Master of Legal Studies in Law & Economics
Freedom Center Associate Director & Assistant Professor Saura Masconale, in partnership with the UArizona James E. Rogers College of Law, created the Master of Legal Studies in Law & Economics (MLS, L&E) program. This online program offers students comprehensive knowledge in law, regulation, economic theory, and empirical methods, providing them with the essential foundational skills needed for a successful career in the public policy sector. It is the first of its kind in the country to offer a dedicated track for legislators.
Who it’s for:
- Undergraduate students who want to pursue a postgraduate degree
- High school government, economics, and social studies teachers
- Elected officials and public sector professionals
- Private sector professionals who engage with the government, legislative, or regulatory process
Concentration courses:
- Law & Economics
- Political Economy, Law, and Experimentation
- Law, Economics, and Civil Society,
- Ethics and Economics of Environmental Policy
- The Ethical Entrepreneur.
Scholarships for this program are available for qualified applicants.
Graduate and Undergraduate Instruction
Freedom Center faculty, affiliated faculty, and postdoctoral research associates teach in the UArizona James E. Rogers College of Law and Philosophy Department, as well as courses in Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law (PPEL) in the Department of Political Economy & Moral Science. They reflect the Center’s multiple disciplinary perspectives, commitment to training critical thinkers, and fostering constructive debate.
Courses include:
- Law & Legal Theory
- Political Economy Through Experiments
- Symbolic Logic
- Seminar in Social & Political Philosophy
European Master in Law & Economics (EMLE) Partnership
EMLE started in 1990 at the Universities of Ghent, Paris IX, Oxford and Rotterdam. From the very beginning, the program received recognition and financial support from the ERASMUS Bureau of the European Community. Awards were (and continue to be) granted every year for student mobility and an international curriculum was developed under which students take the program’s three terms (over one academic year) at one or two among seven teaching centers within the EU (Aix-Marseille, Barcelona, Ghent, Hamburg, Rome, Rotterdam, and Warsaw) and two worldwide centers (Haifa and Mumbai). At the end of the EMLE program, students get a title from each of the university of the EMLE consortium in reason of multi-party agreements between these universities.
Specifically, EMLE students can choose one of 3 tracks:
- Economic Analysis of Public & International Law
- Economic Analysis of Markets, Corporations & Regulators
- Innovation and Intellectual Property
In the first term the courses are the same across all tracks and universities, while specialization starts in the second term with two tailored courses per track and three courses that are the same across the different tracks and university partners. The third term finalizes the chosen specialization with two courses that are unique to the chosen track and university, and the final thesis (or internship) written under the supervision of a professor from the third-term University.
The University of Arizona is the newest addition to the EMLE consortium and is the only school in the US to participate. EMLE students will begin taking UA classes in Spring 2025.
Legislative Fellowship Program
Provides graduate level students with real-world public policy research experience by assisting a legislator track legislation, summarize bills, assist with constituent services, and complete special projects.
Ph.D. Student Support
The Freedom Center supports exceptional Ph.D. students in the UArizona Philosophy Department. They serve as editorial assistants for academic journals and research assistants for our faculty.