The Degree of Master of Studies in Law

Yale Law School offers a Master of Studies in Law (M.S.L.) degree program for a small number of non-lawyers who seek to obtain a basic familiarity with legal thought and to explore the relation of law to their disciplines. It is a one-year terminal program designed for those who do not desire a professional law degree, but who are interested in a rigorous curriculum and grounding in legal studies.

Candidates in the M.S.L. program are typically experienced scholars with doctorates who have research or teaching objectives in mind, or mid-career journalists seeking an intensive immersion in legal thinking so that they are better able to educate their audiences upon their return to journalism. (Those who have completed a professional law degree are not eligible for the program.)

Students enjoy small class sizes side-by-side with J.D. and other graduate students and a close relationship with the Yale Law School faculty.