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Master of Business Law: More Information
Although graduate-level legal education historically has only been available to students in a Juris Doctor program, the value of master's-level legal education is gaining recognition. With the Master in Business Law (MBL), Friends University joins more than 25 other colleges and universities offering a master's degree in legal education.
With an emphasis in business, the MBL program benefits a diverse group of people in professional and personal settings.
- People who work with the law and want to expand their knowledge of the law.
- People who work with lawyers and want to work more effectively within the legal arena.
- People who want to expand their career objectives in a direction that involves working more with the law.
- People who want to broaden their base of knowledge for personal or business reasons by learning about the law.
Examples of people who might benefit from the MBL program include but are not limited to business managers, small-business owners, sole proprietors, investors, entrepreneurs, franchisees, accountants, teachers, engineers, consultants, real estate professionals, office managers, compliance personnel, human resource personnel, legal assistants, medical and legal administrators, politicians, lobbyists, and government employees.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Will the MBL program allow me to practice law?
The MBL degree is not intended for people who want to practice law because it does not qualify them to take a bar examination. To be eligible to take a bar exam, you must complete a Juris Doctor degree, which typically requires 90 credit hours during a three-year period in a full-time program.
Will my credits earned in the MBL program transfer into a juris doctor program?
American Bar Association regulations do not allow credits earned in a master's-level program to be transferred into a Juris Doctor program, even if they are earned by attending the same classes as law students in a Juris Doctor program.
Will the MBL degree help me get into law school?
Not necessarily. However, MBL students who decide to go on to law school will likely benefit from their intensive study of legal principles, cases, and laws.
How are MBL classes taught?
Although this varies with each professor, students should expect instruction to include the Socratic method, lectures, problems, and practical exercises. In the Socratic method, the professor elicits learning by questioning the students.
How much class preparation time is required for MBL courses?
This too varies with each professor, but students should expect to spend 10 to 12 hours each week preparing for class. Students are expected to come to class prepared to discuss the assigned reading materials.
