14.1 MLS - Academic Program

14.2 MLS - Length of Program

1. Course and Program Length
   
   The MLS program is a part-time online program. Courses in the MLS program are taught over eight weeks. In week 8, instruction ends on the first Monday. Each class meeting begins on Monday and ends on Sunday. Exceptions may occur and will be announced by e-mail. Students are cautioned not to make discretionary plans that will prevent them from participating in the online class or completing course assignments.
   
   Each academic year consists of three semesters, each of which has two terms, so that six terms (Fall 1, Fall 2, Spring 1, Spring 2, Summer 1, and Summer 2) per year are offered. Students may begin their studies in the MLS program three times each year: Fall 1, Spring 1, and Summer 1. See MLS Academic Calendar.
   
   The program is offered as a 30-unit program. The 30-unit program is designed to be completed in 10 terms; with intersessions, most students will complete the program in about 1 year and six months.
   
   Students must complete all requirements for the MLS degree within three years of beginning the program.
    
2. Units per Term
   
   It is anticipated that a student typically will complete one course per term (3 units), and then complete the 3-unit Capstone course during the last term of enrollment. Subject to availability of courses, students wishing to enroll in more than one course per term should contact the Student Services Coordinator or the Program Manager.
    
3. A student’s program may, of necessity, be required to depart from the above norms in special situations, such as when a student is on probation, is a transfer student, or has interrupted the customary sequence of study for any reason.
    
4. Each student is responsible for planning their own program, within the limits of the School’s policies, so as to complete all course and graduation requirements within the time limits stated above. Graduation likely will be delayed for students who do not adhere to the typical sequence of courses. The School has no provisions for partial course credit, so students may find it necessary to complete more than the required units of credit to meet graduation requirements.
    
5. Any deviation from the prescribed program must be approved by the Associate Dean.

14.3 MLS - Course Descriptions

Each student may elect a concentration (either Frontiers in Law or Regulatory Compliance/Legal Risk Management) and, prior to graduation, complete all required courses and sufficient elective “concentration” courses as needed to fulfill program unit requirements.

All courses are letter-graded with the exception of any Directed Study. Note: All courses are offered in irregular rotation, depending in part on student enrollment in each concentration and faculty availability.

Course Descriptions  

14.4 MLS - Required Courses

1. The curriculum consists of required courses and elective courses.

2. To graduate, students must complete 18 units of required courses, including each of those listed below, and 12 units of elective courses. The Capstone is designed to be taken as the student’s last course, or within six units of graduation.

MLS 440 - Administrative Process  

MLS 410 - American Legal System  

MLS 445 - Capstone Course  

MLS 415 - Legal Fundamentals  

MLS 430 - Litigation and Its Alternatives  

MLS 435 - Research and Advocacy  

3. Courses are scheduled in a mixed cycle of required and elective courses. Before enrolling in an elective course, MLS students must first successfully complete three of the required core courses, excluding the Capstone. To successfully complete a course, a student must earn at least a B-. Students seeking an exception to this requirement must petition the Dean or her designee.
    
4. Courses must be taken during the cycle or postponed until offered again. Advisors will inform students of the planned cycle of courses. Postponement likely will delay graduation.
    
5. A student must complete one of the core courses during their first session of enrollment. Thereafter the student will complete one course in each subsequent term in which the student is enrolled. The student must complete 12 elective units. If the student chooses a concentration, then they must complete 9 units in the chosen concentration.

14.5 MLS - Elective Concentration Courses

1. In addition to 18 units of required coursework, students must complete an additional 12 units (4 courses) of elective coursework to graduate. Students who complete 9 units (3 courses) under a particular concentration will, upon graduation, have that concentration designated on their transcript.
    
2. MLS Residency Program (optional)
   During the student’s enrollment, a multi-day MLS Residency program will be held during which students will have the opportunity to engage in discussions with faculty and leaders in the legal profession, government, or other fields. Each student may have the option of participating once while enrolled, by choosing the elective concentration course designated “with Residency” in that student’s concentration, when it is offered. Students who choose not to participate in the Residency program will take the corresponding elective without the Residency designation.
   
   Students in the Frontiers of Law concentration will choose between Emerging Threats with Residency and Emerging Threats. Students in the Regulatory Compliance/Legal Risk Management concentration will choose between Data Security & Breach with Residency and Data Security & Breach. A student can earn academic credit for one but not both of the corresponding courses (e.g., a student who has earned credit for completing Emerging Threats with Residency cannot earn academic credit for having taken Emerging Threats).
    
