Students who enroll in a Master’s in Legal Studies program in Oklahoma often work in legal professions, or in professions that focus on regulation, the legal aspects of health care, arbitration or mediation, or various other careers.
Some examples of other careers that students may work in include environmental agencies, natural resources organizations, government, or business.
One reason that students often choose to earn a master of legal studies is because they do not have to become lawyers to work in their desired career.
The students who choose to complete an Oklahoma Master of Legal Studies program want to enhance their career opportunities or start a new career.
Graduates are better positioned in their current careers to have a deeper understanding of how the law and other industries intersect.
Students who want to change careers or those who want to improve their opportunities for career advancement gain legal expertise that helps them apply their new knowledge and skills to their work.
Earning a Master of Legal Studies increases the earnings potential for program graduates.
The career fields where people in Oklahoma often work after graduation from the program have excellent projected job growth.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that the job growth for environmental specialists is “faster than average,” compared to other occupations.
The anticipated job growth for arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators is also faster than average, through at least the year 2033.
The job growth for healthcare managers and administrators is expected to be at a rate that is much faster than average, compared to other occupations.
Enroll in one of the Oklahoma Master of Legal Studies programs and gain the legal knowledge and skills that are often required in various careers without having to go to law school or go into practice as an attorney.
The programs are affordable and they offer flexibility that allows students to work around their job or other responsibilities.
1 Oklahoma University
Students who pursue the Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program at the University of Oklahoma (OU) take the next step towards accommodating their goal to advance their career or to start a new career.
They follow in the footsteps of students who first stepped through the doors of the school in 1890.
The Oklahoma Territorial Legislature created the University of Oklahoma, which first opened its doors 17 years before Oklahoma became a state.
Five years later, the school had four faculty members, including one female faculty member. The school had 100 students enrolled during the same year.
The University of Oklahoma now has more than 2,600 faculty members, more than 30,000 students, and 20 colleges that offer graduate certificates, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and doctoral professional degrees.
The College of Law, which opened in 1909, is the state’s flagship law school.
Students choose their program from several options, some of which do not require students to earn a juris doctor to practice law.
Students often have the option to complete their program in a traditional on-campus setting, or an online format.
One thing that students are likely to appreciate is that the Master of Legal Studies program is an online program.
Courses Offered
The University of Oklahoma College of Law indicates that its flexible online programs are taught by leading industry experts.
The Master of Legal Studies program is a 15-month program.
Enrolling in a master’s in legal studies program provides students with the legal expertise that they need to work in a variety of careers where legal knowledge and skills are required for their career or the best career enhancement opportunities.
Schools that offer students the opportunity to enroll in their choice of Master of Legal Studies program concentration allow students to gain a strong foundation in the skills needed for their careers.
It also positions them to have a competitive advantage over their peers when applying for jobs or career advancement opportunities.
Students who enroll in the University of Oklahoma’s Online Master of Legal Studies program choose one of three concentrations.
The program concentrations include Energy and Natural Resources Law, Healthcare Law, and Indigenous Peoples Law.
The Energy and Natural Resources Law concentration requires that students complete 32 credit hours.
Some program courses include:
- Foundation of Contract Law for the Energy Industry
- Oil and Gas Regulatory Practices
- Introduction to Property Law and Natural Resources
- Legal Research for the Energy Industry
- Federal Lands Offshore
Some courses that students take when they choose the Healthcare Law concentration include:
- Structure of Healthcare Enterprises: Legal Forms, Governance, and Relationships
- Overview of Public Healthcare Programs
- Fraud and Abuse/False Claims
- Healthcare Transactions and Contracts
- Anti-Trust Issues in Healthcare Delivery
Students who choose the Indigenous Peoples Law concentration complete 33 credit hours. A few of the courses include:
- History of Federal Indian Law and Policy
- Native American Natural Resources
- Criminal Jurisdiction in Indian Country
- Religion, Culture, and Indian Law
- Tribal Courts
The Master of Legal Studies concentration options allow students to focus on their area of interest or their career goals without having to become an attorney.
Many students choose to work in careers outside the field of law, such as in healthcare administration, arbitration and mediation, compliance, natural resources, and business administration.
Contact Information
- Address: OU Law, 300 Timberdell Road, Norman, Oklahoma, 73019
- Phone: 405-325-4699
- Website: Visit School Website
2 Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City University, which sits on 104 park-like acres within Oklahoma City, was founded in 1904.
Former names for the school include its initial name Epworth College.
The school later became the Methodist University of Oklahoma.
It was then named Oklahoma City College, before becoming Oklahoma City University in 1924, after rapid growth in student enrollment.
