Master of Legal Studies
The MLS Program Mission
The Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program at Trinity Law School is designed to give a broad understanding of law and legal systems for those professionals who seek to advance their careers in areas involving legal compliance, regulations, contracts, negotiation, business, property, or human rights. For those students already in the workforce, the MLS program provides a general introduction to legal principles so these students can aid their employers with legal issues. The MLS program provides students with the ability to assess the effectiveness of counsel retained by employers. In addition to a general survey of law and legal systems, the MLS program allows students to concentrate their degree program in Alternative Dispute Resolution, Bioethics, Church and Ministry Management, Contracts and Negotiation, Criminal Justice, General Studies, Human Resources, Human Rights, or Nonprofit Organizations.
The MLS degree program is a 30-unit online degree program. Students complete a core curriculum of 15 units and must choose from one of several 15-unit tracks available, for a total of 30 units.
Except as provided in rule 4.30 of the Admissions Rules (Legal education in a foreign state or country), completion of a professional law degree program at this law school other than for the Juris Doctor (JD) degree does not qualify a student to take the California Bar Examination or satisfy a requirement for admission to the practice law in California. It may not qualify a student to take the bar examination or to satisfy requirement for admission to the practice of law in any other jurisdiction. A student intending to seek admission to practice law should contact the admitting authority in the jurisdictions where the student intends to qualify to sit for the bar examination or to be admitted to practice for information regarding their legal education requirements.
MLS Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the MLS program, the graduate will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the law in areas applicable to a wide range of business and management positions.
2. Apply the law as a tool for effective and ethical decision-making.
3. Identify and formulate the legal issues and theories that impact their professional career.
4. Effectively interact with attorneys regarding the application of legal solutions to business and ministry challenges.
5. Recognize and resolve ethical issues by applying knowledge of secular law and biblical principles to content area topics.
Accreditation
Trinity Law School is a school of Trinity International University, which is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Final Course Grades
Grading in the MLS program is on a criterion basis. Criteria are determined by the professor for each assignment. At the completion of a course, student scores for assignments will be totaled and translated into a final letter grade. Based on the total point percentage, students will be assigned a final letter grade as follows:
Grading Scale:
Field 1 | Field 2 | Field 3 |
---|---|---|
A = 92-100% | B- = 80-80% | D+ = 68-69% |
A- = 90-91% | C+ = 78-79% | D = 62-67% |
B+ = 88-89% | C = 72-77% | D- = 60-61% |
B = 82-87% | C- = 70-72% | F = 0-59% |
Degree Requirements
To graduate with an MLS degree, students must successfully complete 30 units of study. A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above is required for the degree.
Graduation with Honors
The following criteria are established for the determination of graduation honors for students in the MLS program:
Honor | GPA |
---|---|
Summa cum laude | 3.90 |
Magna cum laude | 3.80 |
Cum laude | 3.50 |
Dual Emphasis
Trinity Law School allows students to earn an MLS degree with up to two emphases. Students must complete the required 30 units of the first track and complete an additional 15 units of the other track to earn a second emphasis. Earning a second emphasis does not constitute a second MLS degree. If the classes for the two emphases overlap, students will be given credit for three units of overlap, and must complete a minimum of 12 track-specific unique units. Upon earning a second emphasis, a student will be sent an updated diploma reflecting both the primary and secondary emphasis.
Academic Year
The academic calendar consists of modular classes meeting for seven-week periods with a one-week break between each module. Full-time students will complete the program in two years. Please see the academic calendar for module start and end dates, registration deadlines, and holidays.
Transferring Units from Trinity Law School Juris Doctor Program
Students who have completed JD courses at Trinity Law School or graduated with their JD from Trinity Law School can transfer up to 18 units from the completed JD courses toward the 30 required units for the MLS degree. These students must complete a minimum of 12 MLS units.
Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities requiring special arrangements will be accommodated upon petition accompanied by supporting documentation of the disability and upon approval of the Registrar's Office. Special accommodations will be carefully tailored to meet the documented need in accordance with the Trinity Law School disability policy. An informational packet detailing the services available for students with disabilities can be obtained from the Registrar's Office.
Students with a Bachelor’s Degree from a Foreign School
Trinity Law School accepts students who have earned a bachelor’s degree at a foreign institution. Students who have completed course work or earned degrees from foreign institutions must submit transcripts through a foreign credit evaluation service to determine eligibility for transfer credit. In addition, students for whom English is not the first language must demonstrate English competency by earning a minimum TOEFL score of 92 for the internet based examination, 237 for the computer based examination, or 580 for the paper based examination.
Trinity Law School welcomes foreign-educated applicants. However, there are special admission requirements pertaining to the evaluation of foreign credentials. Foreign-educated applicants must request a course-by-course evaluation from a credential evaluation service approved by the State Bar of California. The list of approved agencies is available from the State Bar of California and the Trinity Law School Admissions Department.
Trinity Law School will assist students who are not United States citizens or residents to apply for F-1 visas upon a student's acceptance to the MLS program. There are no fees associated with this service offered by Trinity Law School.
All instruction at Trinity Law School is in English. Trinity Law School does not provide English language services.
For purposes of admission to Trinity Law School, international students are defined solely on their citizenship/permanent residency status. If a student does not hold citizenship or permanent residency in the United States, the student is classified as an international student.
A passing score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is either 550 (paper-based examination) or 80 (internet-based examination) ("Passing TOEFL Score").
International students may be required to provide evidence of a Passing TOEFL Score if they have not earned a 'C' or better in a regular (non-English as a Second Language (ESL)) college-level English composition course at an accredited United States college or university.
International students must obtain a Passing TOEFL Score, unless they can demonstrate completion of one of the following methods:
- The Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) with a verbal recentered score of 450 or higher;
- English Language Services (ELS) Language Centers' Level 112 of ELS’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program with a grade of at least 'B'; or,
- A score of 6.5 or higher on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination.
If students do not meet Trinity Law School’s required level of English proficiency at the time of application, "conditional letters of admission” may be granted.
Core Curriculum
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
MLS 505 | Philosophy and Theology of Justice | 3 |
MLS 521 | Contracts | 3 |
MLS 541 | Torts | 3 |
MLS 558 | Legal Fundamentals | 3 |
MLS 702 | Business Organizations | 3 |
Total Hours | 15 |
Tracks to choose from (15 hours):
Alternative Dispute Resolution Track
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Concentration | ||
MLS 670 | Alternative Dispute Resolution | 3 |
MLS 675 | Mediation | 3 |
MLS 680 | Negotiation Theory and Practice | 3 |
Electives (2 courses) | 6 | |
Choose 2 elective courses from those listed below | ||
Labor Law and ADR | ||
ADR in the Workplace | ||
Cross Cultural Dispute Resolution | ||
Conflict Management in Business and Nonprofit Organizations | ||
Total Hours | 15 |
Bioethics Track
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Concentration | ||
MLS 600 | Constitutional Law | 3 |
MLS 700 | Introduction to Bioethics | 3 |
or MLS 700b | Intensive Bioethics Institute | |
Electives (3 courses) | 9 | |
