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Master of Human Resources and Employment Law

Advance your HR career with legal skills for non-lawyers

SHRM-aligned, career defined. Earn a master in human resources degree with flexible, top-ranked learning offered online or in-person.

#1 in the U.S. for legal master’s graduates

Ahead of Northwestern, Georgetown, USC and Texas A&M
– National Center for Education Statistics, 2019-2023

Get the HR expertise employers want, with the flexibility you need.

Are you looking to take the next step toward advancing your career in human resources? Explore the Master of Human Resources and Employment Law (MHREL) program at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. Offered fully online or in person, this flexible degree program helps non-lawyers in the human resources, recruitment and operations fields to better understand the legal and regulatory structures to effectively support the needs of their businesses and organizations.

Designed and aligned with Society for Human Resource Management guidelines, a master's in human resources will prepare you with a specialized education with an emphasis in HR and employment law, and the opportunity to apply for the SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) exam.

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Quick facts

Spring start date: January 13, 2025
Fall start date: August 21, 2025

Total classes: 10
Weeks per class: 7.5
Total credit hours: 30

Online and in-person
No application fee or entrance exam required

#15

Best public law school in the United States

U.S. News & World Report, 2025

#1

ASU worldwide rank for education, employability, faculty and research

Center for World University Rankings, 2024

7:1

Student-to-faculty ratio

Small class sizes and accessible faculty enhance learning

Three students sitting at a long desk in an ASU Law classroom. The woman in the middle is talking to someone at the front of the room.

Why ASU Law?

The highest-ranked law school in Arizona and the No. 15 public law school in the U.S., ASU Law is proven to train skilled leaders in legal education across industries. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), a premier professional organization with 300,000+ members nationally and globally, has recognized ASU Law as the first law school whose HR program is fully aligned with SHRM curriculum guidelines. This accreditation provides ASU Law graduates the ability to enhance their employability with organizations and peers, while also strengthening the credibility of the employment and compliance programs they develop, implement and maintain.

Current and future students who complete a Master in Human Resources and Employment Law degree may be eligible to take the SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) exam for certification, a distinction that many employers recognize in hiring and promoting HR and employment professionals. Students who already have SHRM certification will receive continuing education credit for the courses they complete.

SHRM square logo with the words SHRM Academically Aligned

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Degree requirements

To be admitted to the Master of Human Resources and Employment Law program, you must have completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university in the United States or hold a comparable degree from a foreign institution. Graduate school entrance exams (e.g., LSAT, GRE, GMAT) are not required.

On-campus and international students

Many of the MHREL program’s core courses are available online. On-campus students will complement their in-person learning experience with electives and core courses taken online. Due to U.S. student visa requirements concerning the minimum credits for online coursework, the on-campus program is not currently an option for international students. More information about full-time enrollment requirements for international students is available online.

Sample coursework

In addition to the completion of the seven (7) required core courses (18 credits, 21 credits including the capstone), students in the Master of Human Resources and Employment Law program can select from varied elective courses (at least nine credits) that will count toward their degree. These courses focus on employment-law-adjacent subject areas like privacy rights, dispute resolution, and contracts.

Students are also able to choose elective courses that present an opportunity to explore other legal areas that may interest them or be pertinent to their chosen career path. The degree culminates in a three-credit capstone course that focuses on the practical application of knowledge and skills gained during the degree. During the capstone course, students will evaluate the impact of various statutory and regulatory laws that affect the day-to-day operations of a human resources professional, learn how to successfully navigate the challenges these laws present, and manage relationships with varying employee groups at all organizational levels.

Required courses

U.S. Law and Legal Analysis
Employment Law
HR and Employment Law
Duties, Obligations and Rights in the Workplace
Employment Discrimination
Advanced HR and Employment Law
Capstone

Elective courses (sampling):

Alternative Dispute Resolution
Fundamentals of Contract Law
Administrative Agencies and Regulation
Conducting Fact Investigations and Reporting
Conflict Theory
Organizational and Workplace Dispute Resolution
Risk Assessment and Management
Immigration Law