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University of Pittsburgh    
2023-2024 Graduate & Professional Studies Catalog 
    
 
  Oct 07, 2024
 
2023-2024 Graduate & Professional Studies Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Law - Professional Master of Studies in Law - In Person Option


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The Professional Master of Studies in Law (“MSL”) at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law is a 30-credit advanced degree designed for graduates and mid-career professionals seeking to enhance their careers with a versatile alternative to the traditional three-year Juris Doctor degree.

Professional Master’s students gain essential, specialized knowledge of laws and legal systems. Law is a pervasive influence on almost all aspects of life across the globe, but higher education often ill-prepares students and professionals for navigating laws and legal dynamics in business and life. The degree addresses this critical knowledge gap.

Students can complete this degree either by taking classes at the Pitt Law campus in Pittsburgh, through our new online program, or through a hybrid option consisting of some online courses and some in-person courses. For more information about the online program, click here .

Those who choose the in-person program can earn their master’s degree full-time in one academic year (August to May) or in two to four years on a flexible part-time schedule.

Pitt Law commands one of the oldest and best established professional Master of Studies in Law programs in the country. Only a handful of students are admitted each year and these students receive personalized mentoring and support. Students can choose from a broad array of workplace-relevant and leading-edge specializations, including a self-designed specialization.

Professional Master’s students take the same vast array of courses as Juris Doctor candidates taught by world-class legal scholars, judges and attorneys, and they gain the advantages and benefits of attending the University of Pittsburgh.

Degree Requirements


Applicants must have completed at least an undergraduate bachelor’s degree. Applicants need to provide official transcripts of all college, graduate and professional studies, whether a degree was obtained or not. No standardized test is required.

International students are welcome and encouraged to apply. They must have completed the equivalent of a US bachelor’s degree, and they must submit a TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo score. International students are encouraged to apply as early as possible because of greater amount of time needed to process the application, obtain visas, and obtain housing.

Students must complete 30 course credits in the School of Law to receive the MSL degree. Students are required to take U.S. Legal System, one first-year JD course, and the required courses in their selected area of specialization.

The areas of specialization from which students may choose are as follows:

Biomedical & Health Services Research
Business Law
Commercial Law
Corporate Law
Criminal Law and Justice
Disability Law
Elder and Estate Planning Law
Employment and Labor Law
Energy Law
Environmental Law
Family Law
Health Care Compliance
Health Law
Human Resources Law
Intellectual Property and Technology Law
International Business Law
International and Human Rights Law
Jurisprudence
Real Estate Law
Self-Design
Sports and Entertainment Law
Tax Law

Students may also design their own unique concentration.

Note


For detailed term-specific course descriptions, please go to the Schedule of Classes Course Lists on the Law School web site.

Total Credits: 30


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