Master of Legal Studies (M.L.S.) Program Curriculum

Legal Research, Writing, and Analysis Skills (3 credits)

This course teaches students how to conduct thorough legal research and writing using a variety of legal research tools and how to conduct basic legal analysis through a series of written exercises and assignments.

Corporate Compliance & Enterprise Risk Management (3 credits)

This course serves as an introduction to the growing area of compliance and focuses on the broad role of a compliance professional.

Topics include:

• Corporate oversight
• The role of regulators and prosecutors
• The general flow of a compliance professional’s work
• The growing trends of metrics and integrated GRC, as well as the compliance landscape/compliance roles.

This course also examines risk management issues that impact various corporate and government entities, providing students the opportunity to explore risk analysis and compliance in a variety of legal environments.

Master's Capstone (3 credits)

Students select a Writing Capstone or a Project Capstone performed under the guidance of a program faculty member.

Ethical Foundations of Risk and Compliance

This course explores the role of ethics and leadership values in corporate governance and decision-making. Students will examine the role of the compliance officer in setting the tone and culture of an organization.

Healthcare Information Privacy: HIPAA and Beyond

The course covers a company’s contractual and legal obligations in the health-related privacy arena with specific comparisons between the obligations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ("HIPAA"), the foundation for federal protections of health care information, and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act ("HITECH Act"), and other privacy and security-related laws.

Healthcare Fraud and Abuse

This course examines the nature and methods of healthcare fraud and how to identify and reduce the opportunities for abuse. Students learn about investigatory proceedings and the role of compliance officers in civil and criminal fraud violations.

Advanced Communication Skills for Compliance Professionals

Advanced Communication Skills for Compliance Professionals - This skills course provides students with the opportunity to communicate complex policies and procedures in a variety of modalities to different audiences, including c-suite executives, boards of directors, lawyers, and regulators.

Ethical Foundations of Risk and Compliance

This course explores the role of ethics and leadership values in corporate governance and decision-making. Students will examine the role of the compliance officer in setting the tone and culture of an organization.

Information Privacy Law

This course introduces students to the development of information privacy law in the United States with a focus on legal regulations limiting government access to private information, as well as laws regulating the ability of third parties to access such information.

Cybersecurity and Managing Cyber Breaches

This course introduces the legal, regulatory, and ethical framework governing U.S. cybersecurity and provides the practical solutions to the creation of a defensible cybersecurity program. It also covers the legal requirements of a data breach response.

Healthcare Risk Management

This course examines the topics of healthcare quality, patient safety and risk management in health care facilities, physician practices, nursing homes, and
managed care plans. This course also explores internal and external legal risks in healthcare settings.

Legal Regulation of Medical Billing and Coding

This course focuses on laws and regulations governing medical billing and coding in the healthcare industry and will explore legal, ethical, and regulatory concepts including HIPAA compliance, official coding guidelines and third-party payer requirements.

AI in Healthcare and Medical Technology

This course explores legal, ethical, and regulatory issues surrounding the application of AI and machine learning in medicine and healthcare settings.

Introduction to Food and Drug Law

This course explores the federal regulation of products subject to FDA jurisdiction, including food, human prescription and nonprescription drugs, animal feed and drugs, biologics and blood products, medical devices, and cosmetics. It also examines the public policy choices underlying the substantive law, FDA enforcement power, and agency practice and procedure.

Regulation of Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Research and Development

This course explores the regulatory entities and schemes governing the research and development of products in the pharmaceutical, medical device and life sciences sectors. The course focuses on the role key regulators play in research and development, the pre-clinical and clinical research process and their compliance with FDA regulations governing all aspects of research during product development and market approval.

Regulation of Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Sales and Marketing

This course explores the laws and regulations governing pharmaceutical and medical device sales and marketing practices, including the history and evolution of food and drug laws, research and development, the drug and device approval process, product pricing, advertising, labeling, promotion, and distribution.

Managing Information Privacy in the Workplace

This course explores privacy in the modern workplace and includes a survey of U.S. law and regulation that apply to workplace privacy. Students examine the competing legal and ethical interests of employers and employees when it comes to the gathering and use of employee personal information.

Hot Topics in Healthcare Regulation

This course covers a specialized “hot topic” in Healthcare Law and Regulation, the content will change based on the topic covered.

Information Privacy Law

This course introduces students to the development of information privacy law in the United States with a focus on legal regulations limiting government access to private information, as well as laws regulating the ability of third parties to access such information.

