Master of Studies in Law (MSL) Degree

The degree of Master of Studies in Law is designed for non-lawyer candidates who seek to obtain a deeper understanding of a particular field of law that factors into their professional endeavors. Those who have completed a professional law degree are not eligible for this degree.

Concentrations

In the General MSL Degree Program, a student may design with prior approval a course of legal studies that is particularly tailored to their professional interests.

Entrance Requirements

MSL applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree or equivalent, with evidence of strong academic performance, have a minimum of 3–5 years of professional experience related to the field of study, and provide detailed letter(s) of recommendation.

Degree Requirements

While required, recommended, and elective course credits will vary among the designated MSL Degree Programs, and the General MSL Degree, it is expected that most programs will include Introduction to U.S. Law and Legal Writing for MSL Students (6950). Each program will require 24 total course credits to complete the degree and achievement of a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.00 at the time all requirements are met. Students may complete the degree in two full-time semesters of 12 credits each, or four part-time semesters, including the option of summer sessions if the relevant course work is offered.

MSL Academic Evaluation

MSL and other non-JD, non-LLM, non-SJD students shall be awarded grades from the following: H (Honors), P (Pass), LP (Low Pass), and NC (No Credit), with no more than 25% grades of H in classes of six or more students. An MSL student, however, may elect, at the beginning of their course of study, to be subject to the ordinary JD curve.

Any MSL student who matriculated before Fall 2024, however, shall be subject to the new JD grading schedule beginning in Fall 2024, but shall have an opportunity to opt out before the beginning of that semester.

Minimum Grade Point Average

For any student who is graded on a letter-grading scale to graduate, including a JD student, LLM student, SJD student, or MSL student who has opted in to this scale, a minimum grade point average of 2.00 must be achieved.

Admissions Process

Application forms are available from and should be returned to the Graduate and International Programs Office, the George Washington University Law School, Washington, DC 20052.

U.S. Graduates

U.S. graduates are admitted for both the fall and spring semesters. Applications are due by May 1 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring semester.

Non-U.S. Graduates

Non-U.S. graduates are admitted for both the fall and spring semesters. Applications are due by March 15 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring semester.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

To be considered for admission, students whose undergraduate degree was earned from a non-U.S. college or university in which English is not the primary language of instruction are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language and attain a score in the 600-point range (paper-based) or 100-point range (Internet-based). Scores should be sent to the law school’s Graduate and International Programs Office. TOEFL scores may not be more than two years old. To make arrangements for the test, visit the TOEFL website. Students also may be considered for admission with a score of 7.0 or above from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). To make arrangements for the test, visit the IELTS website.

Academic Regulations

Failure to Take an Examination and Examination Excusal

Written examinations are held at the end of most courses. Every student is required to take the regular examinations at their scheduled dates and times. If a student fails to take an examination, a grade of F will be recorded unless the student has been excused from the examination.

Examination Excusal

The Dean of Students Office will grant an examination excusal only for a documented illness or other documented emergency. Travel or scheduling conflicts do not constitute an emergency, nor do multiple examinations on the same date or examinations on several consecutive dates. The request for excusal must be made during the examination period, but before the exam has begun. The supporting documents must be submitted to the Dean of Students Office no later than one month after the date of the examination.

A student who has been granted an excused absence by the Dean of Students Office for a written examination will take the examination as soon thereafter as can be arranged, but no later than the following: 

Term of Excusal	Deadline to Complete Form
Fall	First Friday of the Spring Semester
Spring	First Friday following graduation
Summer	First Friday of the Fall Semester

Students who fail to sit for their examinations by these deadlines will be withdrawn and earn W fora W for the course.

The instructor has discretion as to whether the make-up examination is evaluated as a letter grade or as Credit/No Credit (CR/NC). Examinations graded on a CR/NC basis by choice of the instructor and not due to student preference will not count against the 17 CR/NC limit (or 8 CR/NC limit for transfer students) for JD students.

Deadlines for Courses Graded by Evaluations Other than Examination

As indicated in course descriptions, many courses are graded on the basis of research papers, appellate briefs, drafting assignments, litigation exercises, negotiation exercises, oral arguments, oral presentations, problem assignments, projects, short papers, simulations or writing assignments.

To receive a letter grade for a research paper or other written assignment, a student must complete the paper by the date specified by the instructor, or, if the instructor has not specified a due date, by the last day of classes in the semester. For courses taken in the fall semester, the instructor may extend the due date to no later than January 15. For courses taken in the spring semester, the instructor may extend the due date to no later than June 15, unless the student intends to graduate at the end of the semester, in which case the paper must be submitted by the last day of the examination period. For courses taken in the summer session, the deadline will be August 15.

To receive a letter grade for any required assignment other than a research paper or other written assignment, a student must complete the assignment by the date specified by the instructor, or, if the instructor has not specified a due date, by the last day of classes. An instructor may extend the due date to the last day of the examination period in the semester.

In the event of any inconsistency between statements by a course instructor or in an individual course syllabus, the deadlines, rules , and statements set forth in this  Bulletin will govern.

Although no letter grade can be awarded for extensions beyond the foregoing deadlines, the instructor may, for sufficient reason, extend a deadline for the submission up to the last day of the examination period of the following semester; further extensions may be granted only in exceptional circumstances and must be approved in writing by the instructor and the Dean of Students Office. When the deadline is extended beyond those indicated for receiving a letter grade, the following conditions apply:

1. no student will earn any credit for the course for any purpose until assignments acceptable to the instructor have been submitted;
2. the only grade the student may receive for the course is Credit (CR) or No Credit (NC). To earn a grade of CR, a minimum evaluation of C- is required for JD candidates, unless the assignment is a research paper intended to fulfill the legal writing requirement, in which case a minimum evaluation of B- is required. Failure to submit all required assignments within the extended deadline will result in a grade of  F. 

Attendance

Consistent with the ABA requirement that law students regularly and punctually attend class, students are required to regularly prepare for and attend class. The law school considers regular attendance as being present for at least 80% of classes. Faculty members may set a higher attendance standard and may factor this higher standard into the calculation of a student’s grade. Students should be aware that excessive absenteeism, irrespective of the reason, can lead to, without notice, one or more of the following:

1. Grade reduction; 
2. Denial of permission to complete coursework and/or take the final exam; 
3. Earning a failing grade for the course.

Any student at risk of missing more than 20% of classes for any course for any reason should promptly consult with the instructor and/or Dean of Students Office. Please note the Dean of Students Office cannot excuse a student from attending class. In addition, even if a professor would excuse each individual absence for good reason, if in aggregate those absences are excessive, the above policy will still apply.

Registration Holds

Students may not attend classes in any semester or summer session without the express written permission of the Dean of Students Office if they have not registered due to a hold on their student account. Failure to adhere to registration and enrollment procedures could result in a violation of the Academic Integrity Code and/or the University’s Code of Student Conduct, both of which are reported to bar examiners.