In the United States, 14.4% of Americans earn a higher degree after completing their bachelor’s. For those who don’t want to become attorneys but want to utilize legal analysis and reasoning in their careers, an online Master of Science in Law (MSL) is a perfect fit. Understanding Legal Analysis is crucial in this context because it forms the backbone of the skill set you’ll develop.
Whether you work in law and policy or another field, an online MSL enhances many professions. The degree complements those who work as local, state, and federal agency employees, lobbyists, legislative staff, and more. By gaining a deep understanding of legal analysis, you can make informed decisions that guide your organization through complex regulations.
McGeorge School of Law offers both hybrid and online MSL options. Our online Government Law and Policy MSL degree is built on the foundation of McGeorge’s nationally-ranked program in public law and its renowned Capital Center for Law & Policy. Our degree opens up opportunities by allowing you to shift to the legal aspects of your career.
What is Legal Analysis?
Legal analysis is the systematic process of examining legal issues, statutes, and case law to draw conclusions or make arguments. It involves identifying legal issues, applying relevant laws, and reasoning through the implications to arrive at a well-founded conclusion. This method is commonly used by lawyers to solve legal problems, however, it’s also extremely valuable for non-lawyers in various fields who need to understand legal documents and regulations.
For non-lawyers working in or around the legal field, understanding legal documents allows you to further yourself in your career and is a highly marketable skill. Legal analysis builds the ability to read and understand contracts, regulations, and other compliance issues.
Courses at McGeorge
Throughout your MSL, McGeorge offers a few different courses that hone the skills needed for legal analysis, such as:
- Introduction to Legal Analysis: This course provides students with an overview of the American legal system, including the sources and development of law as well as the dispute resolution process. The course further focuses on developing an understanding of how lawyers read and analyze cases, statutes, and legal documents, and provides an introduction to legal reasoning. A primer on legal research with a focus on locating and evaluating the weight of legal sources is also included.
- Analytical Skills (Contracts): This graduate course offers a practical introduction to a foundational area of law, such as contracts, and to the legal method. Students learn best practices for studying law and developing foundational legal analytical skills so that they can read and understand case law, statutes, and regulations. These analytical skills include IRAC rule-based methodology as a structure for legal analysis, case-briefing, outlining, and test-taking. Students also practice negotiating and drafting agreements.
We also offer courses in policymaking and lawmaking. These courses develop practical skills such as drafting statutory language, bill analysis, and developing public policy.
Benefits of McGeorge
In addition to our legal analysis courses, our MSL program has a variety of other benefits. It is completely online, giving our students flexibility and freedom when it comes to obtaining a higher degree. The burden of time is a massive blocker for those who want to continue their education post-bachelor degree. Our online and asynchronous courses allow our students to study and continue with other obligations in life, whether work or personal.
If you think that getting an online degree might present a disadvantage when it comes to resources, think again. At McGeorge, our students build marketable expertise under the guidance of our faculty. The faculty here are chosen for outstanding teaching as well as depth of knowledge in government law and policy. As a student at McGeorge, you can enhance your career without missing a beat in your own life.
What are you waiting for? Contact our admissions office today to get started.