Global Data Privacy and Protection

This course provides an overview of Data Privacy and Protection within the European Union. Topics include an introduction to the EU Data Protection Directive and the new General Data Protection Regulation (2018), the Data Protection Authorities and cybersecurity in Europe.

Students also explore the so-called “Right to Be Forgotten,” and how EU Law affects US companies doing business in Europe or with European entities.

AI, Machine Learning and the Law

This course examines broad ranging legal, regulatory, and policy challenges arising from emergent technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Global Corruption: AML and Beyond

This course covers a broad scope of global financial crimes and their intersection with the U.S. financial system.

Students will learn about various types of financial crimes, laws and regulations, which regulators enforce them, the consequences for individuals and financial institutions who enable such crimes, and how current events, politics, and technological advances intersect with these criminal enterprises.

Cybersecurity and Managing Cyber Breaches

This course introduces the legal, regulatory, and ethical framework governing U.S. cybersecurity and provides the practical solutions to the creation of a defensible cybersecurity program. It also covers the legal requirements of a data breach response.

Advanced Communication Skills for Compliance Professionals

This skills course provides students with the opportunity to communicate complex policies and procedures in a variety of modalities to different audiences, including c-suite executives, boards of directors, lawyers, and regulators.

Ethical Foundations of Risk and Compliance

This course explores the role of ethics and leadership values in corporate governance and decision-making. Students will examine the role of the compliance officer in setting the tone and culture of an organization.

Cryptocurrency and Digital Commerce Regulation

This course delves into regulations surrounding all aspects of the financial technology industry including digitization of currency, remote banking, and online financial services.

Managing Information Privacy in the Workplace

This course explores privacy in the modern workplace and includes a survey of U.S. law and regulation that apply to workplace privacy. Students examine the competing legal and ethical interests of employers and employees when it comes to the gathering and use of employee personal information.

Hot Topics in Privacy/Cyber/AI

This course covers a specialized “hot topic” in Privacy, Cyber, or AI, the content will change based on the topic covered.

Advanced Communication Skills for Compliance Professionals

This skills course provides students with the opportunity to communicate complex policies and procedures in a variety of modalities to different audiences, including c-suite executives, boards of directors, lawyers, and regulators.

Ethical Foundations of Risk and Compliance

This course explores the role of ethics and leadership values in corporate governance and decision-making. Students will examine the role of the compliance officer in setting the tone and culture of an organization.

Legal Issues in the Employer-Employee Relationship

This course explores the myriad legal, regulatory and management issues that arise during the full life-cycle of an employment relationship, from interviewing and hiring through termination and post-employment obligations, with a particular focus on federal law.

Negotiation, Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution in Employment

This course introduces you to the fundamentals of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as it occurs in the context of human resources compliance and focuses on three broad types of ADR: Negotiation, Mediation, and Arbitration.

Employee Benefits and Compensation Compliance

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of human resource compliance in the areas of compensation and benefit plan administration. The course explores the strategic importance of compensation schemes to achieve organizational goals and introduce students to skills needed to design and manage compensation and benefits systems.

Managing Information Privacy in the Workplace

This course explores privacy in the modern workplace and includes a survey of U.S. law and regulation that apply to workplace privacy. Students examine the competing legal and ethical interests of employers and employees when it comes to the gathering and use of employee personal information.

Hot Topics in Talent Acquisition Regulation

This course will cover a specialized “hot topic” in employment law and human resources risk management, and the content will change based on the topic covered.

The Law of Title Insurance

This course covers the law surrounding title insurance and protection of real property ownership rights. Students explore issues and disputes related to ownership claims, defects, liens and encumbrances, boundary disputes and closing torts.

Advanced Communication Skills for Compliance Professionals

This skills course provides students with the opportunity to communicate complex policies and procedures in a variety of modalities to different audiences, including c-suite executives, boards of directors, lawyers, and regulators.

Ethical Foundations of Risk and Compliance

This course explores the role of ethics and leadership values in corporate governance and decision-making. Students will examine the role of the compliance officer in setting the tone and culture of an organization.

Information Privacy Law

This course introduces students to the development of information privacy law in the United States with a focus on legal regulations limiting government access to private information, as well as laws regulating the ability of third parties to access such information.

Cybersecurity and Managing Cyber Breaches

This course introduces the legal, regulatory, and ethical framework governing U.S. cybersecurity and provides the practical solutions to the creation of a defensible cybersecurity program. It also covers the legal requirements of a data breach response.

Managing Information Privacy in the Workplace

This course explores privacy in the modern workplace and includes a survey of U.S. law and regulation that apply to workplace privacy. Students examine the competing legal and ethical interests of employers and employees when it comes to the gathering and use of employee personal information.

