Master of Studies in Law (MSL)

Gain a Professional Advantage

GW Law’s MSL helps meet the growing demand for non-lawyers to be familiar with the many ways that law influences industry. The MSL program is intended for professionals who are not interested in earning a law degree or practicing law but work in jobs where knowledge of the law is important. The knowledge gained can augment career preparation or professional advancement.

Who Can Benefit?

Federal or governmental affairs officers
Journalists
Consultants
Expert witnesses who testify before government agencies
Compliance officers
Procurement specialists
Policy Analysts
Intelligence Community Analysts
Others who seek legal insight into related careers

Enjoy a Flexible, Diverse Curriculum

With a rigorous but manageable curriculum, the MSL program offers students the flexibility to design a courseload individually tailored to meet their needs. Students will build their 24-credit MSL program by choosing to focus in one of ten areas of concentration:

Business and Finance

Mandatory Courses – 7 credits

Corporations (6250) – 4 credits Legal Writing Legal Research and Writing for MSL and International LLM Students (6692) – 1 credit

The remaining 17 credits should be taken from the full list of Business and Finance courses.

Fundamental Issues in US Law (6694) – 2 credits

Criminal Law & Procedure

Mandatory Courses – 10-12 credits

Criminal Law (6210) – 3 credits
Criminal Procedure (6360) – 3 or 4 credits
Adjudicatory Criminal Procedure (6362) – 2 or 3 credits
Fundamental Issues in US Law (6694) – 2 credits

10-11 Credits Required from the Following Options

Role of the Federal Prosecutor (6363) – 2 credits
White Collar Crime (6364) – 2 or 3 credits
Criminal Tax Litigation (6365) – 2 credits
Computer Crime (6369) – 1, 2, or 3 credits
Forensic Science (6370) – 2 credits
Drugs and the Law (6372) – 2 credits
Federal Sentencing Seminar (6374) – 2 credits
Computer Law (6484) – 2 credits
Internet Law (6493) – 1 or 2 credits
International Money Laundering, Corruption, and Terrorism (6521)
International Criminal Law (6554) – 2 credits
Military Justice (6873) – 2 or 3 credits
Comparative Military Law (6874) – 2 credits
Counterterrorism Law (6875) – 2 or 3 credits
Homeland Security Law and Policy (6876) – 2 credits
Intelligence Law (6878) – 2 credits
Cybersecurity Law and Policy (6879) – 2 credits

National Security & Cybersecurity Law

Mandatory Courses – 8-9 Credits:

National Security Law (6870) - 2 or 3 credits
Cybersecurity Law and Policy (6879) - 2 credits and Technology Foundations for Cybersecurity (6884) - 1 credit; OR Cybersecurity Law and Technology (6890) - 3 credits
Introduction to US Law and Legal Writing for MSL Students (6950) - 3 credits

5 Credits Required from the Following Cyber-Related Courses:

Computer Crime (6369)
Constitutional Law Seminar (Cyber, Privacy, & Speech) (6399)
Telecommunications Law (6414)
Public Law Seminar (Telecommunication & Technology) (6426)
Computer Law (6484)
Law in Cyberspace (6485)
Information Privacy Law (6486)
Internet Law (6493)
Selected Topics in Government Contracts (Government Procurement of Technology) (6513)
Space Law (6548)
Intelligence Law (6878)
Artificial Intelligence Law & Policy (6881)
Counterintelligence Law & Policy (6883)
Foreign Access to US Technology (6891)
Selected Topics in Cybersecurity Law (Cybersecurity in the United Nations) (6892)
Disinformation, National Security, & Cybersecurity: Overview & Legal Approaches (6893)
Blockchain: Law, Policy & Cybersecurity (6894)
Global Privacy Law & Conflict Seminar (6895)
Consumer Privacy and Data Protection: Regulatory Approaches (6896)
Cybersecurity Law Crisis Challenges: Protecting Critical Infrastructure, Risk Management, and Incident Response (6898)

At least 8 Credits Required of National Security-Related Courses. Program total is 24 credits.

