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Online Master of Legal Studies
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Learn key legal principles that impact your industry with SMU Dedman Law’s online M.L.S.

Online Master of Legal Studies

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Program quick facts

  • Gain foundational legal knowledge relevant to your field
  • Connect with classmates and experienced faculty through live virtual classes
  • Choose from two start times each year: fall and spring
  • Complete the 30-credit program with a regular course load in two years or an accelerated course load in one year.
  • Our program does not require GRE or LSAT scores

In today’s increasingly complex regulatory environment, non-lawyer professionals across various industries need legal knowledge to achieve career success. If you work in a highly regulated industry, want to be more comfortable with legal aspects of your job or want to communicate effectively with lawyers, a graduate degree in legal studies can help advance your career. Likewise, if you want to represent athletes as a sports agent, or if you want to advance your criminal justice career, an M.L.S. can help achieve those goals.

The online Master of Legal Studies (M.L.S.) from the SMU Dedman School of Law helps professionals understand the legal system, improve their negotiation and communication skills and enhance their ability to navigate complex regulatory issues. This program focuses on relevant skills that are needed for high-level positions that deal with legal issues, with the benefit of being more affordable and less time consuming than an M.B.A. or J.D.

Next Start Date

January 6, 2027

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Final Admission Deadline

December 1, 2026

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Cara Foos Pierce

“The synchronous component of the M.L.S. program sets it apart from other online M.L.S. programs. It’s important for our students to connect with faculty and peers during the program and beyond.”

– Cara Foos Pierce, Director of the Master of Legal Studies program and Assistant Professor of Practice

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Get the best of both worlds with flexibility and engagement

The online Master of Legal Studies program features a mix of asynchronous learning and weekly live sessions with classmates and faculty. This combination provides the flexibility to complete an engaging master’s in legal studies without sacrificing work or personal commitments. This 30-credit program offers substantial opportunities for flexibility: it can be completed with a regular course load in two years or an accelerated course load in one year.

Graduates of the program can also take pride in completing a master’s in legal studies degree from the SMU Dedman School of Law, a top-45 law school known for its high quality of education in Texas and across the nation.

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#2
Private University in Texas
U.S. News & World Report (2026)

#27
Best Law Schools With the Most Graduates at Big Law Firms
U.S. News & World Report (2026)

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Gain foundational and career-ready legal knowledge

The curriculum consists of 12 credits of foundational coursework and 18 credits of electives. The Dedman School of Law’s virtual classroom incorporates lectures, experiential learning and in-class discussions into the curriculum. Students may follow a general course of study or they can choose one of five concentration options:

SMU’s online M.L.S. degree allows students to customize their degree to meet their professional goals. M.L.S. graduates can explore opportunities in a wide range of industries, including finance, business, sports management, criminal justice, human resources, government and nonprofit.

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To download a brochure and learn more about the online Master of Legal Studies offered by Southern Methodist University, please fill out the form. You can also get in touch with an enrollment specialist directly by calling us at 469-871-6018.

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Tuition summary

Total Credits 30
Cost Per Credit $1,167
Total Tuition* $35,010
Distance learning fee** $100 per credit hour

*Tuition and fees are subject to change.

**The distance learning fee is not included in the total tuition price and will be added to each course per credit hour.

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Who can benefit from an online Master of Legal Studies?

This program is a great fit for:

  • Professionals seeking to gain a better understanding of U.S. law to help them in their current roles
  • Current and aspiring managers who want to advance their careers through legal knowledge involving contracts, employment law, the litigation process and industry regulations
  • Professionals who want to examine health law principles and their application to healthcare leadership
  • Sports enthusiasts interested in becoming sports agents or working for sports organizations
  • Criminal justice professionals wanting career advancement or to teach in their field
  • Human resources managers and staff seeking legal knowledge and career advancement
  • Professionals transitioning into law-adjacent fields

Ready to learn more? Download our brochure, and explore our curriculum, admission and FAQ pages.

Faculty Spotlight

SMU is proud to have Master of Legal Studies (M.L.S.) faculty and a curriculum committee who are deeply committed to student success and bring specialized knowledge across a wide range of legal areas. Below, you’ll find two of our outstanding faculty. To meet the full faculty and committee members, please visit our faculty page.

Hon. Rebecca Rutherford

Hon. Rebecca Rutherford

United States Magistrate Judge, Northern District of Texas

Adjunct faculty

Jo-Ná A. Williams

Jo-Ná A. Williams

Attorney & Founder, J.A. Williams Law P.C.

Adjunct faculty

Frequently asked questions

A Master of Legal Studies — also known as an M.L.S. — provides professionals who work in law related fields, but do not want to be lawyers, a better understanding of the law. The degree is useful in a wide range of industries including human resources, business management, sports, finance, criminal justice, corporate compliance, real estate and contracting.

Professionals seeking a graduate degree have several to choose from. It is important to understand the differences between the options to make the right choice for your career goals.

Read: What Can You Do With an MLS? Is It Worth It?

An M.L.S. is a degree intended for professionals working in a wide range of fields who will benefit from knowledge of the U.S. legal system but do not want to become lawyers. Students can obtain an online M.L.S. degree from SMU while continuing to work, completing the program with a regular course load in two years for an affordable price.

A Juris Doctorate (J.D.) is the degree intended for individuals who want to practice law. Individuals who graduate with a J.D. can choose to sit for a state bar exam. SMU’s J.D. program is a three-year program for students who want to become licensed attorneys.

An M.L.S. focuses on how law impacts business. It is useful for those working in highly regulated industries and in positions that are impacted by the law including managers, human resources, compliance officers, criminal justice, real estate and sports industry professionals.

An M.B.A. focuses on business practices, leadership and quantitative skills. It covers a broad range of topics including finance, marketing, operations and management.

An M.L.S. in criminal justice provides criminal justice professionals with practical legal knowledge key to career advancement. It will help law enforcement, probation officers, victim advocates, paralegals and court staff understand key legal concepts that impact their work daily. It will also provide a strong background for those planning to transition into teaching the next generation of criminal justice professionals.

A Master of Criminal Justice prepares students for professional and research careers in criminal justice, criminology and related fields. Students learn comparative social science, research methods and data skills used to predict and explain crime.

Visit our FAQ page for more answers, or speak with an enrollment specialist at 469-871-6018 for help with your specific questions.

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