A clear-eyed look at your next degree
A Master of Legal Studies builds legal knowledge for work in compliance, business, HR, and other nonlawyer roles. Find your study path, then compare university courses, prices, and attendance requirements.
Find programs that fit where and how you want to study.
Start with what matters to you
The right program needs to fit your budget and your everyday life as well as your ambitions.
Compare online legal studies programs, live class schedules, and any required campus visits.
Best online programsLook at degree tuition, credit requirements, and the fees to ask about before you apply.
Compare program costsExplore legal master’s programs with documented military benefits and university support.
Military and veteran optionsA Degree That Fits Your Life
Compare nine military-friendly legal studies programs by documented tuition benefits, VA rules, deployment policies, and online attendance.
9 Reviewed ProgramsCompare eight faith-based legal studies programs by religious identity, Christian coursework, tuition, online format and required campus visits.
8 Reviewed ProgramsCompare legal studies programs for working professionals: master’s coursework, weekly schedules, part-time pacing, campus travel, and practical tradeoffs.
7 Reviewed ProgramsCompare legal studies programs for career changers by foundation courses, career-focused subjects, applied work, and admission without a law background.
7 Reviewed ProgramsBegin your university shortlist
An editorial shortlist of reviewed programs. See how programs are selected.
Legal knowledge, applied to your work
An MLS can help you read a contract more carefully, spot a compliance issue, or work more effectively with legal counsel. It isn’t a substitute for the JD and bar admission needed to practice as an attorney.
Start with the work you want to do. Then look for a curriculum that gives you something concrete to bring back to it.
Understand MLS vs. JDYour search starts close to home
Find local universities, compare online alternatives, and understand the compliance job market where you live.
Before you apply
The value question
Match the expense to a specific career need, and consider the alternatives.
Where it can take you
Explore compliance, contracts, human resources, and related work.
Plan your budget
Compare total tuition and build a budget around your actual study plan.
Legal Studies Blog
Before You Apply
Compare MLS application requirements at Arizona, USC, and Vanderbilt, then prepare a statement, references, and transcripts that fit each program.
Read the ArticleInside the Curriculum
Compare legal studies concentrations through courses, electives, and scheduling, with examples from Arizona, Wake Forest, and Northeastern.
Read the ArticleStudy Around Your Life
Compare online MLS class schedules, asynchronous work, live sessions, and campus requirements using Wake Forest, Northwestern, and Pepperdine examples.
Read the ArticleThese programs serve people with a bachelor’s degree who want to understand legal issues in their existing or intended profession. An MLS can be relevant to compliance, business, human resources, healthcare administration, and contracts work. Admission and concentration options vary by university.
Universities use several degree names, including Master of Legal Studies, Master of Studies in Law, Master of Science in Law, and Master of Jurisprudence. Compare the intended audience and courses rather than assuming the initials tell you everything. This site focuses on master’s programs that admit people without a prior law degree.
An MLS does not itself qualify you for admission to the bar. If practicing law is your goal, investigate the JD and the bar admission rules in your intended jurisdiction. A legal studies master’s is designed for a different purpose.
