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Master of Legal Studies

Advance your career with skills in Indian law for non-lawyers

Earn a graduate degree in federal Indian law, Indian gaming and tribal self-governance through flexible, top-ranked learning online or on campus.

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  1. Home
  2. Degree Programs and Emphases
  3. MLS, Master of Legal Studies
  4. Advance Your Career in Indian Law

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

Ahead of Northwestern, Georgetown, USC and Texas A&M
– National Center for Education Statistics, 2024

Join one of the best law programs anywhere, from anywhere.

ASU Law offers advanced graduate degrees tailored to professionals seeking to enhance their careers by gaining specialized legal knowledge without becoming lawyers. Available both online and on campus, the Master of Legal Studies (MLS) degree with a variety of emphases in Indian law is a flexible program that helps non-lawyers advance beyond their roles or pursue new career opportunities in serving tribal communities.

The Indian law emphases offer several specialized tracks that can be pursued individually or combined for comprehensive expertise: Federal Indian Law, Indian Gaming, and Tribal Self-Governance. These degrees equip you with a deep understanding of legal principles impacting tribal governments, gaming regulations and the unique aspects of tribal sovereignty. Additionally, an MLS in paraprofessional studies allows qualified graduates to perform limited legal practice, helping support access to justice in Indian Country and for indigenous communities throughout Arizona.

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Quick facts

Summer start date: May 19, 2025
Fall start date: August 21, 2025

Total classes: 10
Total credit hours: 30

Online and on campus
No application fee or entrance exam required

Why ASU Law?

As the highest-ranked law school in Arizona, ASU Law has a proven record of preparing skilled leaders in legal and government roles. The Indian law emphases are taught by distinguished faculty and experts dedicated to tribal law, governance, gaming regulations and federal policies in Indian Country. Through both foundational and specialized courses, students gain critical insights into the legal, regulatory and cultural dimensions of working with and for indigenous communities. Experiential learning opportunities such as clinics and externships allow students to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world challenges within tribal, federal and state contexts.

#15

U.S. public law school

– U.S. News and World Report, 2025

94% graduate employment

or advanced studies rate within 10 months

– 2024 ABA report

7:1

Student-to-faculty ratio for small class sizes and accessible faculty to enhance learning

#1

ASU worldwide rank for education, employability, faculty and research

– Center for World University Rankings, 2024

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Degree emphasis areas for your career

As a student of ASU Law, you have the opportunity to customize your degree to your area of interest and career goals.

Online On-campus
Arizona Legal Paraprofessional
Online On-campus
Federal Indian Law
Online On-campus
Indian Gaming
Online On-campus
Tribal Self-Governance

Hear from our students

[IMAGE ALT TEXT]

Lenor Emily Molina

Master of Legal Studies alum, 2022

“My future goals with this are to, when I retire from working from the NIGC (National Indian Gaming Commission), to consult with some of the smaller, more rural tribes that don’t have the infrastructure that the bigger, more centrally located tribes have to proceed with their gaming. My real goal is to assist them to govern themselves really the way they always should have been allowed to do."

Degree requirements

To be admitted to the Master of Legal Studies 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 MLS program’s core courses are available online. On-campus students will complement their on-campus learning experience with electives and core courses taken online. Visit our MLS admissions webpage for more information on applying as an international students.

Sample coursework

In your master’s in Indian law studies, you’ll begin with foundational courses on the legal system and legal reasoning, which are common across MLS degree emphases. You’ll then focus on areas directly relevant to Indian law, tribal governance, gaming and indigenous justice, selecting from a large catalog of courses including, but not limited to:

  • U.S. Law and Legal Analysis
  • Federal Indian Law
  • Tribal Self-Governance
  • Indian Gaming and Economic Development
  • Tribal Law and Policy

ASU Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law
Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law

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