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 students and professionals who seek to advance their careers in areas that involve legal compliance, regulations, contracts, negotiation, business, property, or human rights. The program provides a general introduction to legal principles that gives students already in the work force the ability to aid their employers in legal issues. The program will also provide students with the ability to assess the effectiveness of counsel retained by employers and use legal services effectively. In addition to a general survey of law and legal systems, the Trinity Law School MLS degree will provide opportunities for students to concentrate their degree program in Alternative Dispute Resolution, Bioethics, Church and Ministry Management, Contracts and Negotiation, Criminal Justice, 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 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 and 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. If the classes for the two emphases overlap, students will be given credit for the three units of overlap, and must complete a minimum of 12 track-specific unique units.
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 J.D. program
Students who either have completed courses at Trinity Law School or have graduated with their Juris Doctor degree from Trinity Law School can transfer up to 18 units from the completed Juris Doctor units 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. 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.
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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| Property | ||
| Wills, Trusts, and Estates | ||
| Religious Organizations | ||
| Strategic Planning | ||
| Religious Liberty and the Law | ||
| Human Trafficking and Economic Development--Cambodia (Study Abroad) | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| Juvenile Law and Delinquency | ||
| Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Criminal Justice | ||
| Forensic Mental Health | ||
| Victimology and Restorative Justice | ||
| Cyber Criminology | ||
| Law and Theory of Corrections | ||
| Human Trafficking and Economic Development--Cambodia (Study Abroad) | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| Introduction to Bioethics | ||
| The Theory and Law of Armed Conflict | ||
| The Right to Life and the Law | ||
| MLS 913 | The Rights of Vulnerable Persons: Women, Children and the Impoverished | 3 |
| The Rights of Minorities | ||
| Religious Liberty and the Law | ||
| Genocide and the Law | ||
| Human Trafficking and Economic Development--Cambodia (Study Abroad) | ||
| International Institute of Human Rights and International Forum on Human Rights (Study Abroad) | ||
| Total Hours | 18 | |
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 | ||
| Property | ||
| Wills, Trusts, and Estates | ||
| Legal and Ethical Issues in Fundraising for Nonprofits | ||
| Religious Organizations | ||
| Strategic Planning | ||
| International Non-Governmental Organizations | ||
| Human Trafficking and Economic Development--Cambodia (Study Abroad) | ||
| Total Hours | 15 | |