Middle Tennessee State University’s proposed Master of Science in Legal Studies, set to be taught in partnership with the Nashville School of Law, has earned approval by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the largest remaining hurdle in launching the new degree, the university announced Friday, March 28.
THEC, which reviews new academic degree programs among the state’s public universities, unanimously approved the program on March 19. All that remains is review by MTSU’s accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, or SACSCOC.
The degree, which will prepare students and working professionals seeking to sharpen their understanding of the law, will be administered by MTSU’s Jennings A. Jones College of Business. Initial core course work will take place at the Nashville School of Law at its campus on Armory Oaks Drive, with degree requirements finished at MTSU.
MTSU’s Board of Trustees endorsed the strategy in December 2022 and announced last November plans to partner with the law school for the degree. If SACSCOC gives final approval in the coming months, enrollment is expected to open in the new academic year with the first cohort of students to start in summer 2026.
“We appreciate THEC’s unanimous approval, as this degree will address critical workforce development needs in Tennessee’s rapidly growing business and entertainment sectors,” said MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee. “This program will benefit greatly through our relationship with Nashville School of Law, combining in-person instruction at the law school with online and hybrid courses at MTSU to accommodate working professionals.”
The degree will require 30 credit hours of study with a hybrid delivery of online and on-ground courses. Course work will allow students to develop in-depth knowledge in one of three concentrations: anti-money laundering, fraud and compliance; business law; or entertainment. The entertainment concentration, one of very few in the country, will be offered through MTSU’s College of Media and Entertainment.
McPhee and NSL Dean William C. Koch Jr. said the collaboration brings together as partners their two storied educational institutions, both founded in 1911.
Koch added the proposed degree will enable students to combine their business acumen and expertise with a deeper comprehension of the legal framework. “Our collaboration with MTSU will further strengthen our commitment to providing a high-quality legal education, ensuring that (these) graduates are well-prepared to contribute meaningfully to the legal field,” he said.
Aubrey Harwell Jr., chairholder of the Jennings A. Jones Chair of Excellence at MTSU and chairman of NSL’s Board of Trust, said there was a “symbiotic relationship” already in place between the Jones College and the law school, “which will provide substantial benefits to students who seek this degree.”
Harwell congratulated McPhee, Koch, Jones College Dean Joyce Heames and MTSU Trustees Board Chairman Steve Smith for the degree’s approval by THEC.
Smith shared similar congratulations to Harwell, as well as the faculty and administrators at both institutions. “This is a great example of two historic schools working together to potentially change the path by our students to a bright future,” he said.
Heames and Media and Entertainment Dean Beverly Keel spoke about how this degree will provide further options for students. Heames said the program “will meet a need in this market sector that gives participants alternative career paths,” while Keel noted it will “allow our graduates to be even better prepared for the (music) industry’s business and legal challenges.”
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