School Launching Non-Lawyer Law Degree
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law will launch a program in the fall designed to give professionals a better understanding of the legal system. It will focus on people who don't want to be licensed attorneys, but feel a need to comprehend how the law impacts their careers. Organizers say they have already received plenty of interest from mid-career professionals who regularly deal with the legal system, especially those in the health care sector navigating the impact of the Affordable Care Act. Law School Dean Andy Klein and Program Director Deborah McGregor discussed the initiative during the (i) on Education segment on Inside INdiana Business Television. June 12, 2014
Originally Issued October 24, 2013
NDIANAPOLIS — The IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law, part of the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis campus, will offer the state's first Master of Jurisprudence degree program for non-attorneys starting next year.
The new degree is designed for professionals who do not want to practice law but want to develop a better understanding of the law as it affects their careers.
“Knowledge about the law and regulations is becoming increasingly important as it affects more and more disciplines, such as the life sciences; social work; human resources; business and corporate affairs; the environment; and real estate development, to name a few,” said the program's director, professor Deborah McGregor. “The focus of the M.J. degree is on those professionals who are interested in learning about the law as a way to enhance and potentially advance their careers.”
Those pursing the M.J. degree will work one-on-one with a faculty advisor to create an individualized curriculum focusing on the areas of the law that will most help their respective careers.
Earning the degree requires 30 credit hours that can be taken full or part time. Although M.J. students can't enroll in the experiential, hands-on law classes reserved for students who will practice law, they can enroll in more than 150 courses that cover the substantive areas of the law that affect a variety of professions, including:
Employment and human resources
Intellectual property
Contracts
Health and science
Law enforcement
Environment and natural resources
Government regulations
Legislative initiatives
Social work
Business and corporate affairs
International law
To be eligible for admission to the M.J. degree program, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution of higher learning or an equivalent academic degree from an educational institution in a country other than the United States.
Admissions are decided on a rolling basis, with no deadlines for application.
For more information about admissions, contact Deborah B. McGregor at mjlaw@iupui.edu or 317-274-2608.
Source: IUPUI, IU McKinney School of Law