佩珀代因大學(xué)

The legal system affects nearly every industry in some way. Whether professionals want to improve their current job performance or move into a different field, they can enhance their knowledge of US law and important legal concepts with a degree in legal studies.

Through Pepperdine Caruso School of Law’s online Master of Legal Studies program, students gain a solid understanding of many fundamental areas of the law without having to become a practicing attorney. Unlike traditional JD programs, no LSAT scores are required to apply to Pepperdine’s online program, and the program can be completed in as few as 16 months.

To effectively analyze legal situations or perform law-related responsibilities, professionals need to know the right questions to ask and how to approach legal challenges. Employers value individuals who can apply complex legal reasoning to their tasks. Our Master of Legal Studies program provides students with the tools to think critically about the wide range of legal subjects covered in our curriculum.

Master of Legal Studies Curriculum

The Master of Legal Studies curriculum focuses on areas of law that touch nearly every industry, including legal research, litigation, regulatory compliance, negotiation, and torts. The program consists of 32 units and can be completed on a full-time basis in as few as 16 months or a part-time basis in 28 months.

Core Courses

Consisting of 18 units, the foundation and core courses provide students with a fundamental understanding of legal concepts and procedures. Courses include Contracts, Legal Writing, Civil Procedure and Litigation, Constitutional Law, and Criminal Law.

Elective Courses

Students in the program have the ability to customize their curriculum and explore specific areas of law by taking up to 12 general elective courses. These elective courses include Intellectual Property, Business Organizations, Health Law, and Education Law.

Optional Concentrations

As part of the MLS program, students have the opportunity to focus their degree by choosing a concentration in dispute resolution or human resources to achieve their particular needs.

Dispute Resolution

As the need for conflict resolution and negotiation skills increases, a formal background in dispute resolution is an optimal choice for many legal professionals. Students who choose this concentration hone their legal skills in arbitration and conflict Meditation.

Human Resources

Students in this concentration gain a solid understanding of the legal system and employment law. Through specialized course work, students will strengthen their ability to accomplish daily responsibilities such as hiring and termination, non-competition and confidentiality agreements, and salary negotiation.

Learning Outcomes

The online Master of Legal Studies program prepares students to apply their legal knowledge to critical reasoning, written and oral communication, and professional skills. Upon completion of the legal studies program, graduates will:

Identify and interpret foundational legal concepts in the areas of substantive law, legal theory, and procedure.
Use legal analysis to examine and interpret cases, statutes, and regulations.
Define the scope of a legal research question, determine key concepts, and retrieve relevant information using simple search techniques.
Describe the fundamental structure and process for how the US legal system works, with emphasis specific to their area of interest.
Recognize basic and obvious ethical issues and grasp the complexities or interrelationships among them.