MSL and LLM Online Programs
GW Law's Flexible Masters' Degree Programs
A master’s degree from GW Law offers unparalleled opportunities to learn, conduct research and publish, broaden professional networks, and engage with practitioners, adjudicators, and policymakers. Our degrees provide you with the knowledge, leadership, and skills necessary to navigate critical and emerging industries. They also provide you with added credibility, a competitive advantage in the field, and open the door to greater job opportunities within the government, non-profit, NGO, and private sectors.
At GW Law, our degrees offer students maximum flexibility to design a course load that works with their busy schedules. Students can take their courses on-campus, online, or their own customized mix of the two, enabling them to pursue internships and other professional opportunities.
Students can complete their master’s degree on a full-time (3 semester) or part-time (6 semester) basis. Students can be admitted in Fall or Spring, with courses beginning the last week of August and the first full week of January. Fall and Spring semesters are 13 weeks and the Summer semester is 7 weeks, starting after Commencement weekend in May.
No Law Degree Required
You don't have to be a lawyer to study law: GW Law offers the Master of Studies in Law (MSL) degree for professionals who want to develop a crucial understanding of the law that provides them with a competitive advantage in high-demand fields.
Learn Directly From Leading Faculty
Best-in-class online courses taught by the same nationally-recognized experts as our on-campus courses, plus a low student-faculty ratio and online synchronous discussion sessions to facilitate full engagement with the materials.
Access to Washington, DC
Benefit from GW Law’s vast connections to government agencies and prestigious organizations, plus gain access to research and job opportunities at government buildings, firms, and more.
Which Degree Program is Right for You?
Master of Laws (LLM)
- Attorneys seeking specialized training and a significant degree credential in this field
- Part-time and full-time options
- Courses offered online and on-campus
- 24 credit degree (generally completed in 2-3 years)
Master of Studies in Law (MSL)
- Acquisition professionals seeking a competitive advantage in the government contracts field
- No law degree required
- Part-time and full-time options
- Courses offered online and on-campus
- 24 credit degree (generally completed in 2-3 years)
Online Programs at a Glance
LLM
LLM in Government Procurement Law
As the only program of its kind in the United States, the GW Law Government Procurement Law LLM Degree continues to set the standard for excellence in the field. Many graduates of the Government Procurement Law LLM Program hold prominent positions in government agencies, the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, law firms, and corporations. Students can take their government procurement courses either on-campus, online, or their own customized mix of the two.
LLM in Government Procurement & Environmental Law
Sustainable or “Green” Procurement is a procurement process where governments use their purchasing power to buy goods and services with a reduced environmental impact. As governments increasingly integrate sustainability goals into procurement policies, there is a growing demand for knowledgeable attorneys who can navigate this emerging area of the law. Our LLM in Government Procurement & Environmental Law provides our students with the competitive advantage they need to excel in this critical area of the law. This degree offers students a hybrid approach to learning – Government Procurement Law courses can be taken on campus or online, and Environmental Law courses can be taken on campus.
LLM in National Security and Cybersecurity Law
GW Law offers an LLM degree in national security and cybersecurity law, an area of expertise that has evolved with the world’s increased connectivity through the use of modern technology and cyberspace and the accompanying growing vulnerabilities from physical and cyber threats. Cybersecurity has become a focus in every federal agency and a practice area in law firms that advise government and corporate clients. Courses explore the use of the internet and technologies, as well as sophisticated cyber actors and nation-states and how they exploit vulnerabilities, steal information and money, and develop methods to disrupt, destroy, or threaten essential services. LLM candidates can take advantage of GW Law’s unique strengths: a nationally-recognized faculty, a comprehensive curriculum, and access to the extensive Washington, DC, national security, cybersecurity, and foreign relations law community. Many of our graduates secure positions in the intelligence community and national security federal agencies. Students can take their courses either on-campus, online, or a customized mix of the two.
MSL
MSL in Government Procurement Law
The Master of Studies in Law (MSL) in Government Procurement is intended for acquisition professionals who are not interested in earning a law degree or practicing law, but who work in jobs where knowledge of the law is important. This 24-credit masters’s degree can be completed full-time (3 semesters) or part-time (6 semesters) online, on campus, or a mix of the two.
MSL in Government Procurement and Cybersecurity Law
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.T his 24-credit masters’s degree can be completed full-time (3 semesters) or part-time (6 semesters) online, on campus, or a mix of the two.
MSL in National Security and Cybersecurity Law
An MSL degree is designed for non-lawyer candidates who want to obtain a deeper understanding of national security law. Candidates for the National Security MSL degrees have experience in National Security law, but not a law degree. Practitioners in the intelligence community would be ideally suited for the MSL degree program; past candidates have included Department of Defense security officers. Students can take their courses either on-campus, online, or their own customized mix of the two.
Jessica Tillipman
Assistant Dean for Government Procurement Law Studies
“Our online courses represent the best of what GW Law has to offer: high-quality education, world-renowned faculty, and opportunities to collaborate and network with incredible classmates and alumni. Our courses offer a low student-faculty ratio and online synchronous discussion sessions designed to facilitate full engagement with the materials. By offering our courses online, all students have access to our best-in-class curriculum, regardless of where they may be located.”