Master of Legal Studies: A Smart Investment or Not? How to Decide if an MLS Degree is Right for You

If you want a graduate legal degree but don’t want or need to go to law school, a Master of Legal Studies (MLS) may be just for you. This previously overlooked legal studies program gives students the legal background of a juris doctor (JD) in less time.

If you get your MLS, you won’t be able to sit for the bar exam. On the other hand, you’ll have the legal knowledge you need to move into a wide range of other legal-adjacent careers that need someone who can “think like a lawyer.”

In this article we will review what a Master of Legal Studies degree is, how it differs from a law degree, and some career options available for the MLS graduate.

What is a Master of Legal Studies (MLS) Degree?

A Master of Legal Studies (MLS) is a graduate degree for those who want a career in the legal field but don’t want to sit through law school and become a lawyer. After you finish your MLS, you’ll have much of the same knowledge as someone with a JD, although you won’t be able to practice law.

The Master of Legal Studies degree is worth it if you’re a legal assistant or paralegal, have an LLM or bachelor’s degree, or work in an area where you interact with attorneys and need to understand the law. If you work in human resources, regulatory compliance, or administration, an MLS can help you understand the language of contracts and legislation. Students planning a career in these areas can get a leg up in a competitive field by starting out with an advanced degree already in hand.

The average cost of law school in 2023 was $230,163 for tuition and living expenses. Thanks to the rise of law-related careers that don’t require law degrees, many colleges now offer graduate degrees in legal studies. The MLS is only one of these degrees. Others include Liberty University’s Juris Master and Regent Law School’s Master of Arts in Law. All these degrees are advanced programs that give students advanced degrees without the added pressure of law school.

Who Should Consider an MLS Degree?

The MLS degree is the ideal degree for those who want advanced legal knowledge but don’t want to work exclusively in the legal field. The MLS is a master’s degree, so it is good for jobs that want either legal knowledge or a master’s. For instance, if you work in the healthcare field, an administrative position might require a master’s degree. A medical regulatory opening might require a law degree. The MLS brackets both, so you have the necessary education whether you’re already working in the field or seeking a career.

An MLS may be preferable for someone already established in their field rather than looking to make a big career change. A JD is a demanding degree and will take several years of your life to complete. If you only want a career boost within your current career track or a lateral move to the legal department within your current company, the MLS can give you everything you need.

Key Benefits of an MLS Degree

The specialized knowledge you can gain with your MLS is a great advantage in starting or advancing your career. The legal studies degree applies to many law-adjacent careers, such as contract negotiations, regulatory compliance, and human resources management.

The MLS gives you additional insight into the job if you’re already working in a position that utilizes legal knowledge. For instance, Texas A&M’s MLS in Business Law and Compliance focuses on:

• Advanced Business Law

• Employment Law

• White Collar Crime

• Transactions with Government

• Insurance Law

• Risk Transfer

If you’re already working in a corporate or government job, these skills can open better positions, higher pay, and other opportunities.

What Can You Do with an MLS Degree?

You can take a non-specialized MLS degree and use it to further your career in HR, business, or healthcare. Because of the advantages of an advanced legal degree for those who don’t plan to become litigators, many colleges, like Texas A&M and Liberty University, have added specializations to the standard master’s degree.

Texas A&M gives graduates the option of MLS degrees in:

• Business Law and Compliance

• Cybersecurity Law and Policy

• Energy and Environmental Law

• Energy, Oil, and Gas Law

• Health Law, Policy, and Management

• HR & Employment Law

• Real Estate & Construction Law

• Risk Management

• Wealth Management

These degrees add focused curriculums and courses to the basic MLS courseload. For instance, someone already working in cybersecurity would take master-level classes in cybersecurity law, compliance, digital forensics, and incident response. This gives you increased value as an IT professional to your company.

Liberty University’s Juris Master program also features several specialty degrees, including:

• American Legal Studies

• Compliance

• Health Law

• International Legal Studies

Each courseload gives the student a good grounding in basic masters-level law, plus graduate course work in the specialization. For instance, the Health Law JM includes legal ethics, compliance, fraud and abuse, and medical malpractice. Anyone working in the legal department of a healthcare facility or insurance company would benefit from this enhanced degree.

Is an MLS Degree a Good Investment?

If you’re not planning on attending law school, getting your MLS is a good way to gain the same legal knowledge at less cost. An MLS degree is about the same cost per unit, but can be completed in as few as nine months. An online MLS degree may be even less expensive. When you get your MLS, attending an accredited school and taking the bar exam are not factors.

There are other things to consider. If you need to work or care for your family while studying, the flexibility of online classes can’t be overstated. If you must spread your classes out over a year or two, the online structure allows you to do so.

The MLS can be completed in less time, even if your work schedule requires you to spread your courses over a year or two. Depending on whether you already had a job when you began your degree program, the MLS could boost your weekly earnings by $500, a monthly pay increase of $2000.

Comparing MLS Programs

School	Type of Program	Specializations	Course Load
Arizona State U	Online, In-Person	Business Law Criminal Law Indian Gaming	30 units, plus specializations
UCLA School of Law	Online, In-Person, Hybrid	Business Law Employment Law Entertainment/Media Criminal Law	26 units, plus specializations
Drexel Kline School of Law	Online	Cybersecurity Regulatory Compliance Healthcare Compliance Financial Compliance Biomedicine	45 units
Regent Law	Online	Immigration Law Regulatory Compliance Nonprofit Law National Security	32 units

These programs are part of the university’s law schools. The same career counselors and guidance centers can assist with a transition to law school if you decide a law degree is part of your future. Internships are part of the courseload, and mentoring programs are available after you complete your degree.

