Health Law and Policy Concentration

Learn about the Online MLS with a concentration in health law and policy.

University of Arizona Law's Master of Legal Studies (MLS) degree, available fully online or in person, with a Health Law and Policy Concentration addresses a large and growing need for non-lawyers to identify and resolve legal problems that inevitably arise in a highly-regulated health care environment.

Image
Sklar tara headshot

“The courses in the Master of Legal Studies - Health Law and Policy Concentration are developed by a multidisciplinary team of academics, along with industry experts, to ensure there is direct application from what is being taught to what is needed in the workforce.”

– Tara Sklar, Professor of Health Law and Faculty Director, Health Law & Policy Program

Learn legal and ethical concepts in the following areas:

  • Differentiate between sources of public and private payment for health care services and federal laws that govern health care business practices.
  • Examine how the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is structured and regulates drugs, biologics, devices and diagnostics, from early discovery and development to bringing medical products to market.
  • Apply the ethical guidelines and federal regulations to comply with informed consent and conflicts of interest in conducting research with human subject participants.
  • Describe emerging key technology areas and how they impact drug safety and efficacy to meet the requirements of regulatory agencies in the US and abroad.
  • Recognize and account for the balance between individual rights and governmental interests (local, state, and federal) in protecting the public’s health.

Duration of Degree

The Master of Legal Studies Degree, with a Health Law and Policy Concentration, is a one-year degree program when pursued on a full-time basis, or two or more years when pursued on a part-time basis. The concentration may be completed fully online, or through a mix of in-person and online courses.

This degree requires the completion of approximately 10 courses (five health law courses and five required core legal foundation courses). Online courses are 7.5 weeks in length. They are offered during the fall, spring and summer semesters. 

Application Information

Email the Health Law and Policy if you have questions regarding the health law and policy courses.   Email the MLS Assistant Director if you have application questions.

BEGIN YOUR APPLICATION

Courses

Required Core Courses – Five courses at three credit units each for a total of 15 units

  • LAW 501 – Procedure (3 units)
  • LAW 502A - American Common Law System I, Torts and Contracts (3 units)
  • LAW 502B - American Common Law System II, Property (3 units)
  • LAW 504 - American Public Law System with Constitutional Law (3 units)
  • LAW 507 - Legal Analysis, Writing, and Research (3 units)

Elective Course Requirements – Five courses at three credit units each for a total of 15 units

Health Law and Policy Courses (online)

Spring Session 1 (January – March)

  • LAW 575A (3 Units) Clinical Research Ethics
  • LAW 579B (3 Units) Legal and Regulatory Fundamentals of Health Care Business
  • LAW 584A (3 Units) Aging in America
  • LAW 580 (3 Units) Introduction to Privacy

Spring Session 2 (March – May)

  • LAW 577A (3 Units) Development and Innovation in Biologics, Devices, and Diagnostics
  • LAW 515 (3 Units) Health Care Ethics
  • LAW 584B (3 Units) Aging and Social Justice
  • LAW 580B (3 Units) Data Privacy & Cybersecurity in Healthcare

Summer Session 1 (May – July)

  • LAW 608A (3 Units) Public Health Law and Ethics
  • LAW 588A (3 Units) Translational Pathways for Medical Devices
  • LAW 580D (3 Units) Telehealth Law & Policy

Summer Session 2 (July – August )

  • LAW 580A (3 Units) Liability and Regulation of Healthcare Professionals
  • LAW 575D (3 Units) Leadership and Equity in the Life Sciences

Fall Session 1 (August – October)

  • LAW 576A (3 Units) Drug Discovery, Development, and Innovation to Reach the Marketplace
  • LAW 578A (3 Units) Legal and Regulatory Aspects for Health Care Delivery
  • LAW 580C (3 Units) Health Information Technology
  • LAW 584C (3 Units) Technology and Aging: Legal & Ethical Developments

Fall Session 2 (October - December)

  • LAW 589A (3 Units) Regulatory Science Case Study Project
  • LAW 577 (3 Units) Introduction to Biomedical Informatics
  • LAW 584D (3 Units)  Aging and the Law