A growing number of law schools offer master’s degrees for non-lawyers to help them excel in a variety of fields where law comes into play. Barbara-Ann Boehler, senior director of the Corporate Compliance and Ethics program, discussed the benefits of a Fordham Law M.S.L. in Corporate Compliance degree, with The National Jurist.
Barbara-Ann Boehler, senior director of the Corporate Compliance and Ethics program at Fordham University School of Law, said there is a seriousness of purpose when you take on a master’s degree program and invest in your future.
“People respond to that in a positive way in the marketplace,” she said. “It’s not a generic degree. It’s a purposeful degree.”
Fordham Law students can complete the MSL in Corporate Compliance online or in person and can complete in a little over two years.
One requirement is that students come to campus for a two-day compliance colloquium.
In a survey of students conducted last year, 93% felt that the program was impactful to their career, which can include a variety of things like a bump in salary or an expanded role.
“It’s more than a certification,” Boehler said. “It shows a commitment to the discipline.”
The opportunity for networking with fellow classmates and alumni is also a plus.
“People are now purposefully choosing this as a job instead of falling into it,” Boehler said. “There is a rich diversity of thought — whether students have an MBA, JD, MSL or are an accountant.
The students that you meet in coursework and the adjuncts teaching become part of your network.”
Read “The MSL or MLS: A Purposeful Degree” in The National Jurist.
Read “Master’s degrees for non-lawyers add value in a variety of fields” in The National Jurist.