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Completing a certificate is a great way to prove you’re ready to earn a degree.

Master of Science in Legal Studies
DEGREE PATHWAY

By completing a designated professional certificate from eCornell, you can reduce the overall number of credits needed to complete your Master’s degree.

Certificates that correspond to the following courses in the MSLS are the only programs available for advanced standing. Advanced standing is the status granted by the Law School allowing you to start your degree with credits completed.

  • Business Contracts: Students who have completed the eCornell Certificate in Business Contracts will be eligible to apply for a 3-credit reduction in credits required for the degree.
  • Legal Research: Students who have completed the eCornell Certificate in Legal Research will be eligible to apply for a 1.5-credit reduction in credits required for the degree.

You can complete both certificate programs and be eligible to apply for a 4.5-credit reduction in credits required for the degree.

Your participation in a professional certificate program is a great way to demonstrate your commitment to learning at Cornell!

Should you choose to apply to Cornell’s MSLS degree program to continue your educational journey, your performance in the professional certificate program, along with your other qualifications, will be considered in your application package for admission. Completion of the certificate does not replace any of the program’s other admission requirements.

Cornell’s Law School admits applicants with a minimum of:

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or an equivalent international degree
  • Résumé demonstrating two years of relevant professional experience
  • Transcripts from all colleges or universities you have attended
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Statement of purpose
  • International students for whom English is not your first language must provide TOEFL or IELTS scores
  • GRE, GMAT, and LSAT scores are not required

Admission is limited to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and individuals with a current valid U.S. immigration status.

Professional certificate programs offered through eCornell do not bear academic credit. However, successfully completing a certificate program can offset specific degree credit requirements under the Advanced Standing framework.

No; you are only eligible for financial aid when enrolled in a degree program. However, by completing the certificate program, you will reduce the tuition you have to pay, based on the number of credits offset by your prior work. Earning the Business Contracts professional certificate will reduce your tuition by 10% or the Legal Research professional certificate will reduce your tuition by 5%. Completing both together will reduce your tuition by 15%.

Read more about the MSLS degree and view current tuition: https://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/academics/degree-programs/msls-program/

To learn more about the MSLS Degree Pathway Program, please contact a MSLS Enrollment Counselor:

Enroll here for the Business Contracts certificate program.

Enroll here for the Legal Research certificate program.

Apply here to the MSLS program.

Interested In Learning More? by completing the form below.

Inquire about degree pathways now.

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