OnlineMasterofLegalStudies.com is owned by 2U, LLC, parent company of edX. Our goal is to help learners make confident, informed decisions about their education and career. Some programs shown here are offered by universities that partner with 2U, for which 2U provides marketing and operational support and receives compensation. Other programs shown may be paid advertisements from third parties. Both types of programs are identified with the word AD or Advertisement. We aim to keep information current and accurate. Learn more about edX and our partners.


California University of Pennsylvania

Now part of Pennsylvania Western University, also known as PennWest. The current online legal studies master’s program appears in PennWest’s graduate catalog as the Master of Science in Legal Studies, offered online.

PennWest’s M.S. in Legal Studies is designed to help students build critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and legal analysis skills through the study of legal theories, ethics, legal reasoning, and public policy. According to PennWest’s current graduate catalog, the program may be relevant to careers in law, government, paralegalism, court systems, law enforcement, military, national security, business, human resources, and social work.

The program requires 30 credits. PennWest’s current catalog does not list the former California University of Pennsylvania concentration options in Criminal Justice, Homeland Security, or Law and Public Policy. Instead, the current catalog lists the program as an online M.S. in Legal Studies with no concentration.

PennWest is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, an institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

California University of Pennsylvania / PennWest – Online M.S. in Legal Studies Program Overview

Program Name: Master of Science in Legal Studies

School: Pennsylvania Western University, formerly California University of Pennsylvania

Format: Online

Credits: 30 credits

Concentrations: PennWest’s current graduate catalog does not list concentrations for the M.S. in Legal Studies.

Tuition: PennWest Global Online lists 2025–2026 graduate master’s and certificate tuition at $534 per credit for in-state students and $545 per credit for out-of-state students, with additional per-credit fees. Prospective students should confirm current tuition and fees directly with PennWest.

Program Website: PennWest Graduate Catalog – Legal Studies, M.S.

Curriculum

PennWest’s current graduate catalog lists 18 credits of required core coursework and 12 credits of related electives for the online M.S. in Legal Studies.

Core courses listed in the catalog include:

  • Law and Public Policy
  • Law, Civil Liberties and the Constitution
  • Law and Legal Method
  • Law and Civil Litigation
  • Law and Administrative Agencies
  • Law, Business and the Workplace

Students also choose four related elective courses from options such as Law and Ethics, Law, Justice and the Family, Law and the Environment, International Law, Law and Public Policy of National Security, Law and Public Policy of Intelligence in National Security, Law and Public Policy of Terrorism and Political Violence, and Law and Conflict Resolution.

Admissions Requirements

PennWest’s current graduate catalog lists the following admission requirements for the M.S. in Legal Studies:

  • $35 application fee
  • Official transcript or transcripts
  • 3.0 GPA

Applicants with a GPA below 3.0 may be asked to provide a resume and a 500-word essay supporting the application. Prospective students should confirm current application requirements with PennWest before applying.

Accreditation

PennWest University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Middle States is an institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Contact Information

PennWest lists graduate admissions support through its Graduate Admissions page. Prospective students may also contact the graduate admissions team at gradadmissions@pennwest.edu.

Notes for Prospective Students

California University of Pennsylvania is now part of Pennsylvania Western University. Students reviewing older Cal U materials should confirm all current program details, including program name, curriculum, tuition, delivery format, and concentration availability, through PennWest’s current catalog and admissions pages before applying.

Please contact the program to determine if the program is available for your state of residence.

Information on this page was last updated in June 2026. If you have additional information that is best fit for this page, reach out to us at contactus@onlinemasteroflegalstudies.com.

Information last updated: July 2026