Part-Time and Full-Time Students can take the Core Curriculum either 1) Online OR 2) Hybrid:

• Online: Tuesday & Thursday evenings live online
• Hybrid: Tuesday evenings on campus & Thursday evenings live online

These courses are designed exclusively for M.L.S. students.

1. Introduction to American Law
2. Private Law: Property, Torts, and Contract
3. Public Law: Constitutional and Statutory Analysis
4. Legal Analysis and Communication
5. Business Law for Non-Lawyers OR The Civil Dispute Resolution System

Taken online only, the Capstone allows students to deeply engage with issues relevant to their career focus or intellectual interest. There are two ways to satisfy this requirement.

1. Capstone Seminar
   This course guides the student through a project applying the skills and knowledge gained in the program to a "real world" scenario. This is flexible, but could include a project at work or a project completed with professor guidance.
2. Seminar course
   There are several paper-based law courses which satisfy the capstone requirement.

PART-TIME STUDENT TIMELINE: YEAR 1

Acceptance: See here for application deadlines and decision release dates.

Connection: February-June - Optional online and in-person networking events, mixers, & Admit Day (optional: 1-2 hours / week)

Online Orientation: July - Online Orientation sessions once a week (2 hours / week)

M.L.S. Launch Week: Early August - Mandatory live, in-person class sessions (5 days, 8am-5pm)

Fall 1 Semester: Late August to Early December - Online or hybrid classes in the evenings (1 course: 9 hours of work / week OR 2 courses: 18 hours of work / week)

Spring 1 Semester: 

Early January: Optional J-term short courses (2 weeks)

Late January to Mid-May: Online or hybrid classes in the evenings (1 course: 9 hours of work / week OR 2 courses: 18 hours of work / week)

PART-TIME STUDENT TIMELINE: YEAR 2 (3 & 4)

Summer Break: Mid-May to Late August - Optional short courses (9 hours of work / week) OR 3 months off (0 hours / week)

Fall 2 (3&4) Semester: Late August to Early December - Online or on campus classes in the evenings and/or on-campus classes during the day (1 course: 9 hours of work / week OR 2 courses: 18 hours of work / week)

Spring 2 (3&4) Semester

Early January: Optional J-term short courses (2 weeks)

Late January to Mid-May: Online or on campus classes in the evenings and/or on-campus classes during the day (1 course: 9 hours of work / week OR 2 courses: 18 hours of work / week)

Commencement: Mid-May - Final Year

FULL-TIME STUDENT TIMELINE

Acceptance: See admissions pages for application deadlines and decision release dates.

Connection: February-June - Optional online and in-person networking events, mixers, & Admit Day (optional: 1-2 hours / week)

Online Orientation: July - Online Orientation sessions once a week (2 hours / week)

M.L.S. Launch Week: Early August - Mandatory live, in-person class sessions (5 days, 8am-5pm)

Fall Semester: Late August to Early December - Online classes in the evenings and/or hybrid and on campus courses throughout the day (40 hours of work / week)

Spring Semester: 

Early January: Optional J-term short courses (2 weeks)

Late January to Mid-May: Online classes in the evenings and/or hybrid and on campus courses throughout the day (40 hours of work / week)

Commencement: Mid-May - Final Year

Join us at an information session where we discuss all the relevant details!  Bring your questions.

View upcoming sessions here.  

M.L.S. Orientation: July 2025 (Online 1X per week @ night)

M.L.S. Launch Week: August 2-6, 2025 (Online on campus:  Full days)

For full academic calendar, see here.  

M.L.S. Orientation: July 2024 (online)

M.L.S. Launch Week: August 3-7, 2024

For full academic calendar, see here.  

For all previous academic calendars, see here.  

Yes, this is extremely common for our part time students. Courses will be offered between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on weeknights with flexible online and hybrid options for our working professionals. Courses for 3 units of credit typically meet twice a week during the semester for approximately 80 minutes each, while courses for 2 units of credit typically meet once a week for 120 minutes. Specialization courses can be completed completely online in the evening for certain specializations.  If you prefer on campus courses, the core curriculum can be completed in a hybrid fashion in the evenings.  Limited courses are available on campus in the evenings.  Numerous (over 90+ a semester) course options are available on campus during the day if you can make that work in your schedule.  Our academic advisors will work with you to create a plan that balances your work requirements with the opportunity to access the unmatched curriculum of UCLA Law.

The M.L.S. course of study is not a pre-J.D. program. While students who earn an M.L.S. degree may subsequently apply to J.D. programs at UCLA or elsewhere, under American Bar Association regulations, no law school may award credit toward a J.D. for any coursework taken during an M.L.S. degree program. If you wish to become a licensed lawyer, you should earn a J.D., not an M.L.S.

No. The M.L.S. degree will not qualify you to sit for a bar examination or obtain a license to practice law.