FAQ

The MLS degree is a Master of Legal Studies degree, most commonly directed at educating working professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge in Compliance and Risk Management while gaining a comprehensive understanding of how the law intersects with and applies to this field.

Throughout the MLS program you will have the opportunity to learn from a faculty composed of experienced legal educators and adjunct faculty drawn from Seattle’s leading businesses.

At this time we only offer the MLS in Compliance & Risk Management as an online degree. However, we are building other offerings to be available online, so please contact us at lawgraduateonline@seattleu.edu on availability of new programs.

1. Interpret cases, statutes, and regulations related to the law and policy of compliance and risk management across myriad industries.
2. Analyze the role of the U.S. legal system, especially administrative bodies, in relation to business or industry compliance and risk.
3. Examine compliance and risk through a legal lens, to include legal analysis, research, and written and verbal communication.
4. Demonstrate an ability to perform critical non-attorney roles ethically and with cultural competency regardless of industry or business environment.

If you are someone that would like to practice law, the Juris Doctorate or “JD” is the appropriate degree to pursue. The Master of Legal Studies does not qualify graduates to take a bar exam or to practice law as an attorney in any jurisdiction. This degree is designed for professionals who desire a comprehensive knowledge of law, policy, and principles in compliance and risk management, but do not require a JD degree to accomplish their goals.

The diploma awarded will be a Master of Legal Studies in Compliance and Risk Management from Seattle University School of Law.

A description and list of courses can be found at onlinelaw.seattleu.edu/program-courses.

The list of sample courses are as follows:

• Legal Foundations
  • Introduction to the American Legal System
  • Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing
• Compliance Operations
  • Foundations of Regulatory Compliance
  • Risk Management and Auditing
  • Contract Review and Policy Drafting
  • Organizational Investigations
• Select Electives
  • Business Law Fundamentals
  • Corporate Compliance and Ethics
  • Financial Fraud
  • Financial Privacy and Cybersecurity
  • Foundations of Privacy Law
  • Data Breach and Response
  • Healthcare Law
  • Healthcare Industry Compliance
  • Healthcare Transactions Compliance
• Capstone

The classes are taught by a combination of Seattle University School of Law full-time faculty members and highly qualified adjunct instructors. Many of the adjunct instructors are practitioners in the fields of compliance and risk management. We encourage you to view the bios of some of our faculty and thought leaders at onlinelaw.seattleu.edu/faculty-program-team. For more information or if you would like to connect with one of our faculty members please send us an email at lawgraduateonline@seattleu.edu.

The time required for each course depends on the units or credits awarded for the course. The length of each course will be 14 weeks of instruction. There will be Fall, Spring, and Summer terms per year. As a part-time program, students will be expected to take two courses per term  for a total of 5–6 credits.  While only an estimate, students should plan to study on average 15 hours per week.

• The majority of courses or work within a course are “asynchronous,” meaning that work and study can be done at your convenience, but within set timeframes to proceed through the course materials. These consist of the following:
  • Readings
  • Pre-recorded lectures
  • Discussion threads
  • Quizzes
  • Written assessments
• Some courses may have “synchronous” components that may consist of live “virtual” classes or group work (with the possibility for slight variance in each class). However these live classes will also be recorded and archived for viewing when more convenient, if necessary, or for review.

The MLS degree cost is $1,200 per credit. Total cost of attendance (including tuition and fees) can be found at
https://law.seattleu.edu/office-and-administration/student-financial-services/forms.

Students must complete 30 credits to earn the MLS.  Possible transfer credits will be considered on a case-by-case basis in consultation with and the prior written approval of the Director of Graduate Law Programs.

An application containing the following items is required:

• Official transcripts for all universities and colleges that you have attended.
• Resume or curriculum vitae.
• Personal statement.
• List of three references.
• Nonrefundable $65 application fee.Note: The application fee is waived for all students who apply to enter Fall Term 2020.

A personal interview may be requested as part of the admissions process. Our goal is to admit professionals who already have experience in their fields that will serve as a foundation for legal studies and who bring diversity in all its forms to the law school community.

*Note to all applicants: Working with an agent will not affect your chances of acceptance and scholarship. All applicants should disclose in their application materials if they are working with an agent. We encourage all applicants to communicate directly with us at 206-398-4268 or lawgraduateonline@seattleu.edu.

All decisions will be communicated to applicants via email. If you are admitted, a formal letter will be attached to the email.

Yes, MLS students may be eligible for financial aid. Please contact our Financial Aid office at 206-398-4250 or lawfa@seattleu.edu. For exceptional students, partial merit scholarships may be awarded.  Apply now to learn more.

Applicants should check with their individual employers. Of the companies that do assist with tuition payments, some have a limit on the amount of tuition that can be covered in any given year. We encourage you to reach out to your Human Resources department to see if this benefit is available to you.

An online orientation program is required for all program participants. Orientation will be available the week before the start of each semester.

Most online courses within Seattle University School of Law are offered on a semester-long basis, with weekly modules. Although the format may vary depending on the nature of the course, in most courses students should expect the following:

• New topics to be assigned each week containing the following:
  • Associated reading
  • Lecture
  • Discussion
  • Exercises
  • Quizzes
  • Other interactive activities
• Modules: Individual topics that include a specific group of reading assignments, lectures, discussion, and exercises are called “modules.” Most courses will release new modules each Monday and allow one week for completion.
• Within the weekly modules, most Seattle University online courses will be primarily asynchronous. This means that students do not necessarily need to be online at the same time, and will have the flexibility to complete module activities at a time convenient to their schedules, as long as they complete the activities by the assigned deadline.
  • Some assignments, such as weekly discussion, may have mid-week deadlines.
  • Some papers or projects may be assigned over several weeks or the course of a semester.
• To facilitate planning, all deadlines will be announced in the syllabus prior to the beginning of a course.
• Seattle University School of Law online courses are designed to provide regular and substantial interaction between faculty and students. For this reason, students will generally work on one weekly module at a time so that they are working at the same pace as their classmates.
• Online courses may also schedule semi-regular or optional “live” classes, called synchronous classes, in which students would be required to be online at the same time using live conferencing technology integrated into the course. Any mandatory synchronous sessions will be announced at the start of each course to allow for proper planning.
• Faculty will also offer regular “live” office hours, and may from time to time schedule guest speakers or special events on a synchronous basis.

Seattle University online courses are designed to provide students with substantial flexibility to manage other professional and personal commitments while also facilitating regular and substantial interaction with the professor and other students. To be successful in the online program, students will need to be self-motivated and organized.

Students need to have regular and reliable access to a computer and high speed Internet.

*Note that mobile and tablet devices will not provide full access; students will need a laptop or desktop computer with videoconferencing capabilities (webcam and headset).

The program offers courses over the summer session for continuing students.

While there is not a residential component to the online course there may be opportunities for you to join us on our campus in Seattle. Please contact us at 206-398-4268 or lawgraduateonline@seattleu.edu for more information.

Yes, the Seattle University School of Law online MLS in Compliance and Risk Management is available to prospective students from all 50 states.

Yes — you are a part of our community and as such we invite (and encourage) you to participate in any way that is meaningful for you. MLS students will be alerted to opportunities to participate in on-campus events through live-streaming and similar technology. If you are able to visit campus, we are happy to provide a campus tour, to introduce you to faculty, to connect with professionals in your area of concentration, and to participate in academic and social events. If you are planning a visit, we encourage you to contact Seattle University School of Law at 206-398-4268 or lawgraduateonline@seattleu.edu in advance so that we can help make your stay meaningful and rewarding.