Professional Responsibility & Ethics (National Security) (6218)
Litigation with the Federal Government (6240)
Role of the Federal Prosecutor (6363)
Immigration Criminal Enforcement (6367)
Law of Separation of Powers (6384)
Legislation (6416)
Legislative Analysis & Drafting (6418)
Congressional Investigations Seminar (6420)
Veterans Law (6423)
Veterans Advocacy (6428)
International Law (6520)
International Money Laundering, Corruption, & Terrorism (6521)
Immigration Law I (6538)
Refugee and Asylum Law (6540)
International Human Rights Law (6546)
Law of the Sea (6550)
Law of War (6552)
U.S. Export Control Law and Regulation (6553)
International Criminal Law (6554)
Nation Building & the Rule of Law (6559)
Selected Topics in Public International Law (6561)
Public International Law Seminar (Arms Control) (6562)
Human Trafficking Law (6572)
Legal Drafting (National Security) (6652)
Selected Topics in National Security Law (Law of Secrecy) (6869)
Selected Topics in National Security Law (6869)
Selected Topics in National Security Law (The Law of War, Civilian Harm Mitigation, and Response) (6869)
U.S. Foreign Relations Law (6871)
National Security Law Seminar (6872)
Military Justice (6873)
Comparative Military Law (6874)
Counterterrorism Law (6875)
Homeland Security Law and Policy (6876)
Nuclear Nonproliferation Law and Policy (6877)
The Law of Emergencies: Natural Disasters, Climate Crises, Pandemics, and Beyond (6880)
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (6882)
Transnational Security (6885)
Domestic Terrorism (6886)
Problems Trying Terrorists in Article III Courts (6887)
Crisis and Legal Controversy in the CIA (6888)
Aviation Law and National Security (6889)
Foreign Direct Investment Law: The Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. and National Security (6897)
International Investigations, Modern Politics, and the Office of the Inspector General (6899)

National Security & U.S. Foreign Relations Law

Students must complete the Mandatory Courses and at least 14 credits from the Advanced Courses listed below, for a total of 24 credits.

Mandatory Courses

National Security Law (6870)
U.S. Foreign Relations Law (6871)
Introduction to US Law and Legal Writing for MSL Students (6950)

Advanced Courses

Professional Responsibility and Ethics (National Security (6218))
Litigation with the Federal Government (6240)
Admiralty (6293)
Role of the Federal Prosecutor (6363)
Immigration Criminal Enforcement (6367)
Computer Crime (6369)
Law of Separation of Powers (6384)
Legislation (6416)
Legislative Analysis and Drafting (6418)
Congressional Investigations Seminar (6420)
Veterans Law (6423)
Veterans Advocacy (6428)
Information Privacy Law (6486)
Anti-Corruption and Compliance (6511)
International Law (6520)
International Money Laundering, Corruption, and Terrorism (6521)
Immigration Law I (6538)
Refugee and Asylum Law (6540)
International Law of Human Rights (6546)
Space Law (6548)
Law of the Sea (6550)
Law of War (6552)
U.S. Export Control Law and Regulation (6553)
International Criminal Law (6554)
Nation Building and the Rule of Law (6559)
Selected Topics in Public International Law (6561)**
Public International Law Seminar (6562)**
Human Trafficking Law (6572)
Legal Drafting (National Security) (6652)
Field Placement (6668)
Selected Topics in National Security Law (6869)**
National Security Law Seminar (6872)**
Military Justice (6873)
Comparative Military Law (6874)
Counterterrorism Law (6875)
Homeland Security Law and Policy (6876)
Nuclear Nonproliferation Law and Policy (6877)
Intelligence Law (6878)
Cybersecurity Law and Policy (6879)
The Law of Emergencies: Natural Disasters, Climate Crises, Pandemics, and Beyond (6880)
Artificial Intelligence Law and Policy (6881)
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (6882)
Counterintelligence Law and Policy (6883)
Technology Foundations for Cybersecurity (6884)
Transnational Security (6885)
Domestic Terrorism (6886)
Problems Trying Terrorists in Article III Courts (6887)
Crisis and Legal Controversy in the CIA (6888)
Aviation Law and National Security (6889)
Cybersecurity Law and Technology (6890)
Foreign Access to U.S. Technology (6891)
Selected Topics in Cybersecurity Law (6892)**
Disinformation, National Security, and Cybersecurity: Overview and Legal Approaches (6893)
Blockchain: Law, Policy, and Cybersecurity (6894)
Global Privacy Law and Conflict Seminar (6895)
Foreign Direct Investment Law: The Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. and National Security (6897)
Cybersecurity Law Crisis Challenges: Protecting Critical Infrastructure, Risk Management, and Incident Response (6898)
International Investigations, Modern Politics, and the Office of the Inspector General (6899)

