MSL in Business and Finance Law
Overview
Location: Online, On-Campus, or Hybrid
The MSL in Business and Finance Law provides non‑lawyers with essential legal insight into how businesses operate, grow, and manage risk. Through coursework in corporate law, financial regulation, and compliance, students gain the tools to make informed decisions and support organizational strategy. This flexible program is ideal for professionals who work alongside legal, finance, or executive teams and want to deepen their understanding of the laws that drive business.
How Much Does This Degree Cost?
GW Law ensures that this gold-standard education is accessible to working adults. The 24-credit program can be completed in just one to two years and is available in 100% online, on-campus, or hybrid formats.
For the 2026-2027 academic year, the tuition rate is highly competitive at $2,740 per credit hour, bringing the total approximate tuition to $65,760 (plus applicable fees). This is far lower than the three-year tuition required for a JD. Need-based grants and federal loans are also available, and many students successfully utilize employer tuition assistance programs or veterans’ benefits to fund their studies.
Curriculum Highlights
MSL candidates in Business and Finance Law (BFL) must complete 3 credits of Introduction to US Law and Legal Writing for MSL Students (6950) and a minimum of 16 credit hours from among the list of BFL-designated courses1, including four credits of Corporations (6250).
1Courses noted with a double-cross (‡) require advance approval of the BFL Program Director to count toward the curriculum requirement.
| Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| Introduction to U.S. Law and Legal Writing for MSL Students (6950) | 3 credits |
| Corporations (6250) | 4 credits |
| Securities Regulation (6252) | 3 credits |
| Corporate Finance (6254) | 2 or 3 credits |
| Mergers and Acquisitions (6256) | 2 credits |
| Regulation of Mutual Funds and Investment Advisers and Investment Funds (6260) | 2 credits |
| Regulation of Derivatives (6261) | 2 credits |
| Corporation Law Seminar (6262) | 2 credits |
| Selected Topics in Corporate Law (6263) | 1, 2, or 3 credits |
| Securities Law Seminar (6264) | 2 credits |
| Selected Topics in Securities Law (6267) | 1, 2, or 3 credits |
| Employment Law (6268) | 2 or 3 credits |
| Employee Benefit Plans (6272) | 2 credits |
| Labor Law (6266) | 2 or 3 credits |
| Secured Transactions (6280) | 2 or 3 credits |
| UCC Sale of Goods (6255) | 2 credits |
| Commercial Paper - Payment Systems (6282) | 2 or 3 credits |
| Creditors’ Rights and Debtors’ Protection (6284) | 3 or 4 credits |
| Business Bankruptcy and Reorganization (6285) | 3 credits |
| Consumer Protection Law (6286) | 3 credits |
| Selected Topics in Banking Law (6289) | 1, 2, or 3 credits |
| Banking Law (6290) | 2 or 3 credits |
| Banking Law Seminar (6292) | 2 credits |
| Unincorporated Business Organizations and Agency Law (6294) | 2 or 3 credits |
| Sports and the Law (6295) | 2 or 3 credits |
| Business Planning (6296)* | 2 or 3 credits |
| Insurance (6298) | 2 or 3 credits |
| Federal Income Taxation (6300) | 3 or 4 credits |
| Corporate Taxation (6302) | 3 credits |
| Partnership and LLC Taxation (6304) | 2 or 3 credits |
| International Taxation (6312) | 2 or 3 credits |
| Nonprofit Organizations: Law and Taxation (6314) | 2 or 3 credits |
| State and Local Taxation (6316) | 2 or 3 credits |
| Selected Topics in Tax Policy Law (6317) | 1, 2, or 3 credits |
| Tax Policy Seminar (6318) | 2 credits |
| Law of Modern Real Estate Transactions (6330) | 2 or 3 credits |
| Land Use Law (6332) | 2 credits |
| Law of Real Estate Financing (6334) | 2 credits |
| Reading Group (6351)‡ | 1 credit |
| White Collar Crime (6364) | 2 or 3 credits |
| Antitrust Law (6402) | 3 credits |
| Advanced Antitrust Law Seminar (6403) | 2 credits |
| Selected Topics in Advanced Antitrust Law (6405) | 1, 2, or 3 credits |
| Regulated Industries (6406) | 2 or 3 credits |
| Public Law Seminar (6426)‡ | 2 or 3 credits |
| Selected Topics in Public Law (6427)‡ | 1, 2, or 3 credits |
| Lessons in Leadership (6611) ‡ | 3 credits |
| Trade and Sustainable Development (6435) | 2 credits |
| Energy Law Seminar (6441)‡ | 2 credits |
| Environmental Issues in Business Transactions (6452) | 2 or 3 credits |
| Entertainment Law (6475) | 2 credits |
| Anti-Corruption and Compliance (6511) | 2 credits |
| International Money Laundering, Corruption, and Terrorism (6521) | 3 credits |
| International Business Transactions (6522) | 3 credits |
| The International Competition Law Regime (6523) | |
| International Commercial Law (6524) | |
| International Trade Law (6526) | 2 or 3 credits |
| Advanced International Trade Law (6527) | 2 or 3 credits |
| Law of the European Union (6534) | 2, 3, or 4 credits |
| International Finance (6541) | 2 credits |
| International Banking and Investment Law (6542) | 2 credits |
| International Investment Law and Arbitration (6544) | 1, 2, or 3 credits |
| International Project Finance (6545) | 2 credits |
| Chinese Business Law (6549) | 2 credits |
| U.S. Export Control Law and Regulation (6553) | 2 or 3 credits |
| International Arbitration (6556)* | 1, 2, or 3 credits |
| Introduction to Transactional Islamic Law (6557) | 1 or 2 credits |
| International Negotiations (6558)* | 2 credits |
| International Business Transaction Seminar (6564) | 2 credits |
| Law and Economics (6598) | 1, 2, or 3 credits |
| Law and Accounting (6602)* | 2 or 3 credits |
| Small Business and Community Economic Development Clinic (6621)* | 4, 5, or 6 credits |
| Negotiations (6648)* | 1, 2, or 3 credits |
| Legal Drafting (Transactional) (6652)* | 2 or 3 credits |
| Legal Drafting (Mergers and Acquisitions) (6652)* | 2 or 3 credits |
| Field Placement (6668)*‡ | 1, 2, 3, or 4 credits |
| Business Lawyering (6810)* | 2 credits |
Experiential learning courses are noted with an asterisk (*).
Admission Requirements
There are two ways to apply to the MSL program:
- Apply via LSAC
- Apply directly through GW Law
Learn More About Applying to the MSL Program