1. Undergraduate Programs
  2. Accelerated Master's Programs

Accelerated Master of Legal Studies

Earn your B.A. in Law and complete your Master of Legal Studies in as little as one additional semester!

About the Program

Qualified law majors have the opportunity to pursue an accelerated track to a Master of Legal Studies (MLS) through the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law. The MLS is a one-year master’s degree for non-lawyers. After taking 12 units of foundational law courses at the graduate level (which count towards both the B.A. in Law and the MLS), students accepted into the accelerated program take an additional 18 units in Legal Analysis, Research and Writing, and upper-level electives with Juris Doctor students. MLS students may choose to focus on a certain discipline through a specialized program (such as family law, criminal law, or environmental law), or pursue self-designed curriculum in their area of interest (such as immigration, business law, employment law, or patent law). Upon graduation, MLS students will be well-equipped to pursue law-related careers that do not require a Juris Doctor such as:

  • Compliance officers
  • Human resources professionals
  • Immigration officers
  • Court personnel
  • Victim advocates
  • Patent agents

Visit the College of Law's page on the Master of Legal Studies for full program information or contact JKeith Swisher, Director, B.A. in Law - Master in Legal Studies Programs at keithswisher@email.arizona.edu.

Sample Academic Plan

  • Complete all General Education, minor, and double-major requirements
  • Complete SGPP Core Curriculum (12 units)
  • Complete 15 units of undergraduate law electives (POL, LAW, or other approved courses)
  • Complete LAW Core Curriculum at the 500-level (12 units double-count toward the B.A. in Law and MLS) – can be taken after completing 90 units:
    • LAW 501 – Procedure
    • LAW 502A – American Common Law I
    • LAW 502B – American Common Law II
    • LAW 504 – American Public Law
  • Remaining units required for completion of MLS: 18 graduate units of College of Law courses (for a total of 30 units to complete the MLS).

You can graduate with just one additional semester of study if you complete 3 units of a graduate-level internship or coursework over the summer or winter session and complete your MLS by taking the remaining 15 units in one semester.

Application Procedures & Deadlines

You may apply once you have completed 75 undergraduate credit hours, and may start taking 500-level courses toward MLS credit once you have completed 90 credit hours.

  • Applications for spring admission are due Dec.15 (Oct. 22 for international applicants).
  • Applications for a fall admission start date are due Aug. 1 (June 1 for international applicants).
  • Applications for summer* admission are due May 1.

  • The International application deadline is only for main campus.  Online International applications follow the regular deadlines.

    * Although main campus and online students may start in fall or spring, only online students may start in summer. 

  • See application requirements and apply online

Program Requirements & Policies

You must meet all University Accelerated Master’s Program Admission Requirements, including a minimum 3.3 GPA and 90 completed units. See the Graduate College requirements for Accelerated Master's Programs. 

Visit the Graduate College's Costs and Fees page to learn more about tuition and other financial information.