Shape Your Future
CSU College of Law’s innovative online Master of Legal Studies in Cybersecurity and Data Privacy takes an integrative approach to education, preparing professionals to understand the technical and business dimensions of cybersecurity and privacy as well as current laws and regulations.
This flexible online MLS program is led by faculty from the Center for Cybersecurity and Privacy Protection at CSU College of Law, and other leading practitioners in the field, with relevant, real-world experience.
This online Master’s degree is designed for professionals who need to understand the significant legal and business risks posed by cybersecurity and data privacy. The program prepares you with the knowledge and necessary skills to enter these fast-growing fields and to advance to senior positions within your organization.
For detailed information, visit https://onlinelaw.csuohio.edu/.
Time to Complete
Can be completed in 20 months (5 semesters) with part-time study. You can start any semester.
Credits
10 courses totaling 30 credit hours
Cost
$1149.40/credit hour
$34,482 total
Secure your future
This online Master’s degree is designed for professionals who need to understand the significant legal and business risks posed by cybersecurity and data privacy. The program prepares you with the knowledge and necessary skills to enter these fast-growing fields and to advance to senior positions within your organization.
The increasing number and sophistication of cyber attacks on organizations of all sizes combined with a complex array of data security and privacy regulations have made cybersecurity and privacy among the most critical areas for every business. This degree program will enable you to:
- Understand the legal, business, and technical aspects of data security and privacy
- Apply the major data security and privacy legal frameworks to organizations across sectors
- Learn to assess compliance with major data security and privacy regulatory requirements
Admissions Requirements
- A completed online application. To apply, visit https://onlinelaw.csuohio.edu/apply-now/
- A current resume or curriculum vitae
- A personal essay describing how you expect to use your MLS degree
- An official transcript(s) showing that you earned a Bachelor’s degree, plus official transcript from any other institution from which you received a degree. A certified translation must be attached if a transcript is not in English*
- Applicants with a final undergraduate GPA under 3.0 must also submit one standardized test score: LSAT, GRE or GMAT are acceptable*
*If English is not your first language, an official TOEFL score report(s) must be sent directly from ETC.
Courses
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LAW 892 | Introduction to American Law | 3 Credits |
| LAW 741 | Cybersecurity I | 3 Credits |
| LAW 504 | Legal Writing, Research and Advocacy | 3 Credits |
| LAW 746 | Cybersecurity II | 3 Credits |
| LAW 700 | Corporate Compliance I | 3 Credits |
| LAW 690 | HIPAA and Privacy | 3 Credits |
| LAW 765 | Privacy Law and Management | 3 Credits |
| LAW 702 | Corporate Compliance II | 3 Credits |
| LAW 735 | Cyber Law | 3 Credits |
| LAW 770 | Cybersecurity Technical Capstone | 3 Credits |
Tuition and Financial Aid
At CSU's College of Law, we’re committed to helping you find the best way to fund your education and advance your career. The online MLS degree program is designed to be a part-time, fully online program, comprised of 30 credits, 6 credits per term, and can be completed in two years. Our Tuition & Financial Aid page is designed to guide you in making the best decision.
MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS
Cleveland State University College of Law offers a limited number of merit scholarships for the Online MLS Program. These scholarships are awarded based on the review of your application and the admissions requirements you submit alongside your application. There is no dedicated application form for the merit scholarship. Students who are awarded merit scholarships are notified about the amount of those scholarships in their offer of admission letter. To be considered for a merit scholarship, students should apply early, before the priority application deadline for the upcoming term.
FINANCIAL AID
Tuition and financial aid for CSU programs are kept competitive so you can receive the education you deserve. Tuition for online programs and courses follows the same fee structure as traditional, on-campus programs and courses. Current CSU Graduate tuition costs can be found on the Bursar’s website.
Approximately 70% of CSU’s students receive some form of financial assistance. The University participates in or administers all the major federal and state grant and loan programs. In addition, CSU provides University grants and scholarships.
To begin the financial aid process, you will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You must file a FAFSA every year after January 1st to receive your financial aid. Cleveland State University’s financial aid school code is 003032.
If you have any questions, visit the Financial Aid section of CSU’s website, or contact the Financial Aid office.
