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Professor Dr. Susan Thornton

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Susan Thornton is a retired senior U.S. diplomat with decades of experience at the U.S. State Department, specializing in Eurasia and East Asia. She currently serves as a Visiting Lecturer in Law and Senior Fellow at the Yale Law School's Paul Tsai China Center. Thornton has held notable roles, including Acting Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the Department of State in July 2018, where she was instrumental in shaping U.S. policy amid significant challenges such as North Korea's provocations and escalating trade tensions with China. Her career has included leadership positions in U.S. embassies in Central Asia, Russia, the Caucasus, and China, focusing on U.S. relations in these regions. She holds an M.A. in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies and a B.A. from Bowdoin College, where she studied Economics and Russian. Additionally, Thornton is involved with nonprofit boards and speaks Mandarin and Russian fluently.

Research Interests

U.S.-China Diplomacy International Relations East Asian Policy

Experience

Visiting Lecturer

2020-01-01 — Present

Yale Law School • New Haven, CT

Teaching courses on U.S.-China diplomacy and contemporary China.

Senior Fellow

2020-01-01 — Present

Paul Tsai China Center, Yale Law School • New Haven, CT

Conducting research and analysis on U.S.-China relations.

Acting Assistant Secretary

2018-07-01 — 2018-12-31

U.S. Department of State • Washington, D.C.

Led East Asia policy-making during crisis periods.

Nonresident Senior Fellow

2019-01-01 — Present

Brookings Institution • Washington, D.C.

Contributing insights on international security and policy matters.

Courses

Contemporary China Research Seminar U.S.-China Diplomacy: Policy, Law, Strategy

Requirements for Yale Law School

Master Program

Requirements

TOEFL
Total
Required:100

Prerequisites

Bachelor's degree

Application Checklist

  • LSAC LLM CAS registration
  • TOEFL scores
  • Two to four letters of recommendation
  • Official transcripts
  • Two required essays (1,000 words and 250 words)
  • Curriculum vitae

Specialization Notes

Department of Law offers the Master of Laws (LL.M.) program.