Legal Studies, M.L.S.

NKU Chase College of Law offers a Master of Legal Studies (MLS) degree. This degree is geared toward individuals who do not wish to earn a Juris Doctor (JD) degree, but who wish to gain a more thorough understanding of the American legal system and various law-related topics. This degree is ideal for individuals in the workforce (or who are about to enter the work-force) who believe that gaining knowledge in a particular area of law will benefit them in their current or future employment.

Admissions

Applicants must provide the following to be considered for admission:

An application for admission and application fee
Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
One letter of recommendation
Supplemental application for admission
Resume
Letter of purpose

Applicants are not required to take the LSAT. Factors considered in the admissions decision will include undergraduate degree, undergraduate GPA (2.5 GPA minimum), undergraduate institution, work experience, and responses to the questions on the supplemental application for admission.

Grading

Students in the MLS program will have the same course requirements as JD students do in each course and will take the same exams; however, MLS students will be graded using the graduate programs grading scale (A-C-, F).

Length of Program

A full-time student could complete the 30 credit hour program in one year. A part-time student could most likely finish the program in two years or in two and one half years (depending on course scheduling).

Transferring to the JD Program

MLS students will not be able to transfer to the JD program at NKU Chase College of Law. If an MLS student wishes to earn a JD degree, he or she must apply as any JD candidate would, and none of the earned MLS credit hours would be credited toward the JD degree.

Tuition

Students will be charged NKU general graduate tuition (not law tuition).

Curriculum

Students will need to pass a minimum of thirty credit hours to earn the MLS degree. The only Required courses are LAW 827 - Legal Analysis and Problem Solving, and LAW 829 - Basic Legal Skills I Research. Students will also be required to successfully complete a minimum of nine credit hours from the list of Core MLS courses. The remainder of the thirty credit hours can be earned from Core, Required, and Elective JD courses.

For program-specific policies governing the MLS program, please refer to the Chase Student Handbook, supplemented by the Chase MLS policies.

Group One - Required Courses (3 credit hours)

LAW 827 Legal Analysis and Problem Solving (1 credit)
LAW 829 Basic Legal Skills I Research (2 credits)

Group Two - Core Courses (minimum of 9 credit hours)

LAW 803 Civil Procedure I (4-5 credits)
LAW 809 Constitutional Law I (3 credits)
LAW 811 Constitutional Law II (3 credits)
LAW 813 Contracts I (3 credits)
LAW 815 Contracts II (2 credits)
LAW 819 Criminal Law (3 credits)
LAW 835 Property I (2 credits)
LAW 837 Property II (3 credits)
LAW 841 Torts I (3 credits)
LAW 843 Torts II (3 credits)
LAW 830 Basic Legal Skills I - Writing (spread over full academic year) (3-4 credits)

Group Three - Electives

(number of credit hours depends on number of Core courses taken); a total minimum of 30 credit hours is required.

Core Courses
Required Courses
Elective Courses

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