Master of Studies in Law (M.S.L.) in Ethics & Compliance
The online Master of Studies in Law (30 credits) is for those who hold an undergraduate degree and seek a graduate degree specifically tailored to a career in ethics and compliance.
A Comprehensive Ethics and Compliance Education.
Students in our program gain a deep and broad understanding of compliance programming, risk management, international anti-corruption, cybersecurity and more. They also gain practical skills in how to conduct investigations, build ethical cultures and manage complex projects.
Learn from Experts in Business and Law.
Faculty members include professionals working in ethics and compliance, as well as professors from St. Thomas' School of Law and Opus College of Business. Our program's advisory board of compliance leaders from 3M, Target, U.S. Bank, Ecolab and Medtronic, just to name a few, keep us tuned in to current industry issues and trends.
Our Accreditation Sets Us Apart.
Our program is the only ethics and compliance graduate degree program in the nation which has earned an AACSB accreditation. AACSB-accredited schools are the best business schools in the world and have passed rigorous standards for quality.
We're a Dedicated Ethics Leader.
A significant part of our program focuses on ethics and culture, equipping our students to make a positive impact on corporate behavior and understand how compliance work fits within the broader vision of corporate responsibility.
The online Master of Studies in Law (30 credits) is for those who hold an undergraduate degree and seek a graduate degree specifically tailored to a career in ethics and compliance.
St. Thomas Law offers online courses for those who want to be a Certified Securities Compliance Professional (CSCP) or a Certified Investment Company Compliance Professional (CICCP).
Among our 2021 M.S.L. graduates, 79% say they got a new job, promotion or salary increase as a result of earning their ethics and compliance degree at St. Thomas Law.
St. Thomas offers a J.D. with a compliance concentration for students who want to go further in depth in the subject and have the skill area noted on their transcript.
Virtual Information Session
Join us for a virtual info session! During the online meeting we will share details about the online master's degree program, including classes and curriculum, the application and more. You will also receive answers to your questions.
Dates and times coming soon!
You can request a one-on-one meeting at any time. Simply email suzan.mcginnis@stthomas.edu, call (651) 962-4864 or schedule an appointment online.
Ethics and compliance professionals are stewards of corporate behavior. They foster an organization's moral culture, while safeguarding its assets from internal and external harm. They work in many areas of business, the government and in companies large and small.
Our faculty includes professionals currently working in the ethics and compliance field, as well as professors from the School of Law and Opus College of Business.
Professor Michaelson is the Opus Distinguished Professor of Principled Leadership. His research focuses on business ethics, humanities and business and meaningful work.
Professor Hamilton is a founding director of the St. Thomas Holloran Center for Ethical Leadership in the Professions. His scholarship focuses on the formation of both students and practicing professionals into ethical leaders.
Professor Slack is a consultant in human resource and organization development. She specializes in the project, leadership and management development, quality improvement and interpersonal skills. Slack has more than 20 years of corporate experience in training, course development and project management.
Professor Young holds the 3M endowed chair in international business and leads the Global Business Engagement Initiative, which allows him to provide college-wide leadership in international programming, curriculum development and international partnerships.
Professor Statler is a member of the law school's adjunct faculty. She brings to the classroom her years of experience as an attorney and current position as program manager of risk assessment and policy management at Cargill. Statler teaches international anti-corruption law.
Adjunct faculty member Stacy Tietjen is the director of compliance and integrity at CHS Inc. where she is responsible for the development of training and communications, policy governance, risk assessment, helpline management, investigations and ensuring program effectiveness.
When you earn a degree from St. Thomas Law, you become part of our community of nearly 3,000 alumni. You also join the network of more than 120,000 St. Thomas graduates working around the world in fields from business to engineering to the sciences.
"The M.S.L. program helped me strengthen my compliance audits because I am better aligned with our compliance, risk and legal teams. And I think more expansively about audit requirements and recommendations. That is, not only do I consider what my company can or cannot do, but also what my company should or should not do."
"What I loved about St. Thomas is that I could choose the courses that would challenge me. And I could do that with courses in both the law school and the business school."
"I really enjoyed the risk classes. Much of the work I do is to mitigate risk, so these classes helped me better understand risk from all levels and all geographies."