3. Elective Concentration Courses

14.6 MLS - Curriculum Matrix

Although course offerings are subject to change, subject to enrollment, and faculty availability, below is the matrix of MLS courses anticipated to be taught in Academic Year 2021-2022.

14.7 MLS - Registration Procedures

1. Prior to the start of each session, continuing students will be notified by JURIS e-mail of information about tuition, fees, class schedules, academic calendar, registration deadlines, and required books by their Student Advisor in COL Student Services. Students are responsible to purchase or otherwise obtain the required books through outside vendors. The Academic Catalog will be available on the Gateway. Syllabi and other course information is found in Canvas, the online Learning Management System.
    
2. Students registering for the first time will be contacted by COL Student Services with information about registration, the Orientation webinar, and passwords for access to Westlaw, the Gateway, and Canvas.
    
3. New students will be provided with a JURIS e-mail account and log-in credentials to the School’s e-learning platform shortly after acceptance to the program and upon payment of the required tuition deposit.
    
4. See Sections 6.2 and 6.3 for policies on adding and dropping courses and the requirement for continuous enrollment.
    
5. Students who do not register for the upcoming session are administratively withdrawn for non-registration and/or non-attendance; procedures for arranging a leave of absence are described in Section 6.2 , Leave of Absence.
    
6. Subject to availability of courses, students wishing to enroll in more than one course per term should contact the Student Services Coordinator or Program Manager.

14.8 Participation Policy

Students must log in and participate in the online course by the first Wednesday of the term. Failure to do so will result in administrative withdrawal. All students must actively participate in online discussions and varied course assignments as outlined in the syllabus and in accordance with the timelines set forth in Canvas. To be considered an active participant, a student must log in at least three days each week. To receive a maximum of points per week, students must participate actively in all class and online activities (see assignment and discussion rubric for further detail).

All course assignments are due by the last day of instruction. Nothing will be accepted after that date without prior authorization from the Associate Dean.

Students should be aware that a failure to materially participate in online activities, discussions, and/or assignments can be treated like absences in traditional face-to-face course format. Logins without material participation is a failure to actively and meaningfully participate in discussions and/ or complete activities and may result in administrative withdrawal.

15.1 Dual Degree Programs-Definition

1. When a student enrolls in Dual Degree Programs, they are admitted to two separate degree programs at two collaborating academic institutions.  The Dual Degree Programs at the collaborating institutions will share some coursework, through previously agreed upon transfer credit, so that a student may pursue both degrees simultaneously or consecutively and in an expeditious manner.  Upon successful completion of each program, a student will be awarded separate degrees from the participating institutions. 

15.2 Dual Degree Enrollment/Withdrawal

1. Students wishing to enroll in a Dual Degree Program must do so by separately applying to, and being accepted by, both degree-granting institutions.
    
2. If a student is currently part of a Dual Degree program, in good academic standing, with no holds on their account, and wishes to only pursue one degree, they may do so by transferring into the single version of their degree program of choice. They can do so by providing written notification to the Registrar’s Office.  Program Transfers can only occur in between terms.  If a student who was originally pursuing a Dual Degree, decides to no longer pursue the COL part of the degree, they will be administratively withdrawn.
    
3. If a current student decides that they would like to pursue a Dual Degree program after they have matriculated, they may do so by transferring into the Dual Degree version of their degree program of choice, after having been accepted to the collaborating institution.  They can do so by providing written notification to the Registrar’s Office.  Program Transfers can only occur in between terms.

15.3 Dual Degree Programs

The Master of Legal Studies program currently has Dual Degree Programs with The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TCSPP), a not-for-profit, regionally accredited institution.  TCSPP is affiliated with The Colleges of Law through the TCS Education System.  The Admissions Office at TCSPP may be contacted online at http://thechicagoschool.edu or by phone at 888-905-9458.  MLS students interested in a Dual Degree Program may also contact their COL Student Services advisor.

1. MA Forensic Psychology: Non-Licensure Track AND Master of Legal Studies
2. MA Industrial/Organizational Psychology: ARP Track AND Master of Legal Studies
3. MA Industrial/Organizational Psychology: Internship Track AND Master of Legal Studies
   1. Note: the MA IO: Internship Track program can be completed at the Chicago, LA, or D.C. Campus with MLS coursework completed online

15.4 Dual Degree Sample Curriculum

MA Forensic Psychology and Master of Legal Studies - TCSPP and COL

Program Requirements: MA Forensic Psychology: Non-Licensure Track

MA Industrial and Organizational Psychology: ARP Track and Master of Legal Studies - TCSPP and COL

Program Requirements: MA Industrial and Organizational Psychology: ARP Track

MA Industrial/Organizational Psychology: Internship Track and Master of Legal Studies - TCSPP and COL

