Two students working together while they have their laptops open on a desk in front of them.

Master of Legal Studies

Advance your career with legal skills for non-lawyers

Earn a graduate degree in a variety of emphasis areas with flexible, top-ranked learning offered online or on-campus.

#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

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

The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University offers advanced graduate degrees tailored for professionals seeking to advance their careers by gaining legal knowledge without becoming lawyers. Available online or in-person, the Master of Legal Studies (MLS) programs cover more than 20 areas of study, including corporate and health care compliance, criminal justice, human resources and more.

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

View from above of a student interacting with laptop at a table.

Why ASU Law?

The highest-ranked law school in Arizona and in the top 15% in the U.S., ASU Law is proven to train skilled leaders in legal education across industries. Many of the Master of Legal Studies emphases are accredited by or in alignment with affiliated professional organizations, including the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE), the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA), the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Compliance Certification Board (CCB). This accreditation provides ASU Law graduates the ability to enhance their employability with organizations and peers, while also strengthening the credibility of the compliance programs they develop, implement and maintain.

Four logos in order from left to right: The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SSCE), Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA), and Compliance Certificate Board (CCB)
Four logos in order from left to right: The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SSCE), Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA), and Compliance Certificate Board (CCB)

Request MLS information

Phone number must be 10 digits only, no spaces or special characters.

By completing and submitting your information to ASU, you consent to:

1. ASU using this information to contact you regarding information as you request.
2. The terms of ASU's Privacy Statement.
3. If you are in the European Union or another country or state that has adopted GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) or similar privacy protection, please also read ASU European Supplement to ASU's Privacy Statement.
4. By providing your mobile phone number, you agree to receive text messages from the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies. Reply HELP for help and STOP to cancel.