What is a Master of Legal Studies?

Unlike a law degree, a master of legal studies degree is for professionals who are interested in gaining an advanced working knowledge of the law but aren't looking to become a lawyer themselves. Our Master of Arts in Legal Studies program covers topics such as:

• Ethics 
  
• Legal research  
  
• Legal writing  
  
• Legal regulations
  
• Legal procedure
  
• Legal systems

You may be surprised to discover the diversity of roles held by those with a degree in legal studies. The field includes a wide range of professions such as paralegals and legal assistants, as well as those in human resources, health care compliance, higher education compliance, operations, or other disciplines interfacing with lawyers regularly. 

Advantages of our Master of Legal Studies

A Master of Arts in Legal Studies helps further your understanding of the law and its impact on various areas of life and work. Having a master of legal studies deepens your understanding of the legal system, legal doctrines, business law, and more. 

This knowledge can be advantageous, particularly for those involved in heavily regulated industries dealing with:

• Financial regulatory compliance 
• Healthcare privacy compliance
• Intellectual property law
• Cybersecurity and online privacy
• Human resources and employment law

As a pioneer in online education, American Public University offers a highly engaging program with the added convenience of flexible coursework. Our program is ideal for working professionals, with online classes starting monthly. To keep college affordable, we also offer no-cost applications, many transfer credit opportunities, and no-cost transfer credit evaluations. 

We're also proud to share that American Public University is part of American Public University System, which ranks in the top 11% for return on investment.¹

¹Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce report, Ranking 4,500 Colleges by ROI (2022), based on a 20-year return on investment, or net present value.

Evolution of the Legal Studies Field

Demand for paralegals and legal assistants is projected to grow 4 percent between 2022 and 2032, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The responsibilities of some of these roles have expanded and evolved in recent years, offering challenging opportunities for non-lawyers. Notably, the American Bar Association updated its definition of paralegals to distinguish them from legal assistants, noting that paralegals “....perform specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible.”

Several fields are seeing an increased demand for legal knowledge. For example, as online data increases, there is a growing need for legal professionals as electronic discovery personnel who deal with digital evidence. The market research group Research and Markets estimates the worldwide e-discovery market will grow by more than $9.3M by 2027. Likewise, as health law continues to evolve, there is an associated need for regulatory affairs professionals in biotech and life sciences businesses.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, [career information accessed October 2023] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/legal/paralegals-and-legal-assistants.htm. Employment conditions in your area may vary.

Practice of law is defined by state bar associations. Students must check with their respective state bar associations to learn more about attorney and non-lawyer legal professional licensing requirements. Note: American Public University is not a law school.

About Our Faculty

Our faculty brings real-world experience about the legal system, having served as judges, assistant attorneys general, legal advisors, and related roles. As attorneys and scholar practitioners, they are passionate about leading thoughtful discussions with students.

These discussions offer the foundation needed to understand a range of legal concepts—and open doors to helping people in need. According to The Justice Gap, a report by Legal Services Corporation, low-income people in America are particularly impacted by a lack of access to legal support. Our online master of legal studies affords you the opportunity to understand the law and potentially discover ways to improve access to justice for people who have traditionally been disenfranchised. For service-minded students interested in fair access to justice, faculty members bring ethical service and leadership insights to the legal discipline.

Ways to Save When Earning Your Degree

We understand that many students are worried about the cost of higher education. At American Public University, we're breaking through barriers by keeping costs as affordable as possible. We are here to support you in accessing financial aid and tuition assistance in a number of ways.

• Federal Student Aid: Access financial aid, grants, and loans accepted by American Public University.
• Employer Benefits: Check with your employer's human resources department on the types of programs covered under their tuition assistance benefit. Some organizations have partnerships with American Public University, which can afford additional benefits. Ask your HR department whether they partner with our University.
• Scholarships & Loans: Hundreds of organizations have provided scholarship opportunities for American Public University students.
• Tuition Assistance for Military Personnel: Take advantage of low tuition rates to help limit costs beyond military tuition assistance. Contact us to request information about your eligibility for our Preferred Military Rate.
• Veteran Benefits: Let us help you navigate educational benefits, such as GI Bill®, Top-Up, and Survivors & Dependent Benefits programs, offered by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

How to Save Time and Money Earning your Degree

Earn the credits you deserve for completed academic courses, work and volunteer experience, as well as demonstrated competency gained in a particular subject area. For master’s degree programs, we accept up to 15 credits towards transfer¹. Contact an admissions representative to ask about a no-cost transfer credit review. This evaluation will help determine whether you have opportunities to earn credits that will transfer to American Public University.

¹The University reserves the right to accept or deny credits according to policies outlined on our University website. Please see the University’s transfer credit policy webpage for complete information.