Land Use Planning and Zoning Regulation

This course examines private and public regulation of land use and development. Students explore how land use is controlled by the law, how these laws are applied and enforced, and the roles of policy and regulatory authorities involved in the process.

Real Estate and Construction Contract Administration

In this course students learn the various types of real estate and construction contracts, express and implied warranties, the role of the schedule and claims related to scheduling and stop notices.

Students learn about real property contracts, relationships and responsibilities among owners, architects, engineers, general contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers on projects.

Real Estate Investment and Finance Law

This course covers laws governing real estate investment and financing including the legal responsibilities of those involved in the transactions from acquisition to disposition.

Green/Sustainable Development Compliance

In this course students explore the legal, policy, and ethical aspects of environmental protection and use of natural resources in real property development.

Housing Law and Regulation

This course provides an overview of issues to consider in housing law and affordable housing development. Housing issues are examined from a variety of perspective, including landlords, tenants, regulators, and advocacy groups.

Hot Topics in Real Estate

This course will cover a specialized “hot topic” in real estate and construction law and regulation, and the content will change based on the topic covered.

Cryptocurrency and Digital Commerce Regulation

This course delves into regulations surrounding all aspects of the financial technology industry including digitization of currency, remote banking, and online financial services.

Advanced Communication Skills for Compliance Professionals

This skills course provides students with the opportunity to communicate complex policies and procedures in a variety of modalities to different audiences, including c-suite executives, boards of directors, lawyers, and regulators.

Ethical Foundations of Risk and Compliance

This course explores the role of ethics and leadership values in corporate governance and decision-making. Students will examine the role of the compliance officer in setting the tone and culture of an organization.

Information Privacy Law

This course introduces students to the development of information privacy law in the United States with a focus on legal regulations limiting government access to private information, as well as laws regulating the ability of third parties to access such information.

Cybersecurity and Managing Cyber Breaches

This course introduces the legal, regulatory, and ethical framework governing U.S. cybersecurity and provides the practical solutions to the creation of a defensible cybersecurity program. It also covers the legal requirements of a data breach response.

Global Data Privacy and Protection

This course provides an overview of Data Privacy and Protection within the European Union. Topics include an introduction to the EU Data Protection Directive and the new General Data Protection Regulation (2018), the Data Protection Authorities and cybersecurity in Europe.

Students also explore the so-called “Right to Be Forgotten,” and how EU Law affects US companies doing business in Europe or with European entities.

AI, Machine Learning and the Law

This course examines broad ranging legal, regulatory, and policy challenges arising from emergent technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Global Corruption: AML and Beyond

This course covers a broad scope of global financial crimes and their intersection with the U.S. financial system. Students will learn about various types of financial crimes, laws and regulations, which regulators enforce them, the consequences for individuals and financial institutions who enable such crimes,
and how current events, politics, and technological advances intersect with these criminal enterprises.

Managing Information Privacy in the Workplace

This course explores privacy in the modern workplace and includes a survey of U.S. law and regulation that apply to workplace privacy. Students examine the competing legal and ethical interests of employers and employees when it comes to the gathering and use of employee personal information.

Investment Company Regulation and Compliance

This is a survey level course covering the regulation of investment companies, highlighting important regulatory and legal considerations for those in the securities and financial services industry. This course primarily covers the requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940, along with a brief survey of the greater regulatory landscape affecting the securities industry and coverage of recent areas of industry concern.

Investment Advisor Regulation

This course introduces students to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and how it laid the foundation for present day regulation. It explores the various
legal and regulatory schemes that govern investment companies and look at the key policies that drive them.

Broker/Dealer Regulation and Compliance

This course examines ways in which broker-dealers register with the SEC and FINRA, conduct their operations, and execute their supervisory responsibilities. Special attention will be paid to legal issues that arise in an increasingly complex regulatory environment and the role of compliance and legal functions within a broker-dealer.

Consumer Financial Protection Law

This course is a primer on U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Laws, including their implementing regulations and agency guidance as appropriate.

Students will learn about how these laws apply to different areas of the U.S. financial, legal, and other systems; how they protect consumers; what financial institutions must do to comply; who enforces these laws and regulations; and what the consequences are for failing to comply.

Navigating the Invest Local Act and Raising Capital in Florida

This course covers securities law in Florida and specifically explores changes brought about by the Invest Local Act, which improves the capacity of Florida based companies in Florida to raise money in Florida.

Hot Topics in Financial Regulatory Compliance

This course covers a specialized “hot topic” in financial service regulations. The content will change based on the topic covered.