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 professionals in health care and regulatory science to be able to identify, interpret, and effectively communicate the legal issues that inevitably arise in these highly regulated environments. The health law and policy courses are offered through a collaboration with academics from the UA Colleges of Pharmacy, Public Health, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Management and with industry experts from the Critical Path Institute (C-Path), an organization created in partnership with the Food and Drug Administration, and Roche, the world’s largest biotech company.
“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 Director of Graduate Health Sciences Programs
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.
"Our goal is to help current and future professionals understand the laws and regulations in their work setting in order to know how to innovate and improve outcomes to better meet patient needs."
– Christopher Robertson, Professor of Law and Associate Dean of Research and Innovation
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 30 units from the curriculum described below. Online courses are 7.5 weeks in length. They are offered during the fall, spring and summer semesters. Online students are part of the UA Online campus.
Application Information
Email the Health Law and Policy Concentration Director if you have questions regarding the health law and policy courses. Email the MLS Assistant Director if you have application questions.
To begin your application, visit the Arizona Law online application system.
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 for Health Care Business
Spring Session 2 (March – May)
LAW 577A (3 Units) Development and Innovation: Biologics, Devices, and Diagnostics
PHIL 515 (3 Units) Health Care Ethics
Summer Session 1 (May – July)
LAW 608A (3 Units) Public Health Law and Ethics
Fall Session 1 (August – October)
LAW 576A (3 Units) Drug Discovery, Development, and in the Market
LAW 578A (3 Units) Legal and Regulatory Aspects for Health Care Delivery
Fall Session 2 (October - December)
LAW 598A (3 Units) Regulatory Science Case Study Project
MIS 506 (3 Units) Health Care Information Systems
Fall and Spring:
Law 695D (1 Unit) Regulatory Science Colloquium
Health Law and Policy Elective Courses (on-campus)
LAW 552 - Health Law (3 units)
LAW 610 - Health Care Finance and Regulation (2 units)
LAW 654B - Health Care Litigation (3 units)
LAW 654A - Bioethics and Law (3 units)
LAW 635 - Insurance Law (2 units)
CPH 574 - Public Health Policy and Management (3 units)
CPH 523 - Critical Issues in Health Care Organization, Management and Policy (3 units)
CPH 575 - Environmental and Occupational Health (3 units)