University of Arizona Law Adds Online Options for Undergraduate, Master’s Degrees
University of Arizona Law now offers two of its degrees online: the bachelor of arts in law (BA) and the master of legal studies (MLS). A third option, the master of laws (LLM) will be available online in the near future.
Both the BA and MLS degrees are geared toward students who have an interest in professions that benefit from legal knowledge, but do not require a Juris Doctor (JD) degree or license to practice law.
The degrees are offered via UA Online, ranked in the top 25 percent of online programs by U.S. News and World Report. UA Online students earn the same degree and learn from the same professors as on-campus students, and have access to a suite of resources, including academic success specialists, free tutoring, discounted and free software, and career support.
“Our online programs provide the best of both worlds—classes taught by our own faculty who are world renowned experts in their fields, at a schedule and pace that you choose,” says Kathie Barnes, associate dean for programs and innovation.
Arizona Law’s online degrees are currently available on a part-time track, with full-time options coming soon.
Online Bachelor of Arts in Law
The University of Arizona’s BA in law is the first and only undergraduate law degree in the country. It has already surpassed 900 students since launching in 2014 through a partnership between Arizona Law and the university’s School of Government and Public Policy in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.
Students take first-year law school subjects taught by law school faculty using the case method. Law majors gain an understanding of fundamental legal subjects while also learning critical thinking, analysis, and complex problem resolution skills.
“The BA in law program has been the best educational experience that I have had while at the University of Arizona,” said graduate Korey Cowan, now a JD student at Boston University School of Law. ”The opportunity to work with current law school professors teaching at Arizona Law truly prepared me for success in the next level of my education.”
Online Master of Legal Studies
The online master of legal studies (MLS) is available as a general degree or with a number of concentrations, including:
- Compliance and Legal Risk Management
- International Economic Law and Policy
- Intellectual Property
- Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy
- Human Rights
- Mining Law and Policy
- Environmental Law and Policy
- Tax Law and Policy
- Criminal Law and Policy
- Family and Juvenile Law
The MLS is a 30-unit degree ideal for anyone whose current or future career involves the growing areas of regulation, compliance, negotiations, human resources, law enforcement, or working with agencies, tribal governments or corporations.
Graduates can gain both general and specialized knowledge of the U.S. legal system, learn how the law affects their area of interest, gain verbal and written communication skills, and know how to solve problems while taking legal factors into account.
Recent MLS graduate Rocio Ruiz entered the program as an international student advisor at UA and is now assistant director in the Office of Global Initiatives at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She says the program had a direct impact on her career.
“I work with international students coming to the U.S., and I wanted to expand my knowledge of immigration law,” Ruiz said. “The MLS program allowed me to design my own curriculum, incorporating classes in immigration law, refugee law, international human rights, gender and the law, and other areas of interest.”