**Refer to the Course Catalog for sections and topics offered per semester

Environmental & Energy Studies

Mandatory Courses – 10 or 11 credits

Administrative Law (6400) – 3 credits
Environmental Law (6410) –3 credits
Energy Law & Regulation (6438) - 2 or 3 credits
Fundamental Issues in US Law (6694) – 2 credits

9 Credits Required from the Following Options

Air Pollution Control (6432)– 2 or 3 credits each
Water Pollution Control (6434) – 2 credits
Trade and Sustainable Development (6435) - 3 credits
Energy Law Seminar (6441)* - 2 credits
Control of Solid and Hazardous Wastes (6442) – 2 or 3 credits
Oil and Gas Law (6443) – 2 credits
Energy, Climate, & Derivatives (6447) – 2 credits
Selected Topics in Energy Law (6451) – 2 credits*
Environmental Issues in Business Transactions (6452) – 2 or 3 credits
International Environmental Law (6454) – 2 or 3 credits
Climate Change Law and Justice (6455) – 2 or 3 credits
Sustainable Communities Law and Policy Seminar (6457) – 2 credits
Atomic Energy Law (6459) – 2 credits
Selected Topics in Environment Law (6461) -- 2 credits*
Environmental Law Seminar (6466)* - 2 credits
Human Rights and the Environment (6571) – 2 credits

Electives – up to 5 credits permitted

*Students should consult the Supplement to the Bulletin for information on the available seminars and selected topics for each semester. For guidance on which seminars and selected topics meet the MSL requirements, students should consult with their program director. Permission of the program director is necessary for enrollment.

First Amendment Speech and Expression

With the intense focus on journalism in Washington, DC, a General MSL in First Amendment Speech and Expression is an attractive option for area journalists, and graduates of GW’s Media & Public Affairs School.

Mandatory Courses – 8 credits

Constitutional Law I (6214) – 3 credits
First Amendment: Speech and Press Clauses (6382) – 3 credits
Introduction to U.S. Law and Legal Writing for MSL Students (6950) – 3 credits

11 Required Credits from the Following Options

Constitutional Law II (6380) – 3 credits
First Amendment: Religion Clauses (6393) – 3 credits
Constitutional Law Seminar: Cyber, Privacy & Speech (6399) – 2 credits
Law in Cyberspace (6485) – 2 or 3 credits
Information Privacy Law (6486) – 3 credits
Intellectual Property (6470) – 3 credits (for general exposure, not a practice based course)
Internet Law (6493) – 1, 2, or 3 credits

Note: Students cannot receive credit for both Law in Cyberspace (6485) and Internet Law (6493).

Electives – up to 5 credits permitted

General

Self-designed course of study with prior approval.

Government Procurement

Mandatory Courses - 11 credits

Formation of Government Contracts (6502) - 3 credits
Performance of Government Contracts (6503) - 3 credits
Anti-corruption and Compliance (6511) - 2 credits
Government Contracts Cost and Pricing (6506) - 2 credits
Analytical Writing (6519) - 1 credit

Elective Courses - 13 Credits (to be chosen from this representative sampling)

Comparative Public Procurement (6508) - 2 credits
Procurement Reform Seminar (6509) - 2 credits
Foreign Government Contracting Seminar (6509) - 2 credits
Government Procurement of Intellectual Property Law Seminar (6512) - 2 credits alexis
Selected Topics in Government Procurement: Internal Investigations (6513)*
Selected Topics in Government Procurement: Government Procurement of Technology (6513)*
Selected Topics in Government Procurement: Defense Acquisition System (6513)*
Bid Protests (6754)
Government Contract Claims (6755)
Federal Appropriations (6758)*
Other Transactions (6759)*

Students are required to complete 1 research paper.

Government Procurement and Cybersecurity

Within the field of Government Procurement Law, there is increasing demand for cybersecurity legal expertise among government procurement practitioners. The MSL in Government Procurement and Cybersecurity Law program meets the evolving needs of professionals who work on these cutting-edge issues. This new concentration offers students a hybrid approach to learning – Cybersecurity Law courses can be taken on campus and Government Procurement Law courses can be taken on campus or online.