Faculty
Cleveland State University College of Law is home to an outstanding multidisciplinary faculty of committed teacher-scholars and researchers who offer a wealth of expertise in cybersecurity, data privacy and protection, eDiscovery, cybercrime, and cyber risk management.
Career Outcomes
There is a critical shortage of cybersecurity and data privacy professionals, and employer demand in these fields is expected to grow significantly across all sectors over the next decade. The fields of professional services, finance, manufacturing, and defense lead the demand for cybersecurity professionals, with health care and retail among the fastest growing. With the advent of the EU General Data Protection Regulation in 2018 and the rapidly expanding laws and regulations in the U.S. and globally, cybersecurity and data privacy professionals have never been more in demand.
Other relevant fields that can benefit from this program include business executives, information security professionals, IT managers, privacy and compliance professionals, tech entrepreneurs and paralegals.
Career Outcomes
There is a critical shortage of cybersecurity and data privacy professionals, and employer demand in these fields is expected to grow significantly across all sectors over the next decade. The fields of professional services, finance, manufacturing, and defense lead the demand for cybersecurity professionals, with health care and retail among the fastest growing. With the advent of the EU General Data Protection Regulation in 2018 and the rapidly expanding laws and regulations in the U.S. and globally, cybersecurity and data privacy professionals have never been more in demand.
Other relevant fields that can benefit from this program include business executives, information security professionals, IT managers, privacy and compliance professionals, tech entrepreneurs and paralegals.
“This MLS degree has the right balance for me. The program gives me the tools to enhance my legal career to the point where now I can confidently talk about cybersecurity policies and safeguards for my client’s needs. To provide an adequate defense, every attorney needs to learn how to navigate the intricacies of cybersecurity and protect their client’s data. This program takes my knowledge and career to another level."
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an MLS degree?
The Master of Legal Studies degree is designed for working professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge in Cybersecurity and Data Privacy while gaining a comprehensive understanding of how the law intersects with and applies to these fields.
What are the program courses for the MLS in Cybersecurity and Data Privacy?
Descriptions and a complete list of courses are available at https://onlinelaw.csuohio.edu/curriculum/.
Who teaches the classes?
The classes are taught by seasoned faculty from the CSU College of Law’s JD program and experienced cybersecurity and data privacy professionals. Visit our Faculty page to learn more.
What can I expect in terms of workload?
The time required for each course depends on the units or credits awarded for the course. The program has three instructional terms–Fall, Spring and Summer. Courses run for 15 weeks each term. As a part-time program, students are expected to take two courses per term for a total of 30 credits. The workload varies for each course, but on average students should plan to study on average 8-10 hours per week for each course.
- Most modules in each course are taught “asynchronously,” meaning that work and study can be done at your convenience, but within set timeframes to proceed through the course materials. These consist of the following:
- Readings
- Pre-recorded lectures
- Discussion threads
- Quizzes
- Written assessments
- Most courses have one or more “synchronous” components that consist of live “virtual” classes or group work (with the possibility for slight variance in each class). While students are strongly encouraged to participate during these live classes to gain the full benefit, they also will be recorded and archived for your flexibility and referral.
How many courses must I complete in order to earn the MLS in Cybersecurity and Data Privacy?
Students must complete 30 credits to earn the MLS.
Will transfer credits be accepted?
After you are enrolled in the Program and successfully complete 12 credit hours with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, you may seek approval to transfer up to 9 graduate credits from relevant courses at another institution. For more information contact the Transfer Center.
What is required as part of the application?
Candidates fill out an online application form. As part of the application process you provide:
- A completed online application.
- A current resume or curriculum vitae.
- A personal essay describing how you expect to use your MLS degree.
- An official transcript showing that you earned a Bachelor’s degree, plus official transcripts from any other institution from which you received a degree. A certified translation must be attached if a transcript is not in English.
- If English is not your first language, an official TOEFL score report must be sent directly from ETC.
At the discretion of the admissions committee, applicants with a final undergraduate grade point average under 3.0 may be asked to submit one standardized test score, such as the LSAT, GRE or GMAT.
How are admissions decisions communicated to applicants?
We will email you the admissions decision and as well as reminders to submit any missing materials.
If I am accepted, how much time will I have to decide whether to enroll or not?
We request that you let us know whether you plan to enroll no later than two weeks prior to the start of the term in which you plan to start. This is necessary to ensure that you have plenty of time to finalize the process.
