Legal Studies MA at UIS

[colonelcamp]

I’m considering applying for the online Legal Studies MA program at the University of Illinois Springfield. I recently completed the BAS program at UMPI and a Legal Studies masters program has piqued my interest as it’s very relevant for my current job and my overall professional experience. Has anyone done this program at this particular school? If not at this particular school, what should I look out for with this type of program at any school? I’m also looking at Purdue Global for their MLS program, but something doesn’t sit well with me about this school’s reputation. I know it’s part of Purdue university system, but only since recently. I feel like maybe the degree wouldn’t be respected. Maybe that concern is unfounded. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thx!

[eLearner]

I’m considering applying for the online Legal Studies MA program at the University of Illinois Springfield. I recently completed the BAS program at UMPI and a Legal Studies masters program has piqued my interest as it’s very relevant for my current job and my overall professional experience. Has anyone done this program at this particular school? If not at this particular school, what should I look out for with this type of program at any school? I’m also looking at Purdue Global for their MLS program, but something doesn’t sit well with me about this school’s reputation. I know it’s part of Purdue university system, but only since recently. I feel like maybe the degree wouldn’t be respected. Maybe that concern is unfounded. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thx!

https://www.nwculaw.edu

[newdegree]

Sorry to say, but not to discourage you, an MLS degree is pretty much useless, since it can't be used to obtain admission to the bar exam. I do not know what your career is, but I am assuming you work for a law firm or in politics. If you want to study law, I recommend either going to law school like NWCU for a cheap online program or pursuing an LLB overseas at the University of London or another school. MLS programs are overpriced, and most of them do not lead to any doctoral programs; you can't even use them to level up to a Juris Doctor. If you are a paralegal or legal assistant, consider going for a degree in English, writing, or communications. If you are a law firm manager or director, consider pursuing an MBA, a Master's in Organizational Leadership, or a Master's in Project Management. Most of the stuff pertaining to non-attorney candidates in the legal field is drafting and managing cases. Knowing a ton of different laws isn't going to help a person advance beyond a paralegal without other necessary skills, which can be gained by studying a management or leadership degree.

[colonelcamp]

Sorry to say, but not to discourage you, an MLS degree is pretty much useless, since it can't be used to obtain admission to the bar exam. I do not know what your career is, but I am assuming you work for a law firm or in politics.  If you want to study law, I recommend either going to law school like NWCU for a cheap online program or pursuing an LLB overseas at the University of London or another school. MLS programs are overpriced, and most of them do not lead to any doctoral programs; you can't even use them to level up to a Juris Doctor. If you are a paralegal or legal assistant, consider going for a degree in English, writing, or communications. If you are a law firm manager or director, consider pursuing an MBA, a Master's in Organizational Leadership, or a Master's in Project Management. Most of the stuff pertaining to non-attorney candidates in the legal field is drafting and managing cases. Knowing a ton of different laws isn't going to help a person advance beyond a paralegal without other necessary skills, which can be gained by studying a management or leadership degree.

Thanks for all of that. It's not discouraging at all. A little about me to add more context to why I'm looking at a Legal Studies MA. I work for a large multinational corporation (80 countries) as an IT manager for the past 20 years and 27 years in total for my career. Part of what my current role entails is vendor management and contract negotiation/maintenance. It's something I enjoy doing so this is part of my why. Another reason is that for as long as I can remember I've always been interested in legal topics, mostly as they pertain to criminal and consitutional law, but in general as well. Why I never went to law school is another question entirely, but at this point in my life (50 years old), law school definitely doesn't make a lot of logistical sense to me. A Legal Studies program seems to make sense because it's relevant to what I do professionally and I absolutely enjoy the topic. On top of all of that, I'm an avid reader and thoroughly enjoy the wiriting process. Also, I feel like having this degree might lend a certain amount of legitimacy to any relevant experience I list on my resume, if I ever needed or wanted to go out on the job market. Not only that, it would check a box if needed.

Although I already have a BAS, I'll definitely look into the LLB! Thanks for that heads up.

[icecubetr]

Don't bother with the University of London LLB. It is targeted at those who live in former British colonies where an LLB from the UK grants access to a bar exam. It is useless in the US. NWCU JD lets you skip the baby bar exam in California, but it is not ABA accredited.

[colonelcamp]

Don't bother with the University of London LLB. It is targeted at those who live in former British colonies where an LLB from the UK grants access to a bar exam. It is useless in the US. NWCU JD lets you skip the baby bar exam in California, but it is not ABA accredited.

