Take your career further with a legal education.
Take your career further with a legal education.

Online Law Certificate Programs

Pitt Law is an established leader in delivering quality online education in law to non-JD professionals, as well as attorneys looking to further specialize in specific industries or areas of the law. Through our graduate certificate programs in Corporate Compliance, Health Care Compliance, Human Resources Law, International Business Law, and Sports, Entertainment, and Arts Law professionals in a wide variety of fields can gain a deeper understanding of the law and how it impacts their professional lives.

Students who complete a certificate program are eligible to apply for the MSL program. Admission to the MSL program is contingent upon the satisfactory academic performance in the certificate, including meeting academic standards and deadlines, and is at the discretion of the MSL program director.

Online Law Certificate Details

  • 15 credits
  • 100% online
  • Certificates can be completed in 10 months
  • Most courses are 8 weeks in length
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Program Brochure

Are you considering a master’s degree in law or a graduate certificate to take your career to the next level? Pitt Law’s Master of Studies in Law online program is designed for professionals seeking to enhance their careers with a versatile alternative to the traditional three-year JD degree. The certificate programs are ideal for those who are not currently looking to pursue a master’s degree.

Complete the form to get a program brochure for Pitt Law’s Online MSL plus your chosen specialization, or your chosen certificate program, delivered to your inbox.

Choose Your Online Law Certificate Program


The Corporate Compliance Certificate program teaches students to design, implement, and maintain corporate compliance programs to meet the growing demand for compliance roles.
Pitt Law’s Health Care Compliance (HCC) Certificate program is for working professionals including health care workers, attorneys and career changers. This program will support you as you take on more strategic compliance roles.
Pitt Law developed the Human Resources (HR) Law Certificate program by working with experts in HR, law and online education. Our program will support you as you take on more advanced HR roles.
Pitt Law’s International Business Law Certificate program welcomes students who want to advance or begin a career in international commercial law by learning how to manage cross-border disputes through litigation, mediation, or arbitration.
The SEAL certificate helps individuals working in these industries learn how to negotiate contracts, manage intellectual property and publicity rights, understand laws surrounding defamation and libel, and more.

Certificate Program vs. Master’s Degree: Which is Right for You?

Earning a certificate in your chosen field of study will give you specialized skills and knowledge on a specific topic. Online law certificates are ideal to fine-tune your skills to complement your professional experience, or to gain further expertise needed to advance in your career. Graduate certificates may help your transition to a new field of work, giving you the necessary familiarity and expertise in your chosen specialization and improving your networking opportunities.

Like a certificate program, a master’s degree will help you develop skills, but it will further provide you with the strategic vision to apply those skills in a number of work environments. Master’s programs award a formal graduate degree and are typically more transferable between industries.

If you are debating between a law certificate program and the MSL program, consider your career goals, the types of skills, knowledge, and credentials you are looking to gain, and the time and money you can invest into a program. Check out our blog post on the value of earning an MSL degree.

If you conclude that you are not looking to pursue a full-time master’s program, one of our certificate programs may be the right fit. All of our graduate certificate programs are of the same caliber as our degree courses. In each of our programs, you will:

  • Learn and interact with faculty who are professionals with advanced degrees and experience in your professional field
  • Focus on acquiring knowledge of the law critical to your professional advancement
  • Study and complete coursework based on your own schedule from any location.
  • Network with colleagues and classmates through our engaging online learning platform and group projects
Alan Meisel

Meet ​​Director of Online Programs, Alan Meisel

Alan Meisel is the founder of Pitt Law’s Master of Studies in Law (MSL) Program and directs the on-ground MSL program. He is a leading national and international authority on end-of-life decision making and informed consent to medical treatment. He is the founder of the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Bioethics and Health Law and the Law School’s Health Law Certificate Program.

Professor Meisel is the principal author of the treatise, “The Right to Die: The Law of End-of-Life Decisionmaking” (Wolters Kluwer), now in its third edition, and publishes widely in the fields of health law and medical ethics in numerous medical, legal, and ethical journals.

Professor Meisel is just one of Pitt Law’s experienced and renowned faculty who enthusiastically teach the online and on-ground programs.

Online Law Certificate Program FAQs

How long does a certificate program take?

Programs are offered as 40-week online programs consisting of five courses—four core courses and a closing seminar, each 8 weeks long.

What are the requirements for admission?

Applicants must have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. Admissions decisions will be made based on a completed online application, a personal statement and official transcripts. Visit the application requirements page for the full list.

What resources will be available to me as a student?

You will have full access to the University of Pittsburgh library system, the Writing Center, and a host of other support services. Visit our Student Resources page to learn more.

How technologically savvy do I need to be?

While you need not be a technology expert to take an online class, you should have some proficiency with a computer, e-mail, downloading, saving and writing electronic documents, and navigating the internet. Additionally, your computer will need to meet our minimum technology standards in order to access online course content. Make sure to check our technology requirements on our support page.

As a Pitt Online student, you will have access to our online Student Orientation course, tutorials and the Student Handbook. Additionally, you’ll have access to our 24/7 technical resources to support any questions about the online course system and materials.

How much work should I expect?

Students should plan on 10-12 hours per week for coursework. However, because most of the work is self-paced, you choose when and where you do your work.

Do I have to be online at a specific time to complete the coursework?

No. All course materials can be accessed at any time and students can work on their own schedules to complete assignments by course deadlines. However, courses will have online discussions that are interactive, and some may have group projects that will require coordination among your online team members.

How will my work be evaluated?

Students should expect to complete weekly assessments. Faculty provide feedback on their progress toward learning goals. Assessments can take multiple forms, such as discussion board participation, case studies, quizzes, and individual and group projects.

What final grade is needed to successfully earn the certificate?

To earn the certificate, a cumulative GPA of B (3.0) is required. Credits earned in the certificate program with a grade less than B cannot be counted toward the MSL degree

Do these credits transfer to other University graduate programs?

Yes. Students earn three graduate credits from Pitt Law for each course successfully completed in our online law certificate programs. In general, these credits will be usable to pursue Pitt Law’s Master of Studies in Law (MSL) degree program, or toward its LLM program for foreign legal graduates. Other universities may also accept these as transfer credits applicable to their graduate programs.

Which MSL programs can I apply my certificate credits toward?

Graduate certificate credits can be applied to either the Online MSL program, or the on-campus MSL program.

Spring 2025 Admissions Deadlines

Dec
9
Priority Deadline
December 9
Spring 2025
Jan
6
Final Deadline
January 6
Spring 2025
Jan
13
Start Date
January 13
Spring 2025