Online vs. In-Person MLS Programs: Which is Right for You?

Now that online learning has become more popular amongst students, colleges and universities offer bachelor’s, master’s, and JD programs online. Working professionals often find that the benefits of an online program mesh well with their busy schedule. Parents with children who can’t take time away from home to sit in an in-person class all day may need the flexibility of an online or hybrid program.

There are pros and cons to getting your advanced degree online.

Pros:

• Online programs may be cheaper. Sometimes you don’t even have textbooks or case books, since your materials can be downloaded for the class.

• You can set your own schedule. Some classes are live or have live breakout sessions, but lectures are often recorded so you can watch at your own pace. If you work or have family commitments, this means you can attend class around your existing schedule.

• Many classes are “asynchronous,” meaning there’s no set start or end time. In some schools, you can pick up a course whenever you have the opportunity, and complete it at your leisure, as long as you start and end the course during the regular semester.

Cons:

• You must be very self-motivated. You must have the focus to sit and study just as if you were in a regular classroom every day. If you are not internally motivated, an online course is not for you.

• You won’t have the “campus experience.” Although students getting their master’s degree aren’t on campus for social life, some students need the face-to-face interaction that Zoom and Skype won’t give you. If you’re a people person, you may find online courses lacking.

• Even today, technical problems are an issue for some people. You must have a reliable high-speed Internet connection. Nothing ruins your day like losing a connection during a test. You may need a dedicated connection if you share a home with gaming spouses or children.

How to Decide if an MLS Degree is Worth It for You

Management can benefit directly from legal knowledge with an MLS. Insurance, compliance, and contracts are all legal documents. Administrators should know what they’re looking at when they sign these documents or tell their workers to have customers and clients sign them. Knowing what you’re doing can save you much time and stress later if something happens.

If you want to take your MLS into another field, legal careers that don’t require a JD but need an advanced degree with a law specialization include:

• Law librarian

• Real estate brokers

• Accounting and bankruptcy specialists

• Regulatory compliance/legal compliance officer

These jobs require an overall knowledge of the law, but a specialization in another field, such as library science, real estate, or accounting. Anyone who likes law but doesn’t want to be restricted to a single practice area may find the MLS is a better degree choice than the JD.

Master of Legal Studies Degree Checklist

If you’ve completed a bachelor’s degree and are thinking about pursuing a graduate diploma, take a few minutes and ask yourself what you want to accomplish with this degree.

1. Do you want to practice law? If you don’t want to be an attorney, consider an MLS before any other legal degree.

2. Do your career goals require legal knowledge? Some students haven’t thought about what they want to do after college. Ask yourself if an advanced degree in law will make an impact in your future.

3. Do you want to start working right away? You can still get your degree, but you may need to tailor your expectations to your work schedule. On the flip side, some companies will pay for part of your degree if it increases your employment value.

4. Do you want online, in-person, or hybrid courses? You’ll need to confirm that your preferred college offers the course style you want.

If you’re still an undergraduate or have finished your bachelor’s degree, you should reach out to the career center at your current school. They can give you advice on how to proceed with your degree program.

If you are currently employed and wonder if an advanced degree will improve your career opportunities, consider some of these questions:

1. What education opportunities are available through your company? Some corporations will pay for schooling or reimburse your tuition once you complete your degree. Check with human resources to see what your business offers.

2. What positions are available in your field? A master’s degree is a specialization in a career field. Consider what positions would be enhanced by an MLS.

3. Will you be working while you complete your degree? An MLS is a considerable investment in time. You may be unavailable for extra work assignments or family events while studying.

4. Will the additional opportunities or job advancements be worth the time and expense of the degree? If you get the promotion or make the transfer to a new company, you want to ensure your new job offers the salary and cachet associated with the degree.

Discuss your plans with your managers and human resources while talking to the schools and career centers. Get advice from mentors in similar positions. If you have an eye on a senior compliance position, for instance, talk it over with someone you know in regulatory management and see if having a degree is worth the effort.

Conclusion: Is a Master of Legal Studies Degree Worth It?

The career benefits of a Master of Legal Studies degree are high, and the time expenditure is much lower than a law degree. The expense depends on your school, so it is worth exploring the various programs and what you want from your graduate degree.

Visit the programs mentioned here and available online and get information from the registrar’s offices. Discussions with your human resources offices, career counselors, and other career coaches can help you focus on the type of MLS you want and the best college to obtain it.

Sources:

• https://law.asu.edu/degree-programs/mls

• https://legalstudiesmastersonline.northeastern.edu/articles/what-is-the-difference-between-legal-studies-vs-law-degree/

• https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/master-of-legal-studies-vs-law-degree

• https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/can-you-take-the-bar-exam-without-going-to-law-school

• https://www.ncbex.org/statistics-research/bar-exam-results-jurisdiction

• https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/what-do-with-juris-doctorate-degree

• https://legalstudiesmastersonline.northeastern.edu/articles/what-can-you-do-with-legal-studies-degree/

• https://www.regent.edu/program/ma-in-law/?site=law

• https://educationdata.org/average-cost-of-law-school

• https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/unemployment-earnings-education.htm

• https://www.harvardonline.harvard.edu/blog/shaping-future-online-learning