Program for Non-JD Students/Master of Legal Studies (MLS)

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The MLS program is a customized curriculum — students may specialize in a particular area or take a broad range of law courses to develop a general understanding of the legal system. Counselors from the Office of Graduate and International Programs work with each student to identify the best combination of courses to fit individual career or enrichment goals.

As most law courses are open to MLS students, students are able to work with exceptional faculty and interact with classmates from across the world. Although course offerings vary from year to year, prospective students can get a sense of typical offerings by viewing the Course Directory.

Students are required to complete successfully Introduction to US Law and Methods either online (prior to beginning the degree) or in the first semester of the MLS program. Additionally, students are encouraged to enroll in one traditional first-year law course as a basis for understanding the Socratic Method and common law analysis.

Interested candidates must submit:

  1. An application;
  2. A current resume; and
  3. Official academic transcripts (in English) from all undergraduate, graduate and professional schools attended, whether or not a degree was awarded, with class rank.

Application Requirements

Admissions criteria include strong prior educational and professional credentials, a clear sense of why a candidate is pursuing an MLS, and how advanced legal studies would contribute to the candidate professionally and personally. Applicants to the MLS program do not need to submit an LSAT score.

Completion of the MLS degree requires students to earn 24 academic credits at WashULaw. Students may study full-time or part-time. Students may complete the degree in as few as two semesters full-time but no more than eight semesters part-time.

NOTE: MLS degree credits do not transfer to the JD program at WashULaw.

For more information, contact Asst. Dean Tomea Mersmann.