Program Overview

Legal Studies (M.A.)

The program emphasizes analytical and conceptual thinking, legal research and writing, legal theories, substantive areas of law, and paralegal training.

Program Overview

Texas State's master of arts (M.A.) in legal studies was the first degree of its kind in Texas and one of only a few in the United States, providing students interested in law at the graduate level with an understanding of the American legal system, theories, analysis, research, and writing.

Course Work

The non-thesis, 36-credit-hour program consists of 27 hours of required core courses and nine hours of electives. The core curriculum, which includes a cumulative research project and internship, provides training in essential paralegal skills, such as legal research, legal writing, rules of procedure, case management, law office technology, and legal ethics. Elective course work covers substantive areas of the law. Students may choose three different areas of law for further study from elective course offerings covering as many as ten different areas of the law, including family law, criminal law, intellectual property, real estate, contract law, and many others. Through choice of electives, students may also earn a mediation certificate issued by the department.

Program Details

• Degree: M.A.
• Hours: 36
• Location: San Marcos

Program Mission

The legal studies program's mission is to provide students with the opportunity to study law at the graduate level and receive practical paralegal training in state-of-the-art facilities. The program accomplishes its mission through the work of a talented faculty and staff who are dedicated to the success of each student.

Career Options

Graduates can pursue career opportunities in law, government, or business, enhance career mobility in law-related fields, and establish groundwork for further graduate work in law or related fields. The majority of program graduates work as paralegals in law firms. Others work as paralegals or in other law-related capacities in government and corporate offices or continue graduate study in law school or in a Ph.D. program.

Program Faculty

All of the program's faculty, including both full-time and part-time members, have substantial experience practicing law and working with paralegals. Faculty members have published books such as The Texas Paralegal, Texas Real Estate Contracts, and The Paralegal Handbook, as well as numerous law review and journal articles in the areas of environmental law, intellectual property, real estate, contract law, and alternative dispute resolution.

Application Process

Review Requirements

The items required for admission consideration are listed below.

• Application
  • Completed online application
• Application Fee
  • $75 nonrefundable application fees ($55 master's application fee + $20 TXST certificate fee), OR
  • $110 nonrefundable application fees ($90 master's application fee + $20 TXST certificate fee) for applications with international credentials
• Transcripts & GPA
  • Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited university. (Non-U.S. degrees must be equivalent to a four-year U.S. Bachelor's degree. In most cases, three-year degrees are not considered.)
  • A copy of an official transcript from each institution where course credit was granted.
  • A 3.0 overall GPA or a 3.0 GPA in your last 60 hours of undergraduate course work (plus any completed graduate courses).
• Test Scores
  • GRE not required
  • Approved English Proficiency Exam Scores
    • Official TOEFL iBT scores required with a 78 overall
    • Official PTE scores required with a 52 overall
    • Official IELTS (academic) scores required with a 6.5 overall and minimum individual module scores of 6.0
    • Official Duolingo Scores required with a 110 overall
    • Official TOEFL Essentials scores required with an 8.5 overall
• Documents
  • Interview with the legal studies graduate advisor
• Conditional Admission
  • If your overall GPA or your last-60-hours GPA falls between 2.5 and 3.0, you must also submit the following items in order to be considered for conditional admission:
    • Personal statement explaining any special circumstances which would otherwise qualify you for admission to the program
    • Two letters of recommendation from persons who could comment upon your ability to perform in the requested area of study

Application Deadlines

• DEADLINES | U.S. CITIZEN | INTERNATIONAL
• DEADLINES Fall - Priority | U.S. CITIZEN February 1 | INTERNATIONAL February 1
• DEADLINES Fall - Standard | U.S. CITIZEN August 1 | INTERNATIONAL June 1
• DEADLINES Spring - Priority | U.S. CITIZEN September 1 | INTERNATIONAL September 1
• DEADLINES Spring - Standard | U.S. CITIZEN November 1 | INTERNATIONAL October 1
• DEADLINES Summer I - Priority | U.S. CITIZEN January 1 | INTERNATIONAL January 1
• DEADLINES Summer I - Standard | U.S. CITIZEN May 1 | INTERNATIONAL March 15

Priority Deadline

Ensures full consideration for admission and eligibility for certain funding opportunities, including scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships, and guarantees that your application will be considered in the initial review.

Standard Deadline

Represents the last day a complete application can be submitted, but does not guarantee admission consideration. After the priority deadline, applications are reviewed on a rolling, space-available basis until the program is full, at which point, applications will close.