Thanks. I also found that NWCU is not regionally accredited either, so that's a no-go for me.

[bjcheung77]

Just curious, there are so many options out there, people go for a second bachelors or a different subject matter Masters. Are you set with the institution or would another work for you? Does it have to be at the Masters level? Would you go for a similar subject, such as Public Policy vs Legal Studies?

[newdegree]

Maybe a master's degree in negotiations and conflict management would be better. I personally think you can learn the law for free online by reading cases or picking up old law textbooks. University of London LLB would be a great option if you are interested in law; it's fully online, and once you complete the degree, you can take an online LLM in the United States and sit the bar exam in a number of states if you wish to. Do not sell yourself short; age is nothing but a number. If you are going to put 2 years into doing a master's degree, you might as well commit to an LLB with advanced standings since you already have a bachelor's degree. You have options, but one thing is for sure: a master's in legal studies wouldn't benefit you, honestly.

[eLearner]

It's like this:

If your goal is to become a practicing attorney, you have plenty of regionally accredited, bar accredited options, but all of them will be very expensive. Only a few will be online.

If your goal is to become a practicing attorney, and you want to learn online, then your most economical option is NWCU Law. It's not regionally accredited, but what counts most in the law education field is bar accreditation. It's not American Bar Association accredited, but it is accredited by the California state bar which is a big deal.

Here is an AI breakdown:

St. Mary's University School of Law: Home to the nation’s first fully online, ABA-accredited J.D. program.

Southwestern Law School: Offers a 100% online, ABA-accredited J.D. with both full-time and part-time tracks.

Syracuse University (JDinteractive): A high-caliber hybrid program designed specifically for working professionals.

ASU Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law: Provides a part-time online J.D. taught by the same faculty as their on-campus program.

NWCU Law: Fully accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California since 2020. It remains one of the most affordable options at roughly $20,975 for the entire four-year program.

Purdue Global Law School: Also California-accredited and online; it was the first of its kind and is part of the respected Purdue University system.

===

If you have no intention of ever becoming a practicing attorney, then there are tons of options, regionally accredited, nationally accredited, and unaccredited with varying costs.

[freeloader]

Sorry to say, but not to discourage you, an MLS degree is pretty much useless, since it can't be used to obtain admission to the bar exam. I do not know what your career is, but I am assuming you work for a law firm or in politics.  If you want to study law, I recommend either going to law school like NWCU for a cheap online program or pursuing an LLB overseas at the University of London or another school. MLS programs are overpriced, and most of them do not lead to any doctoral programs; you can't even use them to level up to a Juris Doctor. If you are a paralegal or legal assistant, consider going for a degree in English, writing, or communications. If you are a law firm manager or director, consider pursuing an MBA, a Master's in Organizational Leadership, or a Master's in Project Management. Most of the stuff pertaining to non-attorney candidates in the legal field is drafting and managing cases. Knowing a ton of different laws isn't going to help a person advance beyond a paralegal without other necessary skills, which can be gained by studying a management or leadership degree.

Thanks for all of that. It's not discouraging at all. A little about me to add more context to why I'm looking at a Legal Studies MA. I work for a large multinational corporation (80 countries) as an IT manager for the past 20 years and 27 years in total for my career. Part of what my current role entails is vendor management and contract negotiation/maintenance. It's something I enjoy doing so this is part of my why. Another reason is that for as long as I can remember I've always been interested in legal topics, mostly as they pertain to criminal and consitutional law, but in general as well. Why I never went to law school is another question entirely, but at this point in my life (50 years old), law school definitely doesn't make a lot of logistical sense to me. A Legal Studies program seems to make sense because it's relevant to what I do professionally and I absolutely enjoy the topic. On top of all of that, I'm an avid reader and thoroughly enjoy the wiriting process. Also, I feel like having this degree might lend a certain amount of legitimacy to any relevant experience I list on my resume, if I ever needed or wanted to go out on the job market. Not only that, it would check a box if needed.

Although I already have a BAS, I'll definitely look into the LLB! Thanks for that heads up.

Curious--have you looked at the courses in the Illinois-Springfield legal studies masters?  They are pretty underwhelming to me--limited in scope.  There is 1 LES course in business law, (at the 400 level that may not count for the MA and may or may not be offered online), none in contracts, none in tax.  It really feels like law school-lite or a preparatory program for law school.  They even host an innocence project.  That's neat, but doesn't do much for the person who works in the business world or government and wants to learn more about areas of the law that touch upon their work.