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Director:  Leslie Oster

Program Overview

The BS-MSL and the BA-MSL are dual degree programs that include an undergraduate BS or BA degree from either the McCormick School of Engineering or the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences plus a Master of Science in Law degree (MSL) from the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. Undergraduate students can be admitted to the program as early as their junior year, allowing them to immediately begin participating in various Law School activities. Admitted students have the option of enrolling in certain MSL courses during their senior year. 

Classes, Credits and Transcripts

Students admitted to the program who wish to begin MSL study while still undergraduates will meet with advisors from both schools. With advisors’ approval, admitted students can take up to 4 MSL courses during their senior year. These MSL classes can be taken during two MSL terms; the second half of fall semester (Fall 2 term) and the first half of spring semester (Spring 1 term).

For Weinberg Students:
Credits earned in MSL courses while the student is an undergraduate will be counted toward the MSL degree and not toward the undergraduate degree. When Weinberg graduates matriculate in the MSL program, they will complete only the number of credits remaining after the credits they completed as undergraduate students are subtracted from the required total of 28 credits. 

For McCormick Students: 
Credits earned in MSL courses while the student is an undergraduate will be counted either toward the undergraduate degree or the MSL degree; the decision about where to apply the credits will be made by the student with advisor approval. If the credits are applied toward the bachelor’s degree, then, once enrolled in the MSL, the student will take the full number of credits required to complete the MSL degree. If the credits are applied toward the MSL degree, then, once enrolled in the MSL, the student will be required to complete only the number of credits remaining after the credits completed as an undergraduate are subtracted from the required total of 28 credits. If any of the MSL courses completed while the student is an undergraduate are required courses, the student will not have to repeat those courses as an MSL student, regardless of whether the credits for those courses are counted toward the bachelor’s degree or towards the MSL degree. 

For both Weinberg and McCormick Students: 
MSL courses taken while the student is an undergraduate will appear on the undergraduate transcript. Notations will be made on the law transcript if the student is counting MSL credits taken while an undergraduate toward the MSL degree and also if the student has satisfied particular MSL requirements prior to enrollment in the MSL Program. Since bachelor’s and law degrees are reflected on separate transcripts, students will have to request both documents to demonstrate completion of the respective coursework and degrees.