Knowledge of the law is relevant to most careers in today’s world.
Working in medicine, doing taxes, selling real estate, and even being a bounty hunter are areas where knowledge of specific laws can put you into an earning category of up to $15,000 more a year in many areas.
Legal Studies is a Master’s degree program designed for non-lawyers.
It can be a general program that covers many legal areas, or it can cover many aspects of one area, such as international trade.
Being fairly new, not many colleges and universities offer this degree in person, but there are a few.
There are many online opportunities available.
If you think a Master’s degree in legal studies is something that not only interests you but also seems like a strategic career move, read on to see where you can start your journey.
1 Seattle University
The first graduating class of the law school of Seattle University graduated in 1974.
The class had 18 students.
Today, there are seven centers that each focus on a different aspect of law.
Social Justice is considered of foremost importance to the institution.
Courses Offered
Seattle University offers students a general education in legal studies or allows for specialization in health law, sports law, or technology and the law.
Core courses include Administrative Law, Intellectual Property, Contract Drafting, Copyright Law, Corporate Finance Law, Employment Law, Immigration Law, Environmental Law, Mediation Skills, Negotiations, Patent Law, and Trademark Law.
New courses are being added regularly.
This 30-credit program can be completed in one year while attending full-time and two years if you choose part-time.
The cost of the entire degree program is $43,860.
Contact Information
- Address: 901 12th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122
- Phone: 206-398-4000
- Website: Visit School Website
2 Washington University Law School
Founded in 1853, Washington University has come to be a leader in research, patient care, and education.
Their law school serves 1142 students yearly.
It is the second-largest employer in St. Louis.
Its School of Medicine is among the top in the country.
Courses Offered
This 24-credit course can be completed in one year.
All students must take two required courses and then concentrate on paths to earn knowledge of business law, conflict resolution, litigation, regulatory compliance, or employment law.
Classes are taught using the Socratic method.
Upon completion, graduates will be able to think critically.
Individual course plans are required for each student and classes are chosen from all those within the law school.
Tuition is $70,008 a year.
Contact Information
- Address: 1 Brookings Dr., St. Louis, MO 63130
- Phone: 314-935-5000
- Website: Visit School Website
3 Fordham University
Founded in 1841, Fordham has a mission that includes striving for social justice.
The first class consisted of six students, a far cry from the 17,144 students that attend each year now.
There are now five campuses and an online population.
The law school serves over 1,500 in-person students and 109 online students yearly.
Courses Offered
The Master’s in Legal Studies program does not require an LSAT score.
Students can follow one of four tracks, which are the Financial Services Track, Health Care Track, Human Resources Track, and General Track.
The general courses in corporate law, financial law, and others are offered.
In addition to traditional legal courses for non-legal careers, this school offers Fashion Industry law.
You can expect classes such as Risk assessment, Anti-money laundering laws, Anti-corruption laws, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Federal securities laws, Crisis management, Building a culture of compliance, and Understanding statutes and regulations.
All students must complete a Capstone writing project before graduation.
The cost of the entire program is just over $99,000.
Contact Information
- Address: 150 W 62nd St., New York, NY 10023
- Phone: 718-817-3800
- Website: Visit School Website
4 Cleveland State University
Located in the heart of downtown Cleveland, this university affords many networking opportunities.
This is true for both in-person students as well as online students.
The school consists of eight colleges and offers 1000 courses in 200 majors.
Some of the organizations this school has partnerships with include including the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland Metropolitan School District, the City of Cleveland, and NASA Glenn Research Center.
Courses Offered
The Master of Legal Studies degree has core classes in Contracts, Torts, Legislation/Regulation, Legal Writing, Property, Criminal Law, Civil Procedure, Legislation/Regulation, and Criminal Law.
Every semester a Legal Writing class is required.
One course that is unique to this school is an Animal Law track that trains those who work in animal welfare.
The online cybersecurity course is one of the most popular and helps prepare students for a career in the fast-growing area.
The degree requires two years and 30 credits to complete.
The cost for the entire program is $35,160.
Contact Information
- Address: 1801 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 4411
- Phone: 216-687-2000
- Website: Visit School Website
5 University of Oklahoma - College of Law
The University of Oklahoma was established in 1890, 17 years before Oklahoma became a state.
They offer 170 programs to students.
This is a major research institution.
There are three campuses and online programs available to serve the needs of students.
Courses Offered
The Master’s in Legal Studies can be completed in 18 months and earns 32-33 credits.
Areas of specialization include Oil, Gas, and Energy Law, Indigenous Peoples Law, International Business Law, and Healthcare Law.
Each track has its unique requirements, although they all have the same number of credits.
The Legal Studies in Indigenous Peoples track includes the following classes:
- Introduction to the American Legal System
- History of Federal Indian Law & Policy – Part 1
- History of Federal Indian Law & Policy – Part 2
- Native American Natural Resources
- Criminal Jurisdiction in Indian Country
- Legal Research in Indian Country
- Religion, Culture, and Indian Law
- The Indian Child Welfare Act & Family Law in Indian Country
- Tribal Courts
- International Indigenous Peoples Law
- Federal Indian Water Law
- Indian Gaming Laws & Regulations
- Civil Regulatory Jurisdiction in Indian Country
Residents of Oklahoma pay $390 per credit and non-residents pay $1088 per credit.
