Inexpensive Masters of Legal studies

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by bpreachers, Apr 27, 2014.

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  1. bpreachers

    bpreachers New Member

    Okay so my last posting regarding a labor law cert at the graduate level didn't go far in the way of finding things. What if instead of a Cert I looked for a cheap online Masters in Legal Studies (preferrably RA). I have been looking around and so far the cheapest I have run across is AMU which isn't a problem but didn't know if it would be the best option. I would love for it to be able to have a specialization in labor law/employment law but that is not a requirement. Just looking to expand my knowledge base in law and scratch my "I want to go back to school" itch lol.

    My background = BA in Management (AMU), MS Human Resources Management (Troy), and PHR Certification.

    Thanks.
     
  2. sanantone

    sanantone Well-Known Member

    These options aren't cheaper, but they are just a little more expensive than APUS. At West Virginia University, all students pay in-state tuition for the online masters in legal studies.
    Online Legal Studies M.L.S. | WVU Online
    Tuition/Fees | WVU Online

    University of Illinois at Springfield charges an etuition rate.
    Master’s Degree Online – Department of Legal Studies - University of Illinois Springfield - UIS
    Tuition, Fees and Assessments for Fall 2014 – Records and Registration - University of Illinois Springfield - UIS
     
  3. bpreachers

    bpreachers New Member

    Thanks

    Anyone else?
     
  4. lawrenceq

    lawrenceq Member

  5. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    At ASU and Drexel, the MLS degree is actually conferred by an ABA-accredited School of Law. Maybe that costs more (although technically, ABA accreditation only applies to the JD degree, and not to any other degree that a law school may offer).

    In contrast, AMU and Illinois-Springfield don't even have law schools. WVU does, but it doesn't appear that the MLS program is offered through the law school.
     
  6. bpreachers

    bpreachers New Member

    Doesn't really matter to me if they have a law school attached. I am not shooting to be a lawyer or work for a firm. So far it seems AMU is winning out price wise. All I want is a RA and inexpensive Masters of Legal Studies. If AMU is the cheapest of the bunch, well at least I have been there before.
     
  7. Koolcypher

    Koolcypher Member

  8. Koolcypher

    Koolcypher Member

    Sorry, I forgot to add that the Nova program has three specialties: Education Law, Employment Law, and Health Law.
     
  9. bpreachers

    bpreachers New Member

    Man that Nova southeastern one looks awesome but at a price tag of almost 30k it would be in the realm of cost prohibitive lol
     
  10. major56

    major56 Active Member

    The M.S.L. degree is administered through Nova’s ABA law school … that’s very likely why the higher cost.
     
  11. nosborne48

    nosborne48 Well-Known Member

    Something to think about, maybe...

    For about $30,000 total you can earn a DETC accredited, California Bar qualifying J.D. by distance from Taft Law School. Correspondence or online, your choice.

    After about 28 years in the law and government (and a good many years in the Navy Reserve), I have yet to see a commercial or professional situation where a master of legal studies degree is particularly useful. If you want to demonstrate legal expertise, there's nothing like a law license, no matter how or where you earned it. If the goal is to learn the law in a particular field, no degree is necessary. Just get the materials and study.

    My LL.M. Experience at Taft Law was awesome which is why I recommend the school. There're others, though, that may be just as good.
     
  12. AviTerra

    AviTerra New Member

  13. bpreachers

    bpreachers New Member


    I fail to see how it would be beneficial for me to spend 30k on a california only bar qualifying JD that means little to nothing anywere else just so I could have "bragging rights" of a JD and lots of debt when I could do an MS in Legal Studies or similar from a number of RA schools for under half that price tag. Besides I wasn't asking about a JD in the least.
     
  14. Koolcypher

    Koolcypher Member

    I don't think he meant doing a JD just for kicks. He is just giving you an attorneys perspective, after all Nosborne48 has a JD, so it is safe to assume that he knows what he is talking about. From his point of view, and for most people as well, an MS in Legal Studies degree does not make sense. What can you do with this degree? To use your debt argument, why go in debt, even if it is for 10K, for a degree that has little to no utility at all? You asked for opinions and got them, Nosborne48 was just giving you a different suggestion and perspective, that is all.:cool:
     
  15. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    By definition, a California bar-qualifying JD allows you take the California Bar exam. Suppose you get a degree like this, and pass the exam. If you become a member of the California Bar, then that is a far more impressive legal qualification than a regionally accredited master's in legal studies -- even if you do not intend to actually practice law in California.

    The AMU MS in Legal Studies costs $11,700 in tuition. The online JD program at Northwestern California University School of Law costs around $4,000 per year for tuition and materials. It's a 4-year program, so the total cost would be around $16,000. NWCU is unaccredited, but their JD is still bar-qualifying in California.

    So you could get an AMU master's for around $12,000, or qualify for the California Bar for around $16,000. The second option takes longer and is riskier (since there is no guarantee of passing the Bar exam), but potentially leads to a far more impressive legal credential the first option. So maybe it is worth the extra $4,000.

    Or maybe not. But it seems like an option that is at least worth mentioning.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 4, 2014
  16. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    Facinating. The most recent BAR passage rate that I could find for the unaccredited Northwestern California University School of Law is 31 percent passed the BAR e.g. 16 people took the BAR and 5 people passed:

    http://admissions.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/4/documents/Examinations/2013_FEBRUARY2013STATS%20073013-r.pdf

    http://www.nwculaw.edu/testimonials_statistics.html
     
  17. bpreachers

    bpreachers New Member

    As almost always someone feels the need to go in a direction not applicable to the topic. I did not ask about a JD, I did not ask about non-accredited California law schools. I live on the opposite side of the country with no plans to move to California or visit for any reason. And I do not want to do a degree that I will have to explain for the rest of my life (unaccredited JD when I am not nor have plans to be a lawyer). Since this is off the rails I am done. Thanks to those that did give info relating to what I was asking about. It is appreciated.
     
  18. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    While I would not choose the cost analysis route that CalDog explored, it is nonetheless fascinating. Hopefully you'll find what you're looking for.
     
  19. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    Taft Law School has two online Master of Laws programs, with concentrations in taxation or American jurisprudence. Costs are $9,480 and $7,920 respectively. Taft is DETC accredited, so these degrees do not meet the stated preference for RA; but they do have recognized NA, and the costs are probably lower than any RA program.

    On the other hand, these are "Master of Laws" degrees -- they are not "Master of Legal Studies" degrees. I should acknowledge that the OP did not ask about "Master of Laws" degrees, and I apologize in advance if this suggestion is deemed "off the rails".
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 4, 2014
  20. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    Hold on -- in fact, that suggestion actually is "off the rails". Taft's "Master of Laws" degrees are intended to be like LLM degrees -- not MLS degrees. Never mind. I apologize again.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 4, 2014

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