Master in the Study of Law

Work that involves the legal system touches many professions beyond the immediate practice of law. In fact, every industry must comply with legal rules, regulations, and laws—and those industries all need professionals adept at navigating that legal terrain.

Hamline’s Master in the Study of Law combines the foundational training of an ABA-approved paralegal certificate with specific, in-depth study in a chosen concentration area providing a highly-nuanced understanding of how the law and legal system impact your work. Many courses are available online.

Graduate students who have already earned a paralegal degree or certificate from an ABA-approved paralegal program in the past ten years can earn the master’s degree in only 22 credits. In this case, students can choose to earn the degree entirely online. Please see the program website or contact Hamline’s legal studies department for more information.

On completion of the Master in the Study of Law from Hamline, students will be able to:

Demonstrate competence in key foundational areas of U.S. law including mastering knowledge of the structure, components, and functioning of the U.S. legal systems.
Find, synthesize, and explain the reasoning and rules contained in legal authorities and apply them to a variety of legal situations using rule based reasoning.
Master appropriate strategies and technologies to retrieve, use, and manage research materials and digital information effectively and efficiently, including effective legal citation.
Understand and fulfill ethical obligations required of professionals who work in legal environments.
Apply advanced legal knowledge and skills in legal practice experience.
Master the skills and knowledge in a specific area:
- Conflict Resolution
- Educational Law Compliance
- Litigation Support
- Professional Practice Management
- Social Justice

State Eligibility

Hamline University, like all higher education institutions, must follow individual state regulations before enrolling students outside of Minnesota in its online programs. Hamline can enroll students residing in most states, but please confirm whether your state is among the eligible states.

MSL Degree Requirements (34 credits and 2.0 GPA)

Core Legal Courses and Paralegal Certificate (20 credits):

Concentration (12 credits):

Conflict Resolution Concentration

This concentration is for those who want to understand how alternative legal processes and individual communication skills can be used to peacefully and effectively resolve disputes in organizations, communities, and across cultural and other differences.

And one of:

Educational Law Compliance Concentration

In collaboration with the Hamline School of Education and Leadership, this concentration helps those who are responsible for understanding and complying with laws related to education (e.g., Title IX regulations and union laws) to support schools in compliance.

Litigation Support Concentration

This concentration is for students who want to better understand civil trial practice to work in support roles in law firms, court administration, or whose jobs in corporations routinely require litigation preparation and interaction with legal professionals.

And one of:

Professional Practice Management Concentration

In conjunction with the Hamline School of Business, this concentration helps students understand and navigate the complex business and legal issues facing law firms and other professional practice groups and to lead the business side of those organizations.

Social Justice Concentration

This concentration is for those interested in advocacy roles, activism, and the legal issues that impact individuals and disenfranchised or underrepresented communities.

Choose any three of the following courses:

Capstone (2 credits):

LGST 8495 - Graduate Legal Capstone

Note

The 20-credit core graduate paralegal certificate is approved by the American Bar Association for training paralegals. Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to clients or to the public, except as permitted by law. Neither the paralegal certificate nor the Master in the Study of Law degree qualify the recipient to sit for the bar examination or work as a lawyer.

MSL credits are not transferable to a JD program, should a student decide to pursue a JD after completing MSL courses. Find out more about Hamline’s Paralegal Certificate or practice law with a Juris Doctor from Mitchell Hamline School of Law.