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Customize Your Legal Studies Curriculum

The online Master of Legal Studies (MLS) at WashU Law offers a curriculum designed to reflect the legal challenges professionals encounter in their work.

You can choose from six optional concentrations to build focused knowledge tailored to your career, or pursue a general track that allows you to select electives based on your professional interests. We regularly review and refine our courses and concentration offerings to reflect emerging legal developments and evolving industry demands.

In addition to electives or concentration coursework, all students will complete two required core courses that establish a foundation in the U.S. legal system.

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We have concentrations that will work for a diverse range of people. Our students gain the expertise that works best for their career.

— Michael Koby, Professor of Practice and Associate Dean for International and Graduate Programs

Concentrations

Interested in learning about the available pathways? Connect with an enrollment specialist.

AI in the Law

The AI in the Law concentration is designed for students who want to understand how emerging artificial intelligence technologies are reshaping the legal landscape. Whether you are a compliance professional navigating the ethical implications of AI adoption or a business leader working to implement AI-driven solutions responsibly, a Master of Legal Studies with a concentration in AI in the Law will provide you with the legal knowledge to make informed decisions that consider both the risks and opportunities associated with AI.

Through this concentration, you will:

  • Understand emerging AI regulations and legal frameworks
  • Gain foundational knowledge of intellectual property rights
  • Evaluate the role of AI tools in legal research and analysis
  • Analyze legal and regulatory questions emerging from AI adoption and governance

Sample Courses:

  • Artificial Intelligence Law
  • Intellectual Property
  • Modern Law Meets AI: Innovative Legal Research Approaches for Law Professionals

Business Law

The Business Law concentration is designed for business and operations professionals who need to leverage legal and regulatory factors to positively influence their organizations. Whether you are an entrepreneur starting a new business or a nonprofit leader needing the legal skill set to advance your cause, a Master of Legal Studies with a concentration in Business Law will provide you with the legal knowledge to help you execute your responsibilities.

Through this concentration, you will:

  • Navigate complex regulatory frameworks
  • Evaluate and interpret business transactions and contracts
  • Apply foundational legal principles to business challenges
  • Assess legal and compliance risks in organizational decision-making

Sample Courses:

  • Contracts
  • Business Associations
  • Negotiations

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Conflict Resolution

The Master of Legal Studies with a concentration in Conflict Resolution examines the legal frameworks and processes used to address disputes across organizational and professional settings. Particularly relevant to HR leaders or organizational leaders, you will develop a deeper understanding of the legal processes involved when negotiating business transactions, resolving organizational and professional disputes and implementing workplace policies to prevent conflict before it starts, as well as the legal considerations that shape these approaches.

Through this concentration, you will:

  • Implement proven negotiation strategies in professional and organizational contexts
  • Reason through organizational and workplace conflicts using legal frameworks
  • Assess legal and compliance considerations related to complex workplace conflicts
  • Apply legal reasoning to conflict-related challenges

Sample Courses:

  • Negotiations
  • Mediation and Arbitration
  • Cross Cultural Dispute Resolution

Employment Law

Understanding how the law impacts workplace operations and the employer-employee relationship is crucial for professionals who are managing teams, implementing workplace policy, addressing harassment issues and managing risk related to employee onboarding and departures. A Master of Legal Studies with a concentration in Employment Law will help you understand the legal processes regarding employment contracts, wages, recruiting and hiring, discrimination practices and compliance audits.

More than just protecting an organization and its employees from risk, employment law experts increasingly support high-level strategic and cultural direction in organizations across sectors.

Through this concentration, you will:

  • Examine employment policies in the context of legal and regulatory requirements
  • Interpret laws and regulations governing employment relationships and workplace conduct
  • Identify potential legal risks related to hiring, compensation and workplace conduct
  • Strengthen your ability to reason through employment-related legal issues

Sample Courses:

  • Employment Law
  • Negotiations
  • Business Associations

Apply Now

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Litigation

Litigation expertise isn’t just for attorneys who argue in court. Professionals who work in or collaborate with the legal field, such as paralegals, policy advisers, government employees and professional advocates benefit from a stronger understanding of litigation and civil procedure. The Litigation concentration will help you develop a deeper understanding of the elements of civil procedure. This specialized knowledge is critical to improving your understanding of the legal system and providing more effective support for your clients or organization.

Through this concentration, you will:

  • Interpret the procedural rules that govern civil litigation
  • Understand where your professional responsibilities begin and end in the legal system
  • Recognize legal and ethical standards that influence litigation outcomes
  • Reason through litigation-related issues in professional contexts

Sample Courses:

  • Civil Procedure
  • Professional Responsibility
  • Constitutional Law

Regulatory Compliance

Professionals across industries need to understand how the near-constant changes in the regulatory environment impact their organization. Through the Regulatory Compliance concentration, you will gain the legal foundation to successfully interpret legal regulations, contractual agreements and workplace policies to mitigate risk to your organization.

The online Master in Legal Studies with a concentration in Regulatory Compliance is ideal for students who work in highly regulated fields where noncompliance can lead to serious financial and reputational repercussions.

Through this concentration, you will:

  • Interpret laws and apply regulations that govern organizational compliance
  • Examine how regulatory requirements inform workplace policies
  • Translate regulatory requirements into organizational strategy
  • Communicate compliance considerations clearly in a legal and regulatory context

Sample Courses:

  • Contracts
  • Corporate Compliance
  • Business Associations

Request Information

To download a program brochure and learn more about the online Master of Legal Studies offered by WashU Law, please fill out the form. You can also get in touch with an enrollment specialist directly by calling us at 314-597-3365.

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General Study Path

The general track offers the flexibility to select electives across multiple areas of law, allowing you to build a cross-disciplinary understanding of legal principles relevant to your role. This option is well-suited for professionals whose work intersects with multiple regulatory or legal considerations.

Ready to learn more? Visit the curriculum page

Frequently Asked Questions

No. While we offer six concentrations, you can also complete your remaining coursework through a general study path that allows you to select courses across multiple areas of law based on your professional goals.
Yes. All courses are delivered in a flexible format that includes asynchronous coursework and live evening sessions, allowing you to engage with course material while balancing other commitments.
Yes. You do not have to formally declare your concentration at the start of the program and may adjust your coursework as your interests and professional needs evolve.
WashU Law faculty continuously assess course content to ensure it reflects changes in the legal and regulatory landscape. Many of our faculty and expert practitioners maintain flourishing practices, so they have first-hand knowledge of what is relevant in legal settings.
Your diploma will reflect your Master of Legal Studies degree. Students also receive a concentration document signed by the associate dean of the law school.