This translates into residents paying a total of $12,870 for this degree.
Non-residents are looking at a total cost of $35,904.
Contact Information
- Address: 300 W Timberdell Rd., Norman, OK 73019
- Phone: 405-325-0311
- Website: Visit School Website
6 Texas A&M University - School of Law
The year 1862 marked the beginning of this school that has become one of the most known in the country, with the gift of land.
On Oct. 4, 1876, the college began instruction with 40 students and six faculty members.
Today, there are three campuses and the offerings are much greater than agriculture and engineering.
There are 17 different colleges within this school.
The school currently offers 270 graduate degrees and 140 undergraduate degrees.
Courses Offered
The 30-credit Master in Legal Studies degree at Texas A&M Law School takes 1-2 years to complete, depending on whether you attend full or part-time.
You have a chance to choose one of 12 specialties or design a program that meets your professional needs.
Specialties within this degree include general studies, Business Law, Cybersecurity Law, Energy, Oil, and Gas Law, Energy and Environmental, Health Law, Human Resource Law, Intellectual Property, International Tax Law and Policy, Real estate and Construction Law, Risk Management, and Wealth management.
There are seven core courses on the general track.
These are Doing Deals and Resolving Disputes, Contract Law, Dispute Resolution, Foundation of Business Law, Introduction to the U.S. legal system, Legal Analysis and Writing For Clients, and Principles of Regulatory Law.
In addition, you will take 17 more credits from among:
- Energy Law
- Fraud and Abuse
- Government Contracting Risk and Compliance
- Healthcare Organizations and Professional Relationships
- Introduction to Risk Management
- Introduction to Wealth Management
- Oil and Gas Law
- Payer Systems and Reimbursements
- Property Law and Transactions
- Water Law and Regulation
- White Collar Crime
The entire degree will cost you approximately $35,008.
Contact Information
- Address: 1515 Commerce Street, Fort Worth, TX 76102
- Phone: 979-845-3211
- Website: Visit School Website
7 University of Arizona
This school offers over 150 majors and 90 percent of the student population receives financial help.
Of the over 53,000 students who attend each year, 11,112 are graduate students.
The student-to-faculty ratio is 17:1, making the classes small and intimate.
The school was established in 1885, 27 years before Arizona became a state.
This was the school that invented tree0ring research.
Courses Offered
The 30-credit Master in Legal Studies degree at the University of Arizona takes anywhere from one to two years to complete.
You can do the general course or specialize in Compliance and Legal Risk Management, Criminal Law and Policy, Environmental Law and Policy, Family and Juvenile Law, Health Law and Policy, Human Rights, Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy, Intellectual Property, International Trade and Business Law, Mining Law and Policy, Tax Law and Policy.
There are 14 concentrations available for this degree.
These are Dispute Resolution, Legal Risk Management, Criminal Law and Policy, Environmental Law, Family and Juvenile Law, Health Law, Human Rights Law, Indigenous Peoples Law, Intellectual Property, International Trade, Law & Economics, Legal Paraprofessional, Mining Law, and Cannabis Law.
All students must first take core classes.
These classes are Procedure (civil, criminal, and administrative procedure), The American Common Law System I (torts, contracts), The American Common Law System II (property), The American Public Law System (constitutional law), and Legal Analysis, Writing, and Research.
Once the core classes are complete, you choose your specialization and take 18 credits specific to that concentration.
The online program will cost you $21,000.
Contact Information
- Address: 1201 E Speedway Blvd, Tucson, AZ 8572
- Phone: 520 621 2211
- Website: Visit School Website
Schools Summary Table
Legal Studies Salary Information
As with any occupation, the salary you can expect to earn will vary depending on where you work.
In the case of a degree in legal studies, the field you are active in will also cause a variation.
On average, however, those who hold a master’s degree in legal studies in the state of Washington can expect to earn an average of $63,068 annually.
The highest earners with this degree earn $91,042 annually, which is $44 an hour.
The lowest percentage earns $22 an hour, or $45,521 a year.
| Item | Percent |
|---|---|
$90K |
|
$99K |
|
$10K |
Average Salary in Washington
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Auburn | $99,352 |
| Bellevue | $101,939 |
| Kent | $99,167 |
| Vancouver | $96,024 |
| Bellingham | $95,008 |
| Lakewood | $99,352 |
| Everett | $100,183 |
| Tacoma | $99,352 |
| Spokane | $94,268 |
| Olympia | $97,041 |
Regional Salary
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham, WA | 190 | $60,550 | $29.11 | $76,860 | $46,640 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | 110 | $68,490 | $32.93 | $95,630 | $48,010 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 270 | $59,350 | $28.54 | $79,230 | $44,930 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 90 | $56,250 | $27.04 | $71,870 | $39,090 |
| Olympia-Tumwater, WA | 470 | $60,110 | $28.9 | $77,170 | $46,630 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 5,170 | $83,210 | $40.01 | $124,000 | $50,290 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 650 | $60,280 | $28.98 | $80,360 | $46,250 |
| Walla Walla, WA | 40 | $56,810 | $27.31 | $75,200 | $44,370 |
| Wenatchee, WA | 70 | $60,160 | $28.92 | $79,420 | $40,670 |
| Yakima, WA | 160 | $59,180 | $28.45 | $77,840 | $44,400 |
* 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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