Our 30-credit MLS Program can be completed on a flexible schedule, allowing working professionals and those with personal commitments to earn their degrees without sacrificing their responsibilities. Students can earn their degree fully online on a part-time schedule in five semesters, or 20 months, by taking two courses per term.
Our concentrations align with Emory’s areas of expertise. They reflect the domains where we have deep knowledge and a strong reputation.
Degree Requirements Overview
Students must complete 30 credit hours to earn their Master of Legal Studies.
core courses make up 12 credit hours
elective and concentration courses make up 18 credit hours
Learning Outcomes
Our curriculum aims to cultivate your ability to understand and analyze legal issues, collaborate with legal experts, and apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to various professional contexts. You’ll learn to think like a lawyer and make strategic business decisions based on legal knowledge. In our program, students will:
identify, examine, and understand legal issues and regulatory frameworks and the potential impacts on a particular workplace or industry
demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively with legal professionals regarding issues and decisions related to the law
demonstrate critical thinking, issue spotting, risk assessment, problem solving, and conflict resolution skills
demonstrate clear, persuasive written and oral communication skills related to legal and business issues
demonstrate knowledge of the sources of law and the distinction between federal and state governments and courts in the United States
recognize the relevant practice limitations on non-lawyer professionals who engage with legal issues
Flexible Coursework
Most of our coursework can be completed asynchronously on your schedule through flexible assignments, virtual office hours, and interactive discussion boards. However, our MLS incorporates three synchronous experiences that allow students to connect with their peers and professors in an online environment. At the beginning of the program, students complete a 10-day asynchronous course, MLS Law Foundations, and then participate in a virtual synchronous Bootcamp where they learn how to read, analyze, and brief a case. Students will also get an introduction to the first two core classes, (1) Introduction to the American Legal System and (2) Analysis, Research, and Communication (ARC) for Professionals.
In addition to the required Virtual Boot Camp, students can participate in two optional synchronous experiences. Students seeking connection and networking opportunities are encouraged to take the Dispute Resolution course, where they can participate in the Dispute Resolution Residency, a two-day workshop where students engage with each other using the principles they learned in the class.
Coursework and Format
Your coursework will vary depending on the instructor and course. Students will engage with the material in a wide variety of ways, demonstrate their understanding, and learn together. Some coursework may include:
quizzes
written assignments
interactive discussions
oral assessments
group projects
Course Descriptions
Core Courses
Four core courses are required.
Introduction to the American Legal System (3 hours)
This course delves into the sources and structures shaping law in the United States. During the course, students will explore the four primary sources of law that shape the legal landscape in the United States: the US Constitution, statutes, case (common) law, and administrative law. Students will also examine how federalism has shaped the US legal system and will become familiar with the structure and interactions of courts in the US legal system.
Analysis, Research, and Communications (ARC) for Professionals (3 hours)
This course explores the genre of legal writing. While legal writing follows many of the conventions of more general business writing, legal writing also requires solid legal-research skills. Legal writing thrives on analysis that is complete, correct, and concise. Effective legal writers apply editing techniques to tailor each message for its purpose and audience. This course offers the foundations needed in order to be successful throughout the remainder of this MLS Program.
Contracts for Professionals (3 hours)
This class is a survey course exploring the legal industry and roles of various legal professionals. The regulation of the legal profession, and in particular of licensed attorneys, influences and even determines what the US legal infrastructure is capable of delivering to stakeholders such as clients, courts, and the public. The “guild” of licensed attorneys can seem like a closed universe, and indeed the practice of law remains a monopoly. But the US legal infrastructure has never been more ready for disruption, with opportunities for policy makers, entrepreneurs, and advocates to shape the future of lawyering and the legal profession.
Law and Legal Professionals (3 hours)
This class is a survey course exploring the legal industry and roles of various legal professionals. The regulation of the legal profession, and in particular of licensed attorneys, influences and even determines what the US legal infrastructure is capable of delivering to stakeholders such as clients, courts, and the public. The “guild” of licensed attorneys can seem like a closed universe, and indeed the practice of law remains a monopoly. But the US legal infrastructure has never been more ready for disruption, with opportunities for policy makers, entrepreneurs, and advocates to shape the future of lawyering and the legal profession.
Elective Courses
Students choose six courses for a total of 18 credit hours.
All Purpose
Administrative Law (3 hours)
This course is specifically designed for MLS students, and as such, it differs from any administrative law courses offered for JD students. Administrative law is the law about agencies. Over the course of your life and career, you may come across state administrative agencies: Departments of Motor Vehicles, zoning boards, health inspection agencies, state medical boards. This course is about federal administrative agencies—for example, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Labor Relations Board, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Dispute Resolution Courses and Residency (3 hours)
This is not a course about the cases, statutes, and regulations that make up law. Instead, it is about a process within the legal community. If law is how we order society, then a big part of that ordering is the resolution of disorder—the resolution of disputes. All students enrolled in this course must also enroll in the Dispute Resolution Residency.
Please note: This class is taught in a simulation format and will be different from a standard online-style course in terms of group work and successive assignments. Students enrolling in Dispute Resolution must also enroll in Dispute Resolution Residency.
