A growing number of professionals in a variety of fields are going to law school to learn how the law affects their businesses.
They don’t necessarily need or want a law degree, but they want insight into the role law plays in their chosen work. It can help them do their jobs better and make them more valuable employees. Indeed, some employers recommend studying law and helping pay for it.
Hence, a growing number of schools now offer a Master of Legal Studies, also known as a Master of Studies in Law or a Master of Jurisprudence.
And a great way to get the degree is by studying online. Indeed, an online master’s program may be the perfect vehicle.
Why? Because most people interested in pursuing such degrees have full-time jobs and/or families and need flexibility. A law school in their region may not have the type of program they need. But with online programs, they can shop nationwide for the right fit in the comfort of their homes.
Plus, there’s a pandemic scouring the nation, so online has become a popular way of offering courses in this age of social distancing and mask-wearing.
The pandemic has not slowed enrollment — at least not at Texas A&M University School of Law in Fort Worth.
“In February, I was really worried,” said Texas A&M professor William Byrnes, who helped pioneer online legal education.
The pandemic, as we all know, rocked our economy. But a record number of non-J.D. students — more than 370 — are enrolled at Texas A&M Law this fall. About 150 are new students.
Byrnes said many employers he spoke with have cut back on travel budgets and other costs, so they have funds for continuing education. It keeps morale up.
“It’s a way of keeping them (employees) interested and engaged,” Byrnes said.
And when they complete the program, they’ll have a greater skill set.
Texas A&M Law is just one of many schools offering master’s programs online. All you need is a bachelor’s degree to be eligible. Ever hear of the dreaded Law School Admission Test (LSAT)? Don’t worry. You don’t need to take it.
But these online programs are not law school-lite, either.
As Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, Mo., puts it: “Designed and led by the School of Law’s distinguished faculty, the online MLS program delivers the same rigorous curriculum as the on-campus program and explores the application of U.S. law across a broad spectrum of today’s business topics, including contracts, intellectual property, health law and corporate compliance.”
The focus on business-related topics is one reason for the growing popularity of such degrees. Many professions are becoming increasingly complex because of regulatory demands. Fields such as health care, compliance, risk management, human resources and energy need professionals who can navigate some pretty legally dense work.
“In some ways, it’s a no-brainer,” said Robert Ahdieh, dean of Texas A&M Law. “It’s beyond dispute that our world is growing more complex. If you look at the need and see how much is actually being met, it’s easy to see the path.”
And many are following Texas A&M’s path. In 2017, the school had 27 non-J.D. students. Last year, that number rose to 175. And this year, it more than doubled.
Ahdieh was recruited to head Texas A&M Law in part because of his experience creating non-J.D. programs while he was at Emory University School of Law in Atlanta.
Some law schools aren’t as aggressive in this area. They feel law school should focus on training future lawyers. Ahdieh argues otherwise.
“Some sense we’re not trained to do this,” he said. “We need to shift that thinking. We’re not just training lawyers; we’re teaching law.”
Texas A&M Law offers five online master’s programs, including concentrations in wealth management and health law & policy. A number of them are new offerings, which is another reason for the enrollment spike.
The school also has three on-campus master’s programs.
About 80% of their online students are from Texas, said David Dye, assistant dean of graduate programs. The online master’s programs are a mix of real-time learning and pre-recorded video instruction. Some on-campus time is required when there’s no pandemic, and classes are capped at about 30 students.
All of that is important as it helps promote engagement, Dye said. Having a quality program is paramount for a host of reasons, particularly student success.
In addition, competition has increased as COVID-19 has forced more schools to offer online learning.
“The pandemic world is catching up,” Dye noted.
The pandemic has helped give online programs more credibility as distance learning has become more widespread, Ahdieh said.
In the past, some students and employers may have felt the online educational experience wasn’t as enriching or as worthwhile.
“This is liberating,” he said.
