Colorado Law's Master of Studies in Law (MSL) degree is a one-year, 28-credit, no-LSAT-required program that enables students who hold at least an undergraduate degree to obtain legal training short of a full Juris Doctor (JD). Increasingly, emerging job markets have openings that require some legal knowledge and employers are assigning a number of legal tasks traditionally performed by lawyers to non-lawyers. Colorado Law's MSL will prepare students to obtain and excel in those positions.
Ethics and Compliance Curriculum
The ethics and compliance track trains students to become compliance and ethics officers at large corporations, as well as at nonprofit entities, such as colleges, universities, and hospitals. These organizations are subject to an increasing number of legal requirements and need trained professionals to lead effective in-house programs to ensure compliance with statutes and regulations.
This track prepares students to develop, improve, and manage ethics and compliance programs and help organizations obey the law, reduce the risk of fraud, other law-breaking, and misconduct, and mitigate their firms' legal liability and reputation risk. Students have the opportunity to focus on specific fields of law, such as privacy/cybersecurity, healthcare and financial services.
Requirements
Colorado Law’s Master of Studies in ethics and compliance is designed to prepare prospective ethics and compliance officers in privacy/cybersecurity, health care and financial services.
All MSL students will take courses designed specifically for MSL students—one that introduces them to the American legal system, and one that introduces them to legal research, writing and analysis. In addition to those introductory courses, MSL students will take required and elective courses, alongside JD students, relevant to their specialty track.
Satisfactory completion of the following requirements leads to the degree Master of Studies
in Law (MSL):
A. Completion of 28 credits of course work, approved in advance by the faculty director of the MSL program, with a numerical average of 2.0 or better. MSL students may undertake these credits in a full-time schedule over one year or undertake a part-time schedule over a longer period of time.
B. As part of the 28 credits, completion of Introduction to US Law for MSL Students.
C. Demonstration of domain expertise within a specialty track by completing the requirements for the student’s chosen specialty, as determined by the faculty director of the track consistent with Part 4 of this Article and subject to approval by the dean. Each MSL candidate shall choose one, and only one, specialty track.
D. Satisfaction of any conditions imposed at the time of admission.
Any MSL student whose cumulative grade average is below 2.0 at the end of any semester shall be expelled.
Course Requirements
The Ethics and Compliance track for the MSL degree requires 28 credits total, including, in addition to the general MSL requirements:
(1) Communications for Compliance Professionals;
(2) Compliance;
(3) Ethical Organizations and Professionals;
(4) either Accounting for Lawyers or Special Topics in Compliance: Investigations, unless waived by the track’s faculty director due to prior coursework in accounting;
(5) electives from a list approved by the faculty director.
Colorado Law-Master of Studies in Law (MSL) in Ethics & Compliance Program Learning Outcomes
Program Context and Mission
The Master of Studies in Law in Ethics & Compliance at Colorado Law prepares students-from recent college graduates beginning their careers to professionals seeking advancement or career transition-to understand and apply the legal, ethical, and organizational foundations of compliance. Graduates emerge prepared to promote integrity, manage legal and ethical risk, and foster trust within the institutions they serve.
Learning Outcome 1: Foundational Legal and Regulatory Literacy
Graduates will demonstrate understanding of the structure, sources, and application of U.S. laws and regulations that shape ethics and compliance practice, including corporate governance, employment law, data privacy, and anti-corruption frameworks.
- Students build from developing basic legal fluency to confidently interpreting and applying core compliance concepts in professional settings.
Learning Outcome 2: Ethical Reasoning and Professional Judgement
Graduates will apply ethical principles and decision-making frameworks to analyze and resolve organizational dilemmas, demonstrating integrity, fairness, and accountability.
- Students progress from recognizing ethical issues to articulating and defending reasoned courses of action that balance competing duties and risks.
Learning Outcome 3: Compliance Program Development and Evaluation
Graduates will design and assess practical compliance programs aligned with organizational goals, industry standards, and regulatory expectations.
- Students new to the field focus on understanding key program elements; experienced professionals deepen their ability to evaluate and improve existing systems.
Learning Outcome 4: Risk Assessment, Investigation, and Reporting
Graduates will apply effective processes for identifying, investigating, and mitigating compliance risks, ensuring transparency and fairness in organizational responses.
- Students gain and develop investigation and reporting skills.
Learning Outcome 5: Communication and Stakeholder Engagement
Graduates will communicate compliance and ethics concepts clearly and persuasively to audiences such as employees, executives, and regulators.
- Students develop professional communication skills-from translating legal concepts for non-lawyers to crafting persuasive messages that build ethical culture.
Learning Outcome 6: Continuous Improvement and Reflective Practice
Graduates will evaluate and improve ethics and compliance efforts through evidence-based reflection, feedback, and adaptation to emerging organizational and regulatory developments.
- Students cultivate a habit of self-assessment and continuous learning, essential for sustained effectiveness in ethics and compliance roles.