Degree Requirements

MSL students must complete 24 credits in order to graduate. The current degree requirements for MSL students in the Government Procurement Law Program are as follows:

Required Foundational Courses (13 credits)

6518 Overview of Government Contracts
6502 Formation of Government Contracts
6503 Performance of Government Contracts
6519 Analytical Writing for Government Contracts
6879 Cybersecurity Law and Policy
6512 Government Procurement of Intellectual Property Seminar
6884 Tech Foundations for Cybersecurity (may be waived for students with demonstrated technical knowledge or experience with the permission of the Director of the National Security Law Program)

Five credits from the following Cybersecurity Law courses:

6414 Telecommunications Law
6426 Public Law Seminar: Telecommunication and Tech Policy Advocacy
6493 Internet Law
6878 Intelligence Law
6881 Artificial Intelligence Law and Policy
6883 Counterintelligence Law and Policy
6891 Foreign Access to US Technology
6893 Disinformation, National Security, and Cybersecurity: Overview and Legal Approaches
6894 Blockchain: Law, Policy, and Cybersecurity
6898 Cybersecurity Law Crisis Challenges: Protecting Critical Infrastructure, Risk Management, and Incident Response

Four credits from the following Government Procurement Law courses:

6511 Anti-Corruption & Compliance
6508 Comparative Public Procurement
6506 Cost & Pricing
6513 Selected Topics in Govt Contracts Law: Federal Appropriations Law
6514 Federal Grants Law
6509 Government Contracts Seminar: Foreign Government Contracting
6505 Government Contracts Advocacy
6515 Government Contracts Moot Court
6516 Procurement in International Development
6509 Government Contracts Seminar: Procurement Reform
6513 Selected Topics in Govt Procurement – Acquisition Policy-making
6513 Selected Topics in Government Procurement Law - Negotiations
6513 Selected Topics in Govt Procurement Law – Suspension & Debarment
6513 State & Local Procurement

Required Policy Proposal

Students must write a research paper in one of the above-listed Government Procurement Law or Cybersecurity Law Courses (or a “generic” seminar with approval of the program director) and enroll in LAW 6513 Selected Topics – Acquisition Policy-Making, in which they will translate their scholarly argument into an implementable policy recommendation.

Health Care

Mandatory Courses – 9 credits

Administrative Law (6400) – 3 credits
Health Care Law (6410) – 4 credits
Fundamental Issues in US Law (6694) – 2 credits

10 Credits Required from the Following Options

Constitutional I or II (6214 or 6390) – 3 credits each
Insurance (6298) – 2 credits
ACA Seminar (6352) – 2 credits
Fraud and Abuse (6352) – 2 credits
Reproductive Rights/Assisted Reproductive Technologies (6352) – 2 credits
Public Health Law (6352) – 2 credits
Medical Devices (6352) – 2 credits
Elder Law (6353) – 2 credits
Food and Drug Law (6408) – 2 credits
Selected Topics in Health Care Law (6409) – 2 credits
Health Care Law Seminar (6411) – 2 credits
Law and Psychiatry (6614) – 2 credits
Genetics and the Law (6616) – 2 credits
Law and Medicine (6617) –3 credits
Traumatic Brain Injury – 2 credits

Electives – up to 5 credits permitted

Intellectual Property

Mandatory Courses

Legal Research and Writing for International LLM Students I (6692) --for non-U.S. university graduates only - 1 credit
Fundamental Issues in U.S. Law (6694) - 2 credits

Minimum of 14 credits from the Following Options:

Sports and the Law (6295) - 2 credits
Intellectual Property Law (6470) - 3 credits
Patent Law (6471) - 1 or 2 credits
Copyright Law (6472) - 2 or 3 credits
International Copyright Law (6473) - 1 or 2 credits
Trademark Law and Unfair Competition (6474) - 2 or 3 credits
Entertainment Law (6475) - 2 credits
Patent Strategies and Practice (6476) - 2 credits
The Federal Circuit (6477) - 1 or 2 credits
Licensing of Intellectual Property Rights (6478) - 2 credits
Chemical and Biotech Patent Law (6480) - 2 credits
Design Law (6481) - 2 credits
Patent Enforcement (6482) - 1 or 2 credits
Patent Appellate Practice (6483) - 2 credits
Computer Law (6484) - 2 credits
Law in Cyberspace (6485) - 2 or 3 credits
Information Privacy Law (6486)
Art, Cultural Heritage, and the Law Seminar (6488) - 2 credits
International and Comparative Patent Law (6490) - 2 credits
International Intellectual Property (6491) - 3 credits
Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in the U.S. International Trade Commission (6489) - 2 credits
Advanced Trademark Law (6492) - 2 credits
Internet Law (6493) - 2 credits
Intellectual Property Antitrust Seminar (6494) - 2 credits
Intellectual Property Law Seminar (6496) - 2 credits
Government Procurement of Intellectual Property (6512) - 2 credits

