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Drexel University

Thomas R. Kline School of Law’s online Master of Legal Studies (MLS) is designed for professionals who want to build legal knowledge without pursuing a Juris Doctor (JD) degree. Drexel describes legal studies as distinct from a JD and focused on how laws and regulations work, with coursework in areas such as compliance, risk assessment, ethics, and legal research and analysis.

The program may be a fit for professionals working in business, government service, nonprofit organizations, healthcare, higher education, human resources, cybersecurity, financial services, sports, pharmaceutical regulation, and other fields shaped by law and regulation. According to Drexel, the MLS is designed to help students understand legal issues that organizations face and support employers with regulatory compliance.

Drexel University Online currently lists the online MLS as a fully online, 45-quarter-credit program with an average duration of two years. The program can be completed full time or part time, and Drexel states that online coursework can be completed asynchronously with no on-campus requirement.

Drexel University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law is approved by the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association. The American Bar Association’s council-approved law schools list includes Drexel with a 2008 approval year.

Drexel University – Online MLS Program Overview

Program Name: Master of Legal Studies

School: Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law

Format: Fully online

Enrollment Options: Full time or part time

Average Duration: Two years

Credits: 45 quarter credits

Tuition: Drexel University Online’s current program page lists $975 per credit in the program overview and $995 per credit for the 2026–2027 academic year in the tuition section. Prospective students should confirm current tuition directly with Drexel before applying.

Program Website: Drexel University Online – Master of Legal Studies

Concentrations

Students may complete a general Master of Legal Studies or choose one or two concentration areas. Drexel University Online currently lists the following MLS concentration options:

  • Criminal Law
  • Cybersecurity and Information Privacy Compliance
  • Entrepreneurship and Law
  • Financial Regulatory Compliance
  • Health Care Compliance
  • Higher Education Compliance
  • Human Resources Compliance
  • NCAA Compliance and Sports Law
  • Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Regulatory Compliance

Several of these concentration areas are also available as online graduate certificates through Drexel’s online law programs.

Curriculum

Drexel’s online MLS curriculum includes required coursework in the legal system, compliance skills, ethics and professional standards, legal research and analysis, risk assessment and management, and a two-part MLS capstone. Drexel University Online lists the required core curriculum as 25 quarter credits, with 20 additional quarter credits in electives or concentration coursework.

If students choose a concentration, Drexel states that they must complete at least three courses from their selected concentration. Students may also choose electives outside the core requirements.

Admissions Requirements

Drexel lists a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution as a requirement for admission to the MLS program.

Drexel’s current admissions pages list the following application materials:

  • Completed application
  • Official transcripts from all colleges, universities, and postsecondary institutions attended
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Academic writing sample or a Problem of Practice response of up to 750 words
  • Resume
  • Optional standardized test scores, including GMAT, GRE, LSAT, or MCAT scores

Drexel’s MLS admission requirements page lists two letters of recommendation, while Drexel University Online’s MLS program page lists one letter of recommendation and notes that the department may request a second. Prospective students should confirm the current recommendation-letter requirement before applying.

International applicants may have additional application requirements.

Accreditation and Professional Recognition

Drexel University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law is approved by the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association. The ABA’s council-approved law schools list includes Drexel with a 2008 approval year.

Drexel University Online also states that the American Bar Association has acquiesced to Drexel’s online law programs.

Drexel University Online states that the Thomas R. Kline School of Law’s MLS Health Care Compliance concentration and Graduate Certificate in Health Care Compliance are accredited by the Compliance Certification Board. Drexel also states that students who complete the MLS or Graduate Certificate in Health Care Compliance with a GPA of 3.0 or higher may satisfy the professional work experience and continuing education unit requirements within applicable eligibility time frames per the candidate handbook, allowing them to be eligible to sit for a CCB exam.

Contact Information

As of June 2026, Drexel’s Master of Legal Studies program page lists the following contacts:

  • Mischa Wheat, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Online Learning
  • Stephanie Leigh, Associate Director of Graduate Studies
  • Phone: 215.571.4749

Drexel University Online also lists 800-2-DREXEL and enroll@drexel.edu for online program admissions support.

Notes for Prospective Students

Drexel’s online MLS is not a JD program and is not designed to prepare students to become licensed attorneys. Instead, the program is structured for professionals who want to better understand how laws, regulations, and compliance requirements affect their work.

Prospective students should confirm tuition, application deadlines, state authorization rules, concentration availability, and admissions requirements directly with Drexel before applying.

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.