Master of Studies in Law

Not to be confused with Master of Laws, pursued by students holding Bachelor of Laws degrees.

A Master of Studies in Law (MSL) is a master's degree offered by some law schools to students who wish to study the law but do not want to become lawyers. Master of Studies in Law programs typically last one academic year and put students through a similar regimen as first-year Juris Doctor students but may allow for further specialization.

This degree may also be known as Master of Science of Law, Master of Legal Studies, Master of Science in Legal Studies, Juris Master, Master of Jurisprudence, or Master in Law.

Master of Studies in Law students may study such staples as constitutional law, torts, contracts, civil procedure, and other requirements alongside regular law students, writing the same papers and taking the same exams. But they typically graduate after accumulating two semesters of credit instead of six. Some Master of Studies in Law programs are designed for academics who hold doctorates in a discipline related to the law, and who want to add a legal dimension to scholarship. Other programs aim to provide fundamental legal education to professionals who are not lawyers, but whose careers involve legal or regulatory issues. Responding to this need, Master of Studies in Law degrees are increasingly offered to working professionals on an online or part-time basis, and allow professionals to tailor elective law courses to their particular career fields.