2027 MLS Programs That Allow Students to Build an Individual Elective Plan
Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientist
A flexible Master of Legal Studies (MLS) can help you study the laws affecting your work without training to become an attorney. But "customizable" can mean anything from choosing a few courses on a short list to building a coherent plan across legal subjects. This guide identifies programs worth investigating and shows how to test their actual flexibility. It also covers accreditation, scheduling, cost, and career fit so you can decide whether a full degree - or a narrower credential - makes more sense.
Key Things You Should Know
- Arizona State University and the University of Arizona offer MLS programs with elective choices; neither name alone tells you whether your preferred courses will be available in your format and term.
- Compare the required core, elective rules, and course schedule before applying. A program described as flexible may still restrict courses by prerequisites, capacity, or approval.
- An MLS does not qualify you to practice law. For career context, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports $80,730 in May 2025 median pay for compliance officers, but the degree is not a requirement for every compliance job.
What is a Master of Legal Studies degree with individualized electives?
An MLS is a graduate degree designed chiefly for people who need legal knowledge in a nonlawyer role. Students typically complete foundational legal coursework and choose additional subjects that support a professional goal. An individualized elective plan means using those choices intentionally - for example, combining employment law, privacy, and dispute resolution for an HR role - rather than simply taking whichever classes fit a timetable.
That is different from a formal concentration. A concentration has published requirements and may appear on a transcript; a personally selected group of electives may not carry any separate designation. Some schools also require approval to take courses outside the MLS catalog or alongside Juris Doctor (JD) students. An MLS, regardless of its electives, does not qualify a graduate for attorney licensure.
If your goal is specifically to enter paralegal work rather than deepen knowledge for an existing profession, associate pathways into paralegal education may be a more direct starting point than a graduate degree.
Which MLS programs let students design a custom elective plan?
Arizona State University and the University of Arizona are useful starting points because each offers an MLS with room to select coursework beyond foundational requirements. The comparison below focuses on the decision that matters here: whether the available choices can support a coherent individual plan. It is not an exhaustive list of flexible MLS programs.
| Program | Degree and elective approach | Format consideration | What to confirm before applying |
| Arizona State University, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law | Master of Legal Studies; students select courses within the degree's published requirements and available areas of study. | Online and campus study options are offered, but course availability can differ. | Whether the specific electives you want are offered in your format and whether courses outside your chosen area require approval. |
| University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law | Master of Legal Studies; elective selections can be shaped around a legal or professional interest. | Check the schedule for your intended online or campus pathway. | Which electives count toward the degree, when they run, and whether prerequisites or enrollment limits apply. |
A school's list of interesting courses is not proof that you can take all of them. Use the current catalog and a proposed course sequence to test each program's flexibility:
- Write down your target role and the legal subjects you need to understand.
- Ask each program which proposed courses count as electives, who approves substitutions, and whether enrollment is open to MLS students.
- Check when those courses are offered in your intended format and what happens if one is canceled or full.
Favor the program that can confirm a workable sequence, not the one with the longest course catalog.
What accreditation should students look for in an MLS program?
Check that the university has recognized institutional accreditation. This is the relevant accreditation question for an MLS and is important when considering academic standards, federal student aid eligibility, and possible future study. Confirm the institution's current status through its accreditor or an authoritative federal listing rather than relying solely on a promotional page.
Do not confuse institutional accreditation with American Bar Association (ABA) approval. The ABA's approval of a law school's JD program does not mean it separately approves that school's MLS. ABA approval of qualifying paralegal education programs is also a different matter. Neither status turns an MLS into an attorney-qualifying degree or makes elective credits automatically transferable; a receiving institution decides whether to accept them.
What can students study through an individualized MLS curriculum?
The most useful plan connects courses to decisions you expect to make at work. A healthcare administrator might combine health regulation, privacy, and employment law; a contracts professional might prioritize contract interpretation, negotiation, and business organizations. Students interested in workplace investigations or employee policies can examine legal studies coursework centered on human resources law while checking whether a particular school offers those subjects as electives or as a formal concentration.
Look beyond course titles. Read descriptions for the issues covered, prerequisites, and assessment methods. If your goal is to apply legal knowledge at work, a course built around analyzing policies or regulatory problems may serve you differently from a survey course. Also check whether a proposed plan develops depth: several introductory classes in unrelated fields are not necessarily as useful as a sequence tied to one responsibility.
How do online and campus-based MLS programs compare?
Delivery format affects which elective plan is possible, not just where you attend class. This comparison highlights scheduling differences to investigate; individual programs may combine features of both formats.
| Consideration | Online study | Campus-based study |
| Class meetings | May include live sessions, fixed deadlines, or recorded instruction; "online" does not mean self-paced. | Usually requires attendance at scheduled classes. |
| Elective access | Some catalog courses may not run online or may run less often. | May offer access to in-person seminars, subject to enrollment rules. |
| Additional commitments | Technology requirements and any campus visits should be checked. | Commuting, relocation, or time away from work may add cost. |
Request an upcoming course schedule, not just a catalog. Ask whether required classes must be taken in sequence and whether your intended electives have live meeting times. If an online course conflicts with your work hours, its theoretical flexibility will not help you complete the plan.
What are the admission requirements for individualized MLS programs?
