Online master’s degree programs at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University are transforming legal education by providing professionals with the flexibility to advance their careers while balancing personal and professional commitments. ASU Law is No. 1 in the nation for the most legal master’s graduates from 2019 to 2023, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
“Our master’s programs are designed to be flexible, accessible and impactful for professionals seeking to expand their careers,” said Stacy Leeds, the Willard H. Pedrick Dean and Regents and Foundation Professor of Law. “These programs open doors and empower individuals to leverage their newly acquired legal knowledge in transformative ways, no matter their industry.”
ASU Law offers two online master’s programs that give students the ability to understand legal principles and apply them in their professions without requiring them to become lawyers:
These programs allow students to customize their educational experiences to fit their unique lifestyles. The online MLS, for example, has 13 emphases students can choose from to tailor their degree to align with their interests and career goals. These emphases include business law, construction law, corporate and health care compliance and sports law and business.
For Joshua Masters, an ASU Law alum, he defied the odds by completing the online MLS while working as a 911 dispatcher. Despite the demanding nature of his job, he dedicated himself to rigorous study. He says the program's online learning option offered the flexibility he needed to excel.
"Traditional in-person options were simply not viable for me. Being able to listen to lectures or review materials 24/7 was necessary for me to be successful," Masters said. "I would often come home from a swing shift and listen to a lecture at 3 a.m.; not something that would be available in any other modality."
Masters, currently the vice president of HR and campus operations at Olympic College in Washington, said the master’s program propelled his career to new heights and allowed him to make significant strides in labor and employee relations.
"I cannot overstate the impact of this degree. I graduated in December 2019. In May 2020, I was hired to be the labor and employee relations manager at Olympic College," he said. "I quickly advanced to the position I hold now. My salary has tripled since I graduated from the master’s program."
Masters exemplifies the transformative impact of ASU Law's online master’s degree programs. It truly empowers students and alumni to drive positive change in their lives and communities.
For more information on master’s degrees available at ASU Law, visit law.asu.edu/advanceyourcareer.