This course will focus on strategies and skills necessary to influence the federal legislative decision-making process including lobbying, media advocacy, and coalition-building. The advocacy skills and strategies discussed in this course can be applied to other areas of government including administrative, state, and local government.
Health Care Law, Policy, and Regulation
Legal and Ethical Issues: Mental Health (3 hours)
This course explores important areas of health law that relate to both administrative oversight of healthcare facilities (public and private) and to the importance of individual rights (constitutional and statutory) in mental disability law. This course is also the gateway to any advanced study in other related areas of mental disability law.
Health Care Regulation (3 hours)
Health care is one of the largest sectors of the economy, and the practice of health law is growing. This course is an introduction to regulatory health law. The course will address selected topics in health law related to issues of quality, access, and cost.
Topics include: licensing of health care providers and institutions, confidentiality, informed consent, individual and institutional obligations to provide care, disability and race discrimination in access to care, health care reform, ERISA preemption, public and private health insurance structures, and drug pricing.
Corporate Health Law (3 hours)
This course focuses on business transactions between health care entities (nonprofit or for-profit) and/or health care professionals. This course provides an overview of the regulatory steps, due diligence, transactional mechanisms, and deal documents that are generally incorporated as part of a health care transaction. After completing this course, you will be able to understand the mechanics of a health care transaction, issue spot health care regulatory issues related to the transaction, and critically analyze whether the transaction will lead to cost-effective health care.
Public Health Law (3 hours)
Public health is the science of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities. It includes research on disease and injury prevention, promoting healthy behaviors and lifestyles through education and advocacy, and preventing and responding to infectious disease outbreaks.
Artificial Intelligence in Health Care for Professionals (3 hours)
This course will discuss the law and ethics of AI use across health care organizations, including operational improvement AI, diagnostic AI, and AI-enabled medical devices.
Business Law and Regulation
Business Associations for Professionals (3 hours)
In this course, together we will explore the key legal considerations required for an entrepreneur to create and sustain a successful startup. The course is based on a detailed, engaging scenario in which you will play the role of either an investor or an inventor in a series of meetings between the entrepreneurs and a lawyer. Through individual exercises, collaborations in small groups, and class discussions, you will put yourself in the position of an entrepreneur who is navigating the legal hurdles to set up a viable business and realize your personal and financial goals. Please note: this class is taught in a simulation format, and will be different from a standard online-style course in terms of group work and successive assignments.
Business Transactions in Practice (3 hours)
In this simulation-based course, students explore the world of business transactions. The course is designed to help students identify legal issues in business contracts and transactions, draft or revise (subject to legal review) contracts or transaction documents that are regularly encountered in business deals, and function as an efficient and effective member of a working group.
Please note: this class is taught in a simulation format, and will be different from a standard online-style course in terms of group work and successive assignments.
Business Compliance and Oversight (3 hours)
This course surveys various laws and regulations at the state, national, and international level impacting businesses of all types. From employer-employee relations and workplace safety to financial regulation and consumer protection, this course introduces you to the fundamentals of key regulatory regimes as they apply to business.
Data Management, Privacy, and Cybersecurity (3 hours)
Organizations and individuals face a myriad of complex threats to the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of their data in this highly networked and internet dependent world. External and internal organizational cyber threats, regulatory requirements, privacy concerns, and cybersecurity risk awareness increasingly dictate organizational and individual behavior and activities. This course provides an in-depth look at cybersecurity and privacy laws and regulations, data management and data breach response after creating a sound background in the technology that underpins these topics. Topics will include computer networking and security, identity theft and identity protection laws, industry-specific cybersecurity regulations, IoT privacy regulations and standards, data breach response, and planning to secure and manage data.
Employment Law and Human Resources
Students who choose the Employment Law and Human Resources concentration must also take two Business Law and Regulation electives.
Employment Law for Professionals (3 hours)
This course will focus on general employment law terms and relationships, employment contracts, wage and hour law, whistleblower laws, workers compensation law, employee speech and privacy law, and the Family and Medical Leave Act.
Employment Discrimination for Professionals (3 hours)
This course will focus on those areas of employment discrimination law that a non-lawyer HR professional will likely encounter, including but not limited to harassment, racial discrimination, sex discrimination, and disability discrimination. Course material will focus primarily on federal statutory law and relevant constitutional law.
Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Technology Law
Students who choose the Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Technology Law concentration must also take two Business Law and Regulation electives.
Intellectual Property Applications (3 hours)
This course covers various types of intellectual property including copyright, patent, trademark, and trade secret. After completing this course, students will be able to apply the appropriate IP type to a particular situation and understand agreements typically tied to IP.
Foundations of Law and Artificial Intelligence (3 hours)
This course will discuss the legal development of AI in the United States, the state of the law, applicable regulations, current legal issues, and how to mitigate legal risks.
Artificial Intelligence in Health Care for Professionals (3 hours)
This course will discuss the law and ethics of AI use across health care organizations, including operational improvement AI, diagnostic AI, and AI-enabled medical devices.