The school received accreditation from the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges and Secondary Schools during the 1950s.
The Oklahoma City University enrollment now includes more than 1,700 undergraduate students and more than 600 graduate students.
They come from across the U.S. and from 43 other countries.
The school offers more than 70 undergraduate programs and more than 20 graduate degree programs.
One program offered at the school, through the Oklahoma City University School of Law, is the Master of Legal Studies program.
Courses Offered
Students who complete the Master of Legal Studies program at Oklahoma City University gain an understanding of legal authority.
They learn how to interpret sources of legal authority and how to apply them to their work.
The courses in the program also give students the professional research skills and communication skills that they need for a variety of career options.
The School of Law at Oklahoma City University offers two concentration options in its Master of Legal Studies program.
The concentrations include the Government Contracts concentration and the Corporate Compliance in Banking and Finance concentration.
The core curriculum, which students in both concentrations complete, consists of 15 credit hours.
A few core courses include:
- Writing and Professional Communication
- American Legal System and Legal Analysis
- Contracts
- Employment Law
Students who enroll in the Government Contracts Concentration option gain legal and regulatory knowledge and skills.
The advanced skills and knowledge learned in this concentration prepare graduates to help develop and negotiate government contracts.
They are also prepared to execute and manage government contracts.
Some courses in the Government Contracts concentration include:
- Negotiation
- Federal, State, and Local Appropriations
- Federal, State, and Local Contracts and Leases
- Conflicts of Law in Government Contracts
Students who choose the Corporate Compliance in Banking and Finance concentration gain knowledge of the legal and regulatory issues that have an impact on the banking industry and the finance industry.
Graduates also have the knowledge and skills to research complex financial and banking regulations.
They have the skills to analyze and apply those complex regulations to their work.
Some courses in the Corporate Compliance in Banking and Finance concentration include:
- Banking Law
- Business Law
- Banking and Finance Regulatory and Compliance Systems
- Ethics and Compliance
Students who are enrolled in both concentrations complete a capstone project.
Contact Information
- Address: Oklahoma City University College of Law, 800 N. Harvey, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73102
- Phone: 405-208-6400
- Website: Visit School Website
Schools Summary Table
| Rank | School | |
|---|---|---|
|
#1 | Oklahoma University |
|
#2 | Oklahoma City University |
Legal Studies Salary Information
Graduates of Oklahoma Master’s in Legal Studies programs are likely to earn a salary that is higher than the salary of their peers who do not have a master’s in legal studies.
Some other things that affect the salary of Master of Legal Studies program graduates include the career field that they work in, their length of time on the job, and the city that they work in after they earn their graduate degree.
Students who want to work in a certain city in Oklahoma, or who want to choose the best concentration option when they enroll in an Oklahoma Master’s in Legal Studies program likely want to know the average salary for those cities and career fields.
Corporate banking managers who work in Oklahoma earn an average salary of $140,175, as of August 27, 2024.
Salary.com indicates that corporate banking managers who work in Granite, Oklahoma earn an average salary of $127,446.
Corporate banking managers who work in Oklahoma City make an average of $138,357, while they earn an average of $143,357 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as of August 27, 2024.
Compliance managers earn an average of $120,404 when they work in Oklahoma.
Compliance managers who work in Cheyenne, Oklahoma earn an average annual salary of $109,209.
Compare this to the salary of compliance managers who work in Tulsa, where they earn an average annual salary of $123,137.
The top human resources executives who work in Oklahoma earn an average salary of $259,577, as of August 2024.
Human resources executives who work in the city of Lawton, Oklahoma earn an average of $238,811, while the top human resources managers who work in Oklahoma City earn an average salary of $256,210.
| Item | Percent |
|---|---|
$77K |
|
$85K |
|
$94K |
Average Salary in Oklahoma
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Altus | $78,372 |
| Muskogee | $86,598 |
| Bartlesville | $86,598 |
| Norman | $83,825 |
| Broken Arrow | $87,152 |
| Oklahoma City | $84,380 |
| Edmond | $84,102 |
| Stillwater | $83,548 |
| Enid | $83,548 |
| Tulsa | $87,429 |
Regional Salary
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enid, OK | 30 | $46,910 | $22.55 | $58,130 | $28,960 |
| Lawton, OK | 40 | $56,620 | $27.22 | $82,910 | $37,690 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 1,240 | $58,250 | $28.01 | $80,900 | $37,340 |
| Tulsa, OK | 1,010 | $58,040 | $27.9 | $72,880 | $45,650 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Legal Studies Programs by State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
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