MLS applicants generally need a bachelor's degree, and schools set their own rules for transcripts, statements, recommendations, and any test or work-experience expectations. A JD or prior law coursework is generally not the purpose of these programs, but admission to an MLS and permission to take a particular advanced elective are separate questions. Ask about prerequisites if your plan depends on upper-level courses.
If you have college credit but no bachelor's degree, first identify a route to graduate-school eligibility. Online paralegal bachelor's programs that accept transfer credits are one possible route for someone whose goals also include paralegal education. The receiving school determines how prior credit applies; accreditation alone does not guarantee transfer.
How long do flexible MLS programs take, and what do they cost?
Completion time depends on the required credits, your course load, and how often necessary electives run. Arizona State University and the University of Arizona each publish a 30-credit MLS curriculum. That gives you a comparable measure of academic volume, not a comparable tuition total or a promise that both plans can be completed on the same schedule.
Before comparing prices, request each program's current per-credit tuition and mandatory fees for your residency and delivery format. Include books, technology, any required travel, and the cost of extending enrollment if a key elective is offered infrequently. An employer benefit may change your out-of-pocket cost; federal aid depends on your eligibility and the specific program's status. For broader cost context, see legal studies master's affordability and career outcomes, then use each university's current figures for your final comparison.
The principal opportunity cost is taking a full graduate curriculum when a short course, graduate certificate, or employer training would cover the legal issue you actually face. Compare those alternatives before paying for electives you do not need.
What careers can an individualized MLS degree prepare students for?
An MLS may complement experience in compliance, human resources, contracts, healthcare administration, or legal operations. In these roles, legal knowledge can help a professional recognize issues, work with counsel, manage policies, or interpret regulatory requirements. Employers, however, may value direct industry experience or a role-specific credential more than a broad degree; an MLS is not a universal hiring requirement.
Paralegal work is a different decision. It emphasizes tasks such as legal research, document preparation, and support for attorneys under appropriate supervision. If that is your primary target, compare the MLS with job-focused training, including options for exploring accelerated online paralegal education. Completing an MLS does not authorize independent legal practice, and the educational route employers prefer can vary.
What salary can MLS graduates expect in legal and compliance roles?
There is no single reliable salary figure for "MLS graduates": pay depends on the job, location, experience, and employer, and occupational statistics do not isolate the effect of this degree. The Bureau of Labor Statistics benchmarks below describe occupations an applicant might consider, not outcomes promised by an MLS program.
| Occupation | Median annual pay | Projected employment growth |
| Compliance officers | $80,730 in May 2025 | 4% projected growth, 2025-2035 |
| Paralegals and legal assistants | $62,890 in May 2025 | 0% projected growth, 2025-2035 |
For paralegals and legal assistants, the same BLS projection anticipates about 40,800 openings per year despite little or no net growth. Openings and median pay can inform your career comparison, but neither establishes that an MLS is the preferred entry credential or will raise an individual's earnings.
Does an MLS degree qualify graduates for legal licenses or certifications?
No. An MLS is a non-JD academic degree and does not, by itself, qualify someone to become a licensed attorney, give legal advice independently, or represent clients. Attorney licensing rules are set by the relevant jurisdiction and involve requirements an MLS does not replace.
Likewise, finishing a degree is not the same as earning a professional certification. Certification bodies and state systems set their own eligibility, examination, and experience rules, which may change or vary by location. If you have a specific credential in mind, check its issuing organization's current requirements before choosing electives; do not assume coursework alone satisfies them.
Other Things You Should Know About Law & Paralegal
Sometimes, but access depends on the school and course. Ask whether JD courses are open to MLS students, whether seats are limited, and whether instructor approval or prerequisites apply.
Usually, course choices can change within degree rules, but a replacement may delay graduation if it is offered only occasionally. Have an adviser confirm how the revised course will count before enrolling.
Not necessarily. A self-selected group of courses is different from a formally designated concentration. Ask the registrar what designation, if any, appears on the transcript or diploma.
Only if the program offers an approved project, independent study, or similar credit option and accepts your proposal. Get the supervision, assessment, and employer-confidentiality requirements in writing before relying on it.
References
- Updating Application Information | 2024-2025 Federal Student Aid Handbook https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/fsa-handbook/2024-2025/vol2/ch5-updating-application-information
- Mode of Instruction - Queens College - CUNY https://www.qc.cuny.edu/cetll/mode-of-instruction/
- Registration Questions - CCA Portal https://portal.cca.edu/learning/academic-advising/registration-questions/
- Reader's Guide to the Catalog | University of Oregon Academic Catalog https://catalog.uoregon.edu/readersguide/
- Policies and Guidelines for Concentrations | University of Illinois Chicago https://policies.uic.edu/educational-policy/policies-guidlelines-concentrations/
- Online Learning | laguardia.edu https://www.laguardia.edu/academics/online/
- UCLA Course Approval Manual https://apb.ucla.edu/file/ee262ed6-7693-42b9-8744-04c14284cab8
- Modes of Instruction | Lehman College https://www.lehman.edu/registrar/modes-of-instruction/
- 4.1.21 Instructional Modalities and Distance Education | Illinois State https://policy.illinoisstate.edu/academic/4-1-21