International & Comparative Law

Degree Requirements

Complete a total of 24 credit hours, including course work that satisfies the writing requirement.

A minimum of 12 credits from the ICL course offerings below, including 2 credits graded on the basis of research paper. The research paper must be at least 8,000 words in length, and U.S. graduates must achieve a minimum grade of B+. For students who choose to write a thesis, Thesis (6690-91) and a minimum of 12 credits from the following courses are required.

All students must take Fundamental Issues in US Law (6694) and Legal Research & Writing for International LLM & MSL Students I (6692).

Courses

International Taxation (6312)
Immigration Criminal Enforcement (6367)
Trade and Sustainable Development (6435)
International Environmental Law (6454)
International Climate Change Law (6455)
International Copyright Law (6473)
Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in the US International Trade Commission (6489)
International and Comparative Patent Law (6490)
International Intellectual Property (6491)
Comparative Public Procurement (6508)
Procurement in International Development (6516)
International Law (6520)
International Money Laundering, Corruption, and Terrorism (6521)
International Business Transactions (6522)
International Commercial Law (6524)
International Trade Law (6526)
Advanced International Trade Law (6527)
International Litigation (6528)
International Organizations (6530)
Comparative Law (6532)
International Family Law (6533)
Law of the European Union (6534)
Islamic Law (6535)
Immigration Law I (6538)
Immigration Law II (6539)
Refugee and Asylum Law (6540)
International Finance (6541)
International Banking and Investment Law (6542)
Chinese Law and Legal Institutions (6543)
International Investment Law and Arbitration (6544)
International Project Finance (6545)
International Law of Human Rights (6546)
Regional Protection of Human Rights (6547)
Space Law (6548)
Chinese Business Law (6549)
Law of the Sea (6550)
Law of War (6552)
US Export Control Law and Regulation (6553)
International Criminal Law (6554)
Comparative Constitutional Law (6555)
International Arbitration (6556)
Introduction to Transactional Islamic Law (6557)
International Negotiations (6558)
Nation Building and the Rule of Law (6559)
Public International Law Seminar (6562)
International Business Transactions Seminar (6564)
Human Trafficking Law (6572)
Comparative Law Seminar (6565)
Human Rights Lawyering (6568)
International Human Rights of Women (6570)
Field Placement (6668)**
International Dispute Resolution (6682)
US Foreign Relations Law (6871)
Counterterrorism Law (6875)
Nuclear Nonproliferation Law and Policy (6877)
Conflict of Laws (6234)
Human Rights and Environmental Protection (6571)

* With the permission of the program director
** Note: Oxford Program courses also count towards meeting the requirements for an MSL in International and Comparative Law.

Learn At Your Pace

To ensure maximum flexibility, the program can accommodate both full-time students interested in completing the degree in one year and part-time students who may wish to take one or two courses a semester or summer session, if relevant course work is offered. Not all MSL degree programs are offered fully online. However, for MSL degree programs available fully online, admitted students may enroll in available online or on-campus courses. Courses taken on the Foggy Bottom campus will be alongside JD and LLM students, thereby benefitting from the experience of faculty, budding legal professionals, and seasoned practitioners.

Access the Heart of the Nation’s Capital

All students benefit from GW Law’s incomparable location in the heart of Washington, DC, across the street from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, two blocks from internationally known law firms on K Street, three blocks from the U.S. Department of State, and a subway ride away from the Supreme Court and a host of nongovernmental and policy agencies. Our students routinely interact with high-level practitioners and policymakers from those nearby institutions in internships, externships, other volunteer opportunities, and a host of lectures and timely programs on current issues of the day.

Application Information