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Degree Awarded: Master of Legal Studies
The Master of Legal Studies is for individuals who need a working knowledge of the law, but don’t intend on becoming practicing lawyers. If you work with lawyers, or legal issues, or want to gain a deeper understanding of how the law influences your industry, this degree will improve your career and promotion prospects in just 18 months. It is designed for professionals practicing in human relations, criminal and juvenile justice, the court system, journalism, social work, regulatory agencies, county and municipal government, military, business and other professionals who work with, though not necessarily in, the legal system.
Areas of Emphasis
The WVU Online program focuses on regulation, compliance, and policy,
and offers three areas of emphasis:
healthcare,
justice systems, and
homeland security.
Online Courses
January 10, 2022
Wednesday, October 6 at 12 p.m. ET
Tuesday, October 12 at 3 p.m. ET
Thursday, October 21 at 6 p.m. ET
Tuesday, October 26 at 6 p.m. ET
Thursday October 28 at 12 p.m. ET
Your personal admissions and enrollment coach
Email:
Carla.See@mail.wvu.edu
Phone: (304) 293-7977
Carla J. See serves as the Program Coordinator for the Masters of Legal Studies program and the Internship Coordinator for Public Administration.
The MLS is a degree program designed to build greater public understanding of the law and the United States legal system. Graduates will be able to apply knowledge and skills gained to perform their jobs more effectively and to provide private and public organizations the benefit of enhanced experience. It is a graduate program of study designed for professionals practicing in areas such as human relations, criminal justice, juvenile justice, journalism, social work, court administration, national security, probation and law enforcement, or regulatory agencies. It is neither a law degree nor a paralegal program.
The program offers three areas of emphasis: healthcare, justice systems, and homeland security.
The healthcare area of emphasis is designed for those working in the healthcare industry. The courses in healthcare law, long-term care regulation and elder law provide the knowledge to ensure that state and federal regulatory requirements are being met.
The justice system area of emphasis is designed for members of the law enforcement community and any employment where the position is dictated by criminal law and more. Courses such as criminal law, judicial legal process, and punishment and corrections give the student the knowledge needed for career advancement.
The homeland security area of emphasis is designed for professionals working in the areas of emergency response coordination, law enforcement, transportation security, and immigration. Courses such as homeland security, immigration law, and military justice provide the knowledge needed for career advancement.
Program Testimonial
“The MLS program has allowed me to advance professionally to the executive level. In my role as Assistant Vice President at the WVU Medicine Heart and Vascular Institute (HVI) I work with state government issues to determine the best strategy for advancement of our mission. We recently opened our 10 story tower which is the home of the WVU HVI and throughout the process we were required to stay within the state mandated Certificate of Needs guidelines. Also we have onboarded over 20 new faculty Physicians as well as contracted many Clinical Trials, and each in their unique way require a high attention to detail in reference to contracts. All of these items were covered in my MLS courses and I am very happy I made the choice to join the program as it has truly enhanced my career.”
Melissa M. Martin
MLS, RHIA, CCS, CHTS-IM
Assistant Vice President
WVU Medicine Heart and Vascular Institute
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. A cumulative minimum GPA of 2.75, with a preferred GPA of 3.0. The MLS program will accept the results of GRE, GMAT or LSAT standardized graduate-level tests. Test scores may be waived based on GPA, previous work experience or completed graduate credit. See Admissions tab for more information.
The Master of Legal Studies program admits new students for the summer, fall and spring semesters. Priority Application Deadlines are: April 15 for the summer semester, May 15 for the fall semester and November 15 for the spring semester. Applications will be considered after these deadlines.
Legal Studies M.L.S. requires 30 credit hours to complete. Cost per credit hour is $643.
$19,290 – Residents and Non-Residents
| Credits | Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 | $643 |
| 3 | $1,929 |
| 6 | $3,858 |
| 9 | $5,787 |
WVU provides a comprehensive approach to helping you finance your education. Learn more by visiting the Student Financial Services website.
Students are encouraged to:
Students who graduate from WVU Online with the Legal Studies M.L.S. degree may be prepared for the following careers. These are only a few examples of some of the many opportunities that will be open to you with this degree. Advanced degrees or certifications may be required for some positions.
Information about careers on this list comes from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) of the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA).
Become a problem solver. Be a decision maker. First, your degree. World-class academics at an exceptional value.
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