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About USC Gould
USC Gould is a top-ranked law school with a 120-year history and reputation for academic excellence. We are located on the beautiful 228-acre USC University Park Campus, just south of downtown Los Angeles.
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USC Gould helps prepare you for a stellar legal career. You can pursue a JD degree, one of our numerous graduate and international offerings, or an online degree or certificate.
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We work closely with students, graduates and employers to support successful career goals and outcomes. Our overall placement rate is consistently strong, with 94 percent of our JD class employed within 10 months after graduation.
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Our faculty is distinguished for its scholarship, as well as for its commitment to teaching. Our 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio creates an intimate and collegial learning environment.
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Curriculum - Online Master of Studies in Law (MSL)
USC Gould School of Law
- MASTER OF STUDIES IN LAW (MSL) DEGREE - ONLINE
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- MASTER OF STUDIES IN LAW (MSL) DEGREE - ON CAMPUS
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Earning the online MSL degree requires successful completion of 21 credit units, including two required courses:
Introduction to the U.S. Legal System, 2 units
Legal Research, 1 unit
Your remaining 18 credits will be chosen from electives including:
U.S. Law
Constitutional Law, 3 units
Legal Profession, 2 units
The course attempts to sensitize students to ethical issues faced by lawyers in various kinds of practice. The ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and Ethics Opinions, the California rules, and related statutes and leading case law are examined.
Emphasis is placed on discussion surrounding hypothetical situations in order for students to recognize and resolve dilemmas stemming from legal, professional, and personal dilemmas that are likely to occur during the practice of law.Topics in American Law, 3 units
Introduction to Litigation in U.S. Courts, 2 units
Business Law
Business Principles in Law, 2 units
Business Organizations, 4 units
Contract Drafting and Strategy, 2 units
Mergers and Acquisitions, 3 units
Securities Regulation, 3 units
The aim of this course is to provide a basic working knowledge of the federal securities laws to students intending to pursue a career in corporate finance or securities litigation, whether in a law firm, securities firm or regulatory agency. It also will be of interest to those interested in the development of the modern regulatory state, as exemplified by the continuing evolution of the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Compliance
Regulatory Compliance, 2 units
Health Care Compliance, 2 units
Human Resource Compliance, 2 units
Entertainment Law and Industry
Dealmaking in the Entertainment Industry, 2 units
Entertainment Law and Industry, 2 units
Digital Media Transactions, 2 units
Intellectual Property: Copyright, 2 units
Intellectual Property: Trademark, 2 units
Music Law in Practice, 2 units
Negotiation Skills, 2 units
Financial Compliance
Corporate Governance, 2 units
Financial Institution Regulation, 2 units
Global Regulatory Compliance, 2 units
Health Care Compliance
Health Care Compliance, 2 units
Health Care Law, Business and Finance, 2 units
Health Law and Policy, 2 units
Patient Privacy Law, 2 units
Human Resources Law and Compliance
Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Compliance, 2 units
Employment Discrimination Law, 2 units
Employment Dispute Mediation, 2 units
Human Resource Compliance, 2 units
Privacy Law and Cybersecurity
Regulatory Compliance, 2 units
Global Regulatory Compliance, 2 units
Patient Privacy Law, 2 units
Cyber Security & Cyber Crimes, 2 units
Information Management & Risk, 2 units
Information Privacy Law, 2 units
You may choose to keep your MSL degree general by taking courses from among our entire list of offerings, or you may concentrate your studies by following the requirements to earn a certificate in Business Law, Compliance, Entertainment Law and Industry, Financial Compliance, Health Care Compliance, and/or Human Resources Law and Compliance.
Each of the certificates requires 12 units of study, which can be completed as part of the MSL degree at no additional cost. The specific requirements earning the MSL and a certificate are outlined below:
MSL Degree and Business Law Certificate
Introduction to the U.S. Legal System, 2 units
Legal Research, 1 unit
Business Organizations, 4 units
- 8 additional units in Business Law courses (listed above)
- 6 additional units in other courses, including additional Business Law courses
MSL Degree and Compliance Certificate
Introduction to the U.S. Legal System, 2 units
Legal Research, 1 unit
Business Organizations, 4 units
Contract Drafting and Strategy, 2 units
Regulatory Compliance, 2 units
Health Care Compliance, 2 units
Human Resource Compliance, 2 units
- 6 additional units in other courses
MSL Degree and Entertainment Law and Industry Certificate
Introduction to the U.S. Legal System, 2 units
Legal Research, 1 unit
Entertainment Law and Industry, 2 units
Intellectual Property: Copyright, 2 units
Intellectual Property: Trademark, 2 units
- 6 additional units in Entertainment Law and Industry courses (listed above)
- 5 additional units in other courses, including additional Entertainment Law and Industry courses
MSL Degree and Financial Compliance Certificate
Introduction to the U.S. Legal System, 2 units
Legal Research, 1 unit
Business Organizations, 4 units
Regulatory Compliance, 2 units
Corporate Governance, 2 units
Financial Institution Regulation, 2 units
Global Regulatory Compliance, 2 units
- 6 additional units in other courses
MSL Degree and Health Care Compliance Certificate
Regulatory Compliance, 2 units
Health Care Compliance, 2 units
Health Care Law, Business and Finance, 2 units
Health Law and Policy, 2 units
Patient Privacy Law, 2 units
- 6 additional units in other courses
MSL Degree and Human Resources Law and Compliance Certificate
Regulatory Compliance, 2 units
Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Compliance, 2 units
Employment Discrimination Law, 2 units
Employment Dispute Mediation, 2 units
Human Resource Compliance, 2 units
- 6 additional units in other courses
MSL Degree with Privacy Law and Cybersecurity Certificate
Introduction to the U.S. Legal System, 2 units
Legal Research, 1 unit
Regulatory Compliance, 2 units
Global Regulatory Compliance, 2 units
Patient Privacy Law, 2 units
Cyber Security & Cyber Crimes, 2 units
Information Management & Risk, 2 units
Information Privacy Law, 2 units
- 6 additional units in other courses
Courses used toward a degree or a certificate completed at another university may not be applied toward a master's degree at USC. If courses were not used toward a completed degree or a certificate, a maximum of five credits may be transferred to our MSL degree.