: classes are scheduled only in the late afternoon and evening, and online students get the recorded lectures within 24 hours.
• Foreign-trained lawyers: a 32-credit, three-semester pathway adds eligibility to sit for the New York Bar, and a two-year format helps international students strengthen their English and academic skills first.
• Boston University JD students: an accelerated dual degree earns both the JD and the LLM in six semesters, and there's a seven-semester option too.
• Estate planning specialists: you can pursue estate planning as a formal concentration that appears on your transcript, built from three required courses and three of nine electives.
• Lawyers drawn to international work: the school offers separate inbound and outbound international tax courses, among many others.

You complete at least 24 credits with a cumulative grade point average of 2.3 or higher, and you don't need a thesis, though you can pursue independent research or faculty-supervised projects. You take four required courses. The first is Federal Income Tax 1 (TX 901). Next comes Federal Income Tax 2 (TX 902). The other two are Introduction to Corporate Tax (TX 933) and Partnership Tax (TX 930).

Tax 1 covers gross income, deductions and timing for individual taxpayers. Tax 2 takes up property, including realization, basis, debt, depreciation, capital gains and installment sales. Corporate Tax works through incorporation, distributions, redemptions and liquidations, and Partnership Tax covers subchapter K and how partnerships and limited liability companies are taxed. You also meet an ethics requirement, either through Tax Practice and Procedure (TX 907) or the zero-credit Tax Ethics Workshop.

For electives you can go in several directions. Estate Planning (TX 935) looks at real-world strategies using income, estate and gift tax. Inbound International Tax (TX 953) and Outbound International Tax (TX 939) split the cross-border rules by direction. Newer subjects include Tax and Regulation of Cryptocurrency (TX 989) and Tax Fraud and Technology (TX 996).

Writing for Tax Practice (TX 992) has you draft client letters, internal memoranda and responses to Internal Revenue Service information document requests. Concentrations are offered in Estate Planning, General Business Taxation, International Taxation and Financial Services.

Outside the classroom, you get hands-on practice through United States Tax Court observations, tax research and advanced Excel workshops, and the program runs several courses on tax technology and the software tools tax lawyers use.

Courses the School Names

• Estate Planning (TX 935)
• State and Local Tax (TX 928)
• Inbound International Tax (TX 953)
• Outbound International Tax (TX 939)
• Tax and Regulation of Cryptocurrency (TX 989)
• Tax Fraud and Technology (TX 996)
• Corporate Reorganizations (TX 924)

Standout Features

• Annual Tax LLM job fair and a global alumni network of 3,000+ professionals
• Over 40 advanced tax courses available annually to residential and online students alike

Full-time students finish in two consecutive semesters, registering for 12 credits, which is generally six classes. Part-time students register for anywhere from 2 to 10 credits and must finish within four years, though the school notes that part-time students may take up to eight semesters.

You can start in fall, spring or summer, and summer courses are designed to set you up before the regular semester begins. If you're a Boston University JD student, the six-semester and seven-semester dual degree options fold the LLM into your law school years.

Boston University reports a graduate charge of $2,083 per credit to federal data, and you'll need at least 24 credits to graduate. Studying online doesn't change the price: online students pay the same LLM tuition rate as residential Tax LLM students. If you plan to use federal financial aid, register for at least 6 credits in a semester, and that's the minimum the law school sets for aid eligibility.

You can complete the LLM in Taxation fully online, in Boston, or both. The online degree has the same curriculum, faculty and degree as the residential program. Residential lectures are recorded and posted within 24 hours, and most professors also hold live video classes.

One student who spent a first semester on campus and a second online said the recordings are great and that most teachers do live Zoom classes, so you feel you're there in person. Another online student said the experience matched in-person attendance for content and professor access.

Online students are also included in networking and community events through student organizations and BU Law events.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

Students quoted on BU's site speak well of the faculty and the format. An online student called the faculty excellent, all actual tax practitioners with a very practical approach to the material. A student quoted by the school in 2024 said BU Law is very welcoming to international students and makes sure every student understands the concepts.

A prospective student posting on a law school forum on Reddit in 2026, comparing tax LLM offers, pointed to Boston's roughly nine international tax courses as a draw. LLM Guide's 2026 list of programs for United States tax law calls the program's flexibility a major strength.

• Which electives will run in the semesters I plan to enroll, and how many of them are available online?
• How do recorded lectures and live sessions work in a typical online course?
• Can I combine on-campus and online semesters if my schedule changes?
• Which concentration or emphasis area fits my practice, and what does the transcript show?
• How does the program connect students with firms, and how does it include online students in recruiting events?

A private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. Its School of Law has run a Graduate Tax Program since 1959.

• Best Master's in Taxation Rank 31 of 78, master's
• Online Master's in Taxation Rank 16 of 41, master's
• Best 100% Online Programs Rank 15 of 40, master's
• Part-Time Programs Rank 17 of 39, master's
• Best for Working Professionals Rank 20 of 46, master's
• Best for Parents Rank 20 of 46, master's
• Private University Programs Rank 17 of 43, master's
• LLM in Taxation Rank 15 of 22, master's
• International Taxation Rank 8 of 12, master's
• Best Programs in Massachusetts Rank 1 of 4, master's

• Master in the Study of Tax Law

  MSL-Tax, Master's

  Fully Online Score 43.5

• Georgetown University

  Master of Studies in Law in Taxation

  District of Columbia Score 57.3

• University of Washington

  Master of Science in Taxation

  Washington Score 57.0

• Northwestern University

  Taxation

  Illinois Score 57.5

• University at Albany

  Master of Science in Taxation

  New York Score 57.7