The law touches everyone, especially businesses. A primary example is effective contracts, which are foundational for most organizations. If you’re seeking a better understanding of business and government contracts, the master’s in legal studies with an emphasis in contract management may be a great fit for you. This program is an excellent option for legal studies students exploring emphases in business, compliance or HR.
Taught by experienced faculty and professionals, the contract management degree emphasis provides you with a background in legal principles and analysis. This background lays the foundation for effectively drafting, reviewing and analyzing contracts. Throughout the degree program, you'll also learn contract lifecycle and management techniques.
What is contract management?
Contract management is the administration of legally binding mutual agreements that are enforceable by law. This area of legal studies helps ensure agreements between two or more parties are legal and clear. A mastery of contract law allows professionals to effectively create, revise and enforce agreements. These relationships are common with customers, vendors, partners and employers.
Master contract law basics
A legal studies degree can help you understand the relationship between the law and a wide variety of fields. As such, you’ll gain legal knowledge and a variety of skills that can help you advance in your current career or prepare you to pursue a new career option:
- Apply legal analysis to move ideas and projects forward.
- Evaluate legal issues, including pros and cons, objectively.
- Perform legal research.
- Remove biases from influencing thought.
In addition to the skills listed above, the contract management emphasis can help you hone specific areas that prepare you to read and revise business and government contracts. These skills will equip you with the ability to:
- Define duties and obligations in contracts.
- Determine consequences for contract breaches.
- Draft contract provisions.
- Effectively read contracts.
- Recognize the implications of contract breaches.
- Successfully enter and legally exit contracts.
- Understand goals focused on contract management.
What is a degree emphasis? Is it the same as a concentration?
A degree program’s emphasis is similar to a concentration, but there are key differences.
- A concentration is a formalized selection of courses within a major. A concentration requires a minimum of 15 credit hours of which at least nine credit hours must be upper division. Your concentration appears on both your ASU diploma and your transcripts.
- An emphasis is a selected topic area defined within the major. It’s typically 9–12 credit hours and doesn’t need to be officially declared. The emphasis will not appear on your diploma or transcripts.
Gain the knowledge you need to navigate contract drafting and review with the Master of Legal Studies with an emphasis in contract management degree at Arizona State University. The contract management emphasis can enhance your career opportunities with a comprehensive understanding of business and government contracts.
Coursework in the program includes topics, such as understanding contract language, commenting on contract drafts and choosing contract terms. Built for customization, a majority of your courses will be electives or related to your emphasis area. Courses may include:
The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law faculty has more than 300 combined years of experience. Hailing from across the country, they’re nationally recognized for their wealth of knowledge. Our world-class faculty provides comprehensive legal education in popular focus areas and addresses legal challenges on a global scale.
The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at ASU is one of the top schools in the nation, providing personalized and practical legal education. Offering more than 250 unique courses, students can tailor their educational experiences to meet their unique interests. Our bar passage achievements and peer-reviewed U.S. News & World Report rankings highlight our dedication to preparing students for success.
in Arizona for bar passage
specialty law programs ranked amongst the top 35 in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report
best public law schools, according to U.S. News & World Report
best law schools, according to U.S. News & World Report
Applicants to the Master of Legal Studies program must fulfill the requirements of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law.
U.S.-educated applicants can apply through our FastApp process, which streamlines the application process and may allow for an offer of conditional admission to the MLS program while the applicant continues to submit any additional requested documentation. Find more information about the FastApp process here.
Possible outcomes from FastApp submission may include:
- Conditional admission.
- A request for supplementary documents.
- A request to complete the full MLS application with accompanying documents.
- Denial.
For the FastApp application to be considered complete, it must include:
- The complete MLS FastApp application form and the following uploaded documents:
- An unofficial transcript from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended.
- Resume that does not exceed three typed pages.
If a decision cannot be made from a FastApp, our admissions team may request additional information from an applicant, including any or all of the following:
- Writing sample.
- Explanations to affirmative answers to any conduct questions.
- Two letters of recommendation.
- Transcripts from all institutions attended, including the transcript showing a bachelor's degree was conferred.
A minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA in the last 60 hours of an applicant’s bachelor's program is preferred. Prospective students may earn admission with a cumulative GPA below 3.00 if the other assets included in the application package are strong, such as but not limited to:
- A personal statement that addresses a low GPA or inconsistent academic performance.
- Improved academic performance in subsequent degrees.
- Significant work history since completing a bachelor’s degree.
All applicants must submit:
- Graduate admission application.
- Official* transcripts.
- CV or resume.
*Transcripts can be unofficial through the FastApp process. Official transcripts reflecting degree conferral(s) will be required if an applicant is admitted.
If English isn’t your native language and you haven’t completed a bachelor’s degree or higher at a regionally accredited institution in the U.S., you must provide evidence of English proficiency.
No, Arizona State University’s diplomas don’t specify whether you earn your degree online or in person. All diplomas and transcripts simply say “Arizona State University.” That’s because ASU Online students learn from the same faculty and receive the same course content as in-person students receive.
Please note your diploma will state the degree you earn: Master of Legal Studies. Your emphasis in contract management will not appear on your diploma or transcripts.