New Master of Science in Law Degree

The Master of Science in Law (“M.S.L.”) degree is a graduate-level, academic degree designed to help non-lawyers enhance their professional knowledge by providing them with a solid foundation in the law. This degree provides knowledge of a broad range of essential law and educates students in the role of the United States legal system in creating, operating, safely managing, and maintaining businesses while navigating the many relevant state and federal laws. This degree allows graduates to also focus on one or more areas that relate to their professional interests and goals.

While the Master of Science in Law has applicability across a range of professions, this is especially so for professionals in fields significantly affected by law, such as criminal justice, human resources, accounting, finance, information technology, real estate management and development, business management, health care, and consulting.

Our M.S.L. degree is offered in-person at our campus in Andover with students attending class two days per week. A small portion of classes are offered in a hybrid fashion with one of the three classes each week offered online. Students can take their two electives online. Students can pursue their degree by beginning their studies in either the Fall or Spring semester and earn their degree either full-time or part-time during the day or evening.

To obtain a Master of Science in Law degree, students must complete their 24 credits in core required legal and business studies courses including their capstone project as well as six credits of law and business electives.

Fall Semester
*Course No. 105 Civil Procedure and Conflict Resolution – 4 credits
*Course No. 130 Business Entitle & Operations – 5 credits
*Course No. 681 Critical Thinking and Communication – 3 credits
If a student is attending full time, then the student chooses a 3-credit elective in their
area of interest in either:
**Course No. 668 Human Resources Law – 3 credits
**Course No. 665 Financial Literacy – 3 credits

Spring Semester
*Course No. 132 Contracts – 5 credits
*Course No. 107 Torts: Liability for Civil Wrongs – 4 credits
Course No. 684 Legal and Professional Analysis and Communication—Capstone
Project
If full time, then a student chooses a 3-credit elective in either:
**Course No. 390 Business Management Law – 3 credits
**Course No. 704 Project Management and the Law – 3 credits

The total cost of our M.S.L. program is the same per credit hour as our law school tuition. The cost is $865 per credit hour. Please review MSLAW’s Consumer Information, its FAQ, rules and policies, website and Student Guide regarding any questions you may have. You may also always contact the Admissions Office or Dean’s Office by phone, mail, or email on whatever question you may have. One of MSLAW’s goals in educating its students is for them upon graduation, to be immediately able to represent their clients and assist their businesses, employees, and communities in a skilled, professional, and civil manner. Thus, MSLAW has identified the core Competencies needed to accomplish our goals for M.L.S. students.
These competencies are:

1. The possession of knowledge of a range of core substantive essential subjects.
   
2. The ability to read competently and analyze opinions, statutes, and regulations.
   
3. The ability to speak articulately and write effectively in a variety of settings,
   including professional documents and memoranda.
   
4. The ability to effectively analyze, strategize solutions to problems, and help
   implement those solutions.
   
5. The ability to identify relevant legal issues and correspondingly plan courses of
   action.
   
6. Knowledge of, and the ability to learn and use, relevant business, social, political,
   economic, and other “non-legal” facts and principles to identify and help solve business
   and legal issues.
   
7. Knowledge of relevant technologies—both existing and emerging—and to
   effectively use that information in the field.
   
8. Sensitivity to the need for practical cost-effective resolution of matters.
   
9. The ability to recognize and respond appropriately to the ethical and moral
   problems that continue to arise in business and law.
   
10. The ability to behave professionally, including acting with appropriate civility,
    politeness, promptness, and professionalism.

To ensure mastering these competencies, MSLAW requires its students to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0. Students whose cumulative grade point averages fall below 2.0 are placed on Academic Probation, and these students have one semester to raise their cumulative grade point average above a 2.0. Students who fail a class may retake the class and, if successful, replace the previous grade. Interested students should understand that unlike the Juris Doctor degree, this M.S.L. does not qualify students to take the bar examination. Students desiring to take the bar exam and practice law need to complete our traditional 3-year or 4-year program.

Students may pursue both degrees — a Master of Science in Law and a Juris Doctor —simultaneously.