Online Master of Legal Studies – Contract Management Emphasis

Gain the knowledge you need to navigate contract drafting and review with the Master of Legal Studies with an emphasis in contract management degree at Arizona State University. The contract management emphasis can enhance your career opportunities with a comprehensive understanding of business and government contracts.

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Quick facts

Next start date:

Next start date: 05/16/2024


Total classes:

Total classes: 10

Weeks per class:

Weeks per class: 7.5

Total credit hours:

Total credit hours: 30

Degree questions, answered.

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Earn your legal studies degree with a contract management emphasis

The law touches everyone, especially businesses. A primary example is effective contracts, which are foundational for most organizations. If you’re seeking a better understanding of business and government contracts, the master’s in legal studies with an emphasis in contract management may be a great fit for you. This program is an excellent option for legal studies students exploring emphases in business, compliance or HR.

Taught by experienced faculty and professionals, the contract management degree emphasis provides you with a background in legal principles and analysis. This background lays the foundation for effectively drafting, reviewing and analyzing contracts. Throughout the degree program, you'll also learn contract lifecycle and management techniques.

What is contract management?

 

Contract management is the administration of legally binding mutual agreements that are enforceable by law. This area of legal studies helps ensure agreements between two or more parties are legal and clear. A mastery of contract law allows professionals to effectively create, revise and enforce agreements. These relationships are common with customers, vendors, partners and employers.

Master contract law basics

 

A legal studies degree can help you understand the relationship between the law and a wide variety of fields. As such, you’ll gain legal knowledge and a variety of skills that can help you advance in your current career or prepare you to pursue a new career option:

  • Apply legal analysis to move ideas and projects forward.
  • Evaluate legal issues, including pros and cons, objectively.
  • Perform legal research.
  • Remove biases from influencing thought.

In addition to the skills listed above, the contract management emphasis can help you hone specific areas that prepare you to read and revise business and government contracts. These skills will equip you with the ability to:

  • Define duties and obligations in contracts.
  • Determine consequences for contract breaches.
  • Draft contract provisions.
  • Effectively read contracts.
  • Recognize the implications of contract breaches.
  • Successfully enter and legally exit contracts.
  • Understand goals focused on contract management.

What is a degree emphasis? Is it the same as a concentration?

 

A degree program’s emphasis is similar to a concentration, but there are key differences.

  • A concentration is a formalized selection of courses within a major. A concentration requires a minimum of 15 credit hours of which at least nine credit hours must be upper division. Your concentration appears on both your ASU diploma and your transcripts.
  • An emphasis is a selected topic area defined within the major. It’s typically 9–12 credit hours and doesn’t need to be officially declared. The emphasis will not appear on your diploma or transcripts.

Will my legal studies degree say 'online'?

No, Arizona State University’s diplomas don’t specify whether you earn your degree online or in person. All diplomas and transcripts simply say “Arizona State University.” That’s because ASU Online students learn from the same faculty and receive the same course content as in-person students receive.

Please note your diploma will state the degree you earn: Master of Legal Studies. Your emphasis in contract management will not appear on your diploma or transcripts.

Contract management emphasis courses

Coursework in the program includes topics, such as understanding contract language, commenting on contract drafts and choosing contract terms. Built for customization, a majority of your courses will be electives or related to your emphasis area. Courses may include:


Required course

U.S. Law and Legal Analysis


Elective

​​​​​​​Fundamentals of Contract Law


Elective

Property


Elective

Tort Law


Elective

U.S. Constitution Law


Emphasis area

Contract Review and Structure for Professionals


What can I do with contract management skills?

Contract managers can create legally binding agreements, negotiate the terms and conditions of contracts and ensure the contracts are being followed according to the document.

Contract management skills and experience can be useful for several different job markets. Many students in this legal studies program are professionals looking to deepen their knowledge in order to advance in their current field. The emphasis in contract management may help graduates pursue or advance in one of the following careers:

Auditor

Business owner or entrepreneur

City manager

Contract specialist or manager

Government administrator

Operations finance officer

Procurement specialist or manager

Real estate developer

Underwriter

Earn your law degree with renowned, practiced educators

The faculty members in the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law have more than 300 combined years of experience. Hailing from across the country, they’re nationally recognized for their wealth of knowledge.

The College of Law’s world-class faculty members provide comprehensive legal education in popular focus areas and address legal challenges on a global scale.

Earn your law degree with renowned, practiced educators

The faculty members in the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law have more than 300 combined years of experience. Hailing from across the country, they’re nationally recognized for their wealth of knowledge.

The College of Law’s world-class faculty members provide comprehensive legal education in popular focus areas and address legal challenges on a global scale.

Apply to earn your legal studies degree

Applicants to the Master of Legal Studies program must fulfill the requirements of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law.

U.S.-educated applicants can apply through our FastApp process, which streamlines the application process and may allow for an offer of conditional admission to the MLS program while the applicant continues to submit any additional requested documentation. Find more information about the FastApp process here.

FastApp process

Application requirements

Additional admission information

Study at one of the best law schools in the country

The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at ASU is one of the top schools in the nation. The college provides personalized and practical legal education. Offering more than 250 unique courses, students have the opportunity to tailor their educational experiences to meet their unique interests. Our bar passage achievements and peer-reviewed U.S. News & World Report rankings highlight our dedication to preparing students for success.

#1


in Arizona for bar passage.

5


law programs ranked amongst the top 25 in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report.

#12


public law schools, according to U.S. News & World Report.

#32


best law schools, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Tuition calculator

Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students receive financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs. Learn more.

Tuition calculator

Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students receive financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs. Learn more.

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