Earn your Bachelor of Arts in Law and then your Master of Legal Studies in just one additional semester.*
Qualified University of Arizona undergraduate law majors have the opportunity to pursue an accelerated track to a Master of Legal Studies (MLS), a one-year degree for non-lawyers.
After taking 12 units of foundational law courses at the graduate level (which count towards both the BA in Law and the MLS), students accepted into the accelerated program take an additional 18 units in Legal Analysis, Research and Writing, and upper-level electives with Juris Doctor students.
MLS students may choose to focus on a certain discipline through a specialized program (such as family law, criminal law, or environmental law), or pursue self-designed curriculum in their area of interest (such as immigration, business law, employment law, or patent law).
Upon graduation, MLS students will be well-equipped to pursue law-related careers that do not require a Juris Doctor, such as compliance officers, human resources professionals, immigration officers, court personnel, victim advocates, or patent agents.
Sample Academic Plan
- Complete all General Education, minor, and double-major requirements
- Complete SGPP Core Curriculum (12 units)
- Complete 15 units of undergraduate law electives (POL, LAW, or other approved courses)
- Complete LAW Core Curriculum at the 500-level (12 units double-count toward the BA in Law and MLS) – can be taken after completing 90 units:
- LAW 501 – Procedure
- LAW 502A – American Common Law I
- LAW 502B – American Common Law II
- LAW 504 – American Public Law
- Remaining units required for completion of MLS: 18 graduate units of College of Law courses (for a total of 30 units to complete the MLS).
*If students complete 3 units of a graduate-level internship or coursework over the summer or winter session, they can complete their MLS by taking the remaining 15 units in one semester.
Application Procedures & Deadlines
Students may apply once they have completed 75 undergraduate credit hours, and may start taking 500-level courses toward MLS credit once they have completed 90 credit hours.
- Applications for Fall admission are due Aug. 1 (June 1 for international applicants).
- Applications for Spring admission are due Dec. 15 (Oct. 22 for international applicants).
- Go here for application instructions.
Program Requirements & Policies
- AMP Admission Requirements – Students must meet all University Accelerated Master’s Program Admission Requirements, including a minimum 3.3 GPA and 90 completed units: http://catalog.arizona.edu/policy/accelerated-masters-program-amp
- AMP Degree & Tuition Policies – All University Accelerated Master’s Program Degree and Tuition Policies apply: http://catalog.arizona.edu/policy/accelerated-masters-program-amp