OU Law Announces MLS in Oil, Gas and Energy Law

Media Contact:
Mackenzie A. Dilbeck
(405) 325-2227
mdilbeck@ou.edu

NORMAN — The University of Oklahoma College of Law is pleased to announce the launch of a Master of Legal Studies (MLS) degree in Oil, Gas and Energy Law. The program, which is designed for non-lawyers, will enroll its first students in fall 2016.

“Oil and gas, natural resources and energy law is one of the strategic academic areas in which our college is a national and international leader,” said OU College of Law Dean Joseph Harroz Jr. “There is a large demand for advanced degrees in this area, and OU Law is perfectly positioned to meet that need. This program, when added to our Juris Doctor, J.D. certificate and Master of Laws programs will further expand our leadership in energy law and extend our expertise to a new group of students. They will be equipped with the legal knowledge necessary to impact the field of energy in positive ways.”

The MLS program is a 32 credit hour graduate degree that can be completed in 15 months. Of the 32 credit hours, 28 will be offered completely online. The final four credits are earned during a one-week intensive session hosted at the OU College of Law, providing ample opportunity to meet and network with other students in the program before graduation. The combination of online and on-campus learning provides students the flexibility to attain an OU Law degree from anywhere in the world. 

The degree program offers a competitive advantage to anyone who assembles land interests for the energy industry, negotiates oil and gas contracts, deals with mineral rights or works closely with oil and gas or energy attorneys. 

OU Law is an international leader in oil and gas, natural resources and energy law. In addition to the new MLS, the school offers a Master of Laws degree in energy and natural resources through its John B. Turner LL.M. Program, along with J.D. certificates in both areas as well. OU Law hosts the annual Eugene Kuntz Conference on Natural Resources Law and Policy, the largest conference of its kind in the country, and is home to the Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal (ONE J), the first journal of its kind.