Program Requirements: MA Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Internship Track

16.1 MLS - Letter Grades and Status Designations

1. A letter grading system is used for all courses. Grades are assigned from “A” to “F”, with numerical point equivalents on the School’s 4-point scale:

2. Grade designations denote the following:

3. Other grade/status designations used to indicate a student’s grade or status at the School, and which may appear on the student’s transcript and/or other records, are:

16.2 MLS - Calculation of Cumulative GPA

1. The cumulative grade point average (cGPA) is calculated based on course grades.
    
2. To calculate the cGPA, multiply the final grade in each letter-graded course by its unit value, total the sum of the products for all such courses, and divide that sum by the total number of letter-graded units. The cGPA is expressed on the transcript as a number, truncated at the second decimal. For example, the cGPA for a student who had course grades of “B” (3.0 points) in American Legal System, “A” (4.0) in Legal Fundamentals, and “B” (3.0) in Research and Advocacy is calculated in this manner:

GPA (30.0 points divided by 9 units) = 3.33

Grades earned in subsequent sessions would then be added to the prior grades to determine the student’s cGPA.

16.3 MLS - Notification of Grades

Grades are generally not available until very shortly before the start of the next semester/session. Grades will be available online through the password-protected Portal.  Grades will not be released by telephone.

16.4 MLS - Petition for Change of Grade

1. Except as otherwise provided in this Catalog, grades will not be changed after approval by the Associate Dean of the MLS Program except to correct an arithmetic error or other material mistake by the instructor, such as incorrect calculation of points noted in the margin. An allegation that an instructor has not fairly graded an examination or other paper of the student, or has departed from established policy, is treated as an allegation of material mistake.
    
2. Authority to decide student petitions for change of grade is held by the faculty’s Academic Standards and Admission Committee (ASAC). The ASAC will not authorize a change in any grade without a showing of material mistake by the instructor by clear, convincing, and objectively verifiable evidence; the ASAC will not permit or require a change of any grading decision by an instructor which represents qualitative judgment concerning a student’s performance. Objectively verifiable evidence is not shown by a student’s belief that the analysis deserved a higher grade.
    
3. A student is not permitted to lobby an instructor for a change of grade. A student who has identified a potential material mistake may ask the instructor to review the claimed error. At the instructor’s election, the instructor may require the student to submit a written analysis of the claimed error or to present the analysis to the instructor.
    
4. A student who wishes to appeal a grade must do so by timely filing a written petition for grade change to the ASAC. All such petitions must: 1) be filed with the Registrar within 14 calendar days of the date the original grade was posted; 2) state clearly, specifically, and fully the basis for the claim of material mistake; 3) provide clear, convincing, and objectively verifiable evidence of the claimed mistake; and 4) include a copy of any written analysis submitted to the instructor.
    
5. Decisions on petitions to the ASAC are made pursuant to the procedures and standards set forth in the Charter for the Academic Standards and Admissions Committee of The Colleges of Law (“the Charter”), a copy of which is available on the Gateway (My.CollegesofLaw.edu/).

16.5 MLS - Repetition of Courses

1. Students must make satisfactory academic progress toward the MLS degree by maintaining a grade point average of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0. Course grades below B- do not count toward graduation requirements. A student who receives a course grade below B- in a required course must retake the course.  If a student receives a grade below B- in an elective course, the student will not receive credit towards the degree and must retake the same or another elective course.
    
2. In addition:
    
   1. When a course is successfully retaken, the more recent of the two grades will be computed in the cumulative grade point average; the points for the less recent grade will not be computed in the student’s GPA.
       
   2. The original grade will remain on the student’s transcript, along with the grade received for the retaken course.

17.1 Master of Legal Studies - Graduation

1. The School will confer the degree of Master of Legal Studies upon a student who has timely met all requirements for graduation.
    
2. To be eligible for graduation, a student must do all the following:
    
   1. Complete at least the 30 units of MLS credits, including 18 units in required courses and 12 units in elective courses within three years of beginning the program.
       
   2. Achieve a cumulative grade point average of not less than 3.00.
       
   3. Successfully complete all courses with a grade of at least “B-“.
       
   4. Fulfill all other academic requirements.
       
   5. Pay all fees, charges, and tuition due.
       
3. Graduation Dates and Ceremony
   
   One graduation ceremony is held annually. The Graduation Processing Fee is owed by a student who elects to participate in the graduation ceremony and will only be refunded prior to regalia being ordered. Students will be deemed graduated, and degrees will be dated, as of the end of the session in which all such requirements are met.