Are MLS students eligible for financial aid?
Yes. An MLS student is eligible for student loans in any semester in which they are taking at least 6 credits of coursework. To learn more, please visit: https://www.law.csuohio.edu/applytoday/currentstudents/financialaid
Is it possible for my employer to cover all or part of the MLS tuition?
You should check with their individual employers. Of the companies that do assist with tuition payments, some have a limit on the amount of tuition that can be covered in any given year. We encourage you to reach out to your Human Resources department to see if this benefit is available to you.
How are the online courses organized? Are they self-paced?
The Cybersecurity and Data Privacy online MLS program is designed to fit the needs of working professionals while also facilitating regular and substantial interaction with the professor and other students. The courses in this specialized MLS program are all single-semester with weekly modules. Each of our expert instructors develops the content for each course, and so there is some variation. In most courses, however, students should expect the following:
- Weekly “modules” covering new topics and material through mix of formats, including:
- Reading assignments
- Lectures
- Discussion questions
- Exercises
- Quizzes
- Other interactive activities
- Modules are designed around specific, related topics. Most courses will release new modules each Monday and students usually have one week to complete the assigned material at their own pace.
- Most of the modules in each online course are asynchronous. This means that you do not need to be online at the same time and have the flexibility to do the work when it’s convenient for you, as long as you complete the activities by the assigned deadline.
- Some assignments, such as weekly discussions, may have mid-week deadlines.
- Some papers or projects may be assigned over several weeks or the course of a semester.
- To facilitate planning, instructors in most cases provide assignment deadlines in the syllabus that you will receive at the beginning of each course.
- The courses in this program provide regular and substantial interaction between faculty and students. For this reason, students will generally work on one weekly module at a time so that they are working at the same pace as their classmates.
- Most of the courses also include several synchronous, or “live” classes. We strongly encourage you to participate online at the same time as the professor and your colleagues using the live conferencing technology integrated into the course. Any mandatory synchronous sessions will be announced at the start of each course to allow for proper planning. Our expert faculty also engage with you through periodic “live” office hours, and may sometimes schedule guest speakers or special events where students can interact live with experts in the field. These sessions also will be recorded in case you are unable to participate.
What are the technical requirements for the online program?
Students need to have regular and reliable access to a computer and high-speed internet.
*Note that mobile and tablet devices will not provide full access; students will need a laptop or desktop computer with video conferencing capabilities, including a webcam.
Is there a residential component?
Students in the Program are invited to attend the annual Cybersecurity & Privacy Protection Conference held in the Spring semester as guests of the Center. A truly cross-sector event, Cleveland State University College of Law’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Protection Conference is one of the leading educational and networking events in the Great Lakes Region, and features rich content of interest to legal and compliance professionals, information technology and security experts, and executives responsible for developing security and privacy policies.
I live in a state outside of Ohio, can I apply?
The online program is currently available to prospective students from every U.S. state* and international students. Under SARA (State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement) we are not approved to accept students from the State of California at this time. To learn more about SARA, visit: https://nc-sara.org
*with the exception of California
As an online student, can I participate in on-campus events?
Yes. You are a part of our community and as such we invite you to participate in any way that is meaningful for you. We are happy to provide a campus tour, to introduce you to faculty, to connect with professionals in your area of concentration, and to participate in academic and social events. If you are planning a visit, we encourage you to contact your admissions advisor in advance so that we can help make your stay meaningful and rewarding.
Does the MLS program help me get into a JD program?
No. The MLS is not intended to prepare students for the JD degree. It is designed for professionals who need to understand the significant legal and business risks posed by data security and privacy issues, but do not need a JD.
Will my MLS courses count towards a JD degree if I subsequently attend law school?
No. American Bar Association regulations do not permit any academic credits earned prior to beginning a JD program to be credited toward the JD degree.
Does the MLS prepare me to become a lawyer?
No. If you want to become a lawyer, the MLS Program is not for you. You should apply to our JD Program instead. The MLS prepares you with the knowledge and skills necessary to enter the fast-growing data security and privacy fields and to advance to senior positions within your organization. It will not permit you to take the bar examination and so it is not intended for people who want to practice law. If that is your interest, you should apply to our JD Program.