Choose 3 elective courses from those listed below | ||
Current Issues in Bioethics | ||
Bioethics National Conference | ||
Bioethics Regional Conference | ||
Landmark Cases in Bioethics | ||
Bioethics Seminar | ||
Bioethics and Public Policy | ||
The Public Policy Context and Bioethics and Public Policy | ||
Advanced Bioethics Institute | ||
The Right to Life and the Law | ||
Total Hours | 15 |
Church and Ministry Management Track
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Concentration | ||
MLS 600 | Constitutional Law | 3 |
MLS 850 | Exempt Organizations | 3 |
MLS 861 | Nonprofit Law | 3 |
Electives (2 courses) | 6 | |
Choose 2 elective courses from those listed below | ||
Human Resources Compliance | ||
Staffing and Compensation Administration | ||
Human Trafficking and Economic Development--Cambodia (Study Abroad) | ||
Property | ||
Wills, Trusts, and Estates | ||
Religious Organizations | ||
Strategic Planning | ||
Religious Liberty and the Law | ||
Total Hours | 15 |
Contracts and Negotiation Track
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Concentration | ||
MLS 670 | Alternative Dispute Resolution | 3 |
MLS 675 | Mediation | 3 |
MLS 680 | Negotiation Theory and Practice | 3 |
Electives (2 courses) | 6 | |
Choose 2 elective courses from those listed below | ||
Labor Law and ADR | ||
Contract Drafting | ||
ADR in the Workplace | ||
Cross Cultural Dispute Resolution | ||
Conflict Management in Business and Nonprofit Organizations | ||
Real Estate Transactions | ||
Total Hours | 15 |
Criminal Justice Track
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Concentration | ||
MLS 531 | Criminal Law | 3 |
MLS 783 | Criminal Procedure | 3 |
Electives (3 courses) | 9 | |
Choose 3 elective courses from those listed below | ||
Human Trafficking | ||
Human Trafficking and Economic Development--Cambodia (Study Abroad) | ||
Juvenile Law and Delinquency | ||
Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Criminal Justice | ||
Forensic Mental Health | ||
Victimology and Restorative Justice | ||
Cyber Criminology | ||
Law and Theory of Corrections | ||
Total Hours | 15 |
General Track
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Concentration | ||
MLS 600 | Constitutional Law | 3 |
MLS 660 | Property | 3 |
Electives (3 courses) | 9 | |
Choose 3 elective courses from those listed below or from the other available tracks | ||
Criminal Law | ||
Criminal Procedure | ||
Wills, Trusts, and Estates | ||
Total Hours | 15 |
Human Resources Management Track
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Concentration | ||
MLS 400 | Human Resources Compliance | 3 |
MLS 531 | Criminal Law | 3 |
Electives (3 courses) | 9 | |
Choose 3 elective courses from those listed below | ||
Staffing and Compensation Administration | ||
Employment Discrimination | ||
Labor Law and ADR | ||
Performance Assessment | ||
ADR in the Workplace | ||
Strategic Planning | ||
Total Hours | 15 |
Human Rights Track
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Concentration | ||
MLS 600 | Constitutional Law | 3 |
MLS 901 | International Criminal Law | 3 |
MLS 923 | Introduction to International Human Rights Law | 3 |
Electives (2 courses) | 6 | |
Choose 2 elective courses from those listed below | ||
Human Trafficking | ||
Human Trafficking and Economic Development--Cambodia (Study Abroad) | ||
Introduction to Bioethics | ||
The Theory and Law of Armed Conflict | ||
The Right to Life and the Law | ||
The Rights of Vulnerable Persons: Women, Children and the Impoverished | ||
The Rights of Minorities | ||
International Institute of Human Rights and International Forum on Human Rights (Study Abroad) | ||
Religious Liberty and the Law | ||
Genocide and the Law | ||
Total Hours | 15 |
Nonprofit Organizations Track
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Concentration | ||
MLS 850 | Exempt Organizations | 3 |
MLS 861 | Nonprofit Law | 3 |
Electives (3 courses) | 9 | |
Choose 3 elective courses from those listed below | ||
Staffing and Compensation Administration | ||
Human Trafficking and Economic Development--Cambodia (Study Abroad) | ||
Property | ||
Wills, Trusts, and Estates | ||
Legal and Ethical Issues in Fundraising for Nonprofits | ||
Religious Organizations | ||
Strategic Planning | ||
International Non-Governmental Organizations | ||
Total Hours | 15 |