Online MJ in Labor & Employment Law
In the 21st century, labor and employment law changes quickly. The interaction of federal, state and local law has the potential to create complications for companies and employees. Modern legal challenges require a diversity of legal professionals to meet the emerging problems of today and tomorrow. Become a visionary professional who plays a crucial emerging role in the legal profession with your organization—without the need to earn a JD.
Join Tulane Law online to become a confident professional who drives real world change. Before the Supreme Court decided Bostock vs. Clayton County, Tulane students were leading the way with inclusive anti-discrimination policies that address gender identity. Without a robust policy of national paternity leave, Tulane students are currently working with their companies to ensure mothers and fathers have access to parental leave. The MJ-LEL equips you with the legal framework to develop and implement policies that will impact the day-to-day lives of people at your company.
Explore the online MJ in Labor & Employment Law.
Online MJ-LEL Program at a Glance
- 12 courses
- 30 credits
- Choose from meaningful elective courses in negotiation, workforce retention and more
- Culminating capstone project course
- Complete in as few as two years
- Three opportunities to start per year
A Targeted Online Law Degree for Non-Lawyers
Is the MJ in Labor and Employment Law a good fit for you? Watch the video to hear from the faculty and staff members who have helped shape this degree program. Learn more about the online student experience, the scholars teaching the courses and why Tulane should be your top choice for furthering your education and advancing your career.
Video Transcript
The Tulane Master of Jurisprudence program in Labor & Employment Law is a targeted online law degree for non-lawyers who work with lawyers, who work with law but who don’t necessarily need to take the bar or practice.
One of the big things that we teach our students is not only what the law is but what the law will become, because we teach them how to keep up with the law; how to keep current with the law, and how to anticipate in a more visionary manner what the law will be.
Tulane is a “Southern Ivy.” It’s been around for a long time; its name has a national reach.
Jennifer Cooper:
The name alone really implicates a sense of history. Tulane Law School has amazing faculty in the program. Our cohorts really do develop close-knit friendships and professional networks.
They will learn skills in every single class that they take, that they will literally be able to implement the next day at work.
Ron Townsend Gard:
We’re really conscious of individuals in the field and in their professions. The program has really been built to accommodate those who spend their days in their fields doing the work.
Valerie Nance:
I know how to read the dissenting opinions; I know how to read legislation that comes through.
Take the plunge, it’s going to change your life. You are going to meet the most amazing, diverse HR professionals, attorneys, professors.
Sally Richardson:
Our faculty are truly the leaders in the field. We have scholars from the Law School who are teaching courses on employment law, on social media issues in the workplace.
Throughout our online program, you will also have the opportunity to come and spend a weekend here in New Orleans on Tulane’s campus, to truly become part of an immersive experience for our online program.
Jennel Fernandez-Ballestero:
I will say the one thing that I didn't even factor into when I was looking at Tulane was the sense of community that I would get even in a remote setting. Part of that is the professors just promote you, they encourage you, they champion you. It's built the confidence in continuing to learn.
Saru Matambanadzo:
We are here to make you successful. Your academic success is our success, so don’t be afraid. You can do this. You belong here, you belong here with us. Don’t be afraid, this is doable. An elite, accessible legal education for you and I would love for you to join us.
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Human Resources professionals must know how to navigate the complexities labor and employment laws. Download the brochure on Tulane Law's Online Master of Jurisprudence in Labor and Employment Law to see what our program can do for you. Learn more about the program curriculum, what to expect from our Immersion Weekend and much more.
Are you ready to become an authority on HR and employment law? Start here.
Benefits of Earning an Online Master’s in Employment Law
Powerful experiences and insights
Improve your understanding of the laws that govern the practice of human resources, your ability to communicate and collaborate with lawyers and other legal professionals, and your own workplace results and job satisfaction.
Career impact that counts
With the expertise you’ll gain through the MJ-LEL program, your job effectiveness will increase, and you’ll quickly become a highly valued contributor on the job. You’ll become more adequately self-sufficient and will prove to be a huge asset to your organization as you save money, reduce risks and improve workplace culture.
A rigorous education with the flexibility of online learning
Enjoy the flexibility of online learning so you can participate from anywhere. The only on-campus requirement for the degree is one multi-day Immersion Weekend on Tulane’s campus in New Orleans, where you’ll gain face-to-face connection and intellectual synthesis.
Practical lessons that enhance your life and career
Through your daily conversations with classmates and faculty, and through your master’s capstone experience, you’ll learn practical lessons and hone new skills that you can put to immediate use. You’ll walk away with the ability to train employees about sexual harassment, to deal effectively with unions, to engage in collective bargaining, to mediate disputes or participate in the arbitrations of labor disputes, to create personnel manuals, to lead executive searches that are EEOC-compliant, and much more.
Expert faculty who inspire
You’ll be taught by faculty members who are national and international authorities on labor and employment issues, including program director Saru Matambanadzo, a nationally known authority on gender equality and workplace equity.
Unrivaled value
Tulane is reputable, rigorous, accessible and affordable. The investment in your graduate education can reap returns that far exceed your expectations.
Connections for life
Study alongside other human resource professionals, business owners, executives and office managers with personnel responsibilities. The dynamic nature of the program will ensure that you form professional and personal connections that create a life-long network of classmates and faculty who can help support and accelerate your career.
Distinct pride
Accomplish something that very few people do—earning a graduate degree from a prestigious, nationally ranked university and a top law school.
“Students want to come to Tulane because we help them become experts, visionary professionals, legal translators, and frontline policymakers. We are the place to be and we have the people that matter.”
Saru Matambanadzo
Senior Director of Online Education
Reap the Benefits of a One-of-A-Kind Curriculum
Our alumni and graduates report that the Tulane Master of Jurisprudence program is a unique, life-changing experience. Not only do we offer a world-class legal education, our unique curriculum also offers courses that you will not get in any other program.
We are leading the field with novel offerings like an advanced discrimination class in sex and gender, advanced employment law classes focused on intellectual property and social media and our one-of-a-kind capstone seminar experience as a culmination of the expertise developed over the course of the program.
We also provide an unparalleled community of alumni in leading firms, organizations and unions.
Courses by Semester
Semester 1
Legal Analysis
(2 credits)
Introduction to Employment Discrimination Law Principles and Strategies
(3 credits)
Semester 2
Legal Analysis II
(2 credits)
Introduction to Labor Law Principles and Strategies
(3 credits)
Semester 3
Employment Law
(2 credits)
IP Issues in the Employment Context
(3 credits)
Semester 4
Sex and Gender Issues in the Workplace
(2 credits)
Elective
(2 credits)
Semester 5
Social Media Issues in the Workplace
(3 credits)
Elective
(2 credits)
Semester 6
Capstone
(3 credits)
Elective
(2 credits)
Introduction to Employment Discrimination Law Principles and Strategies
This course is designed to provide the students with a thorough understanding of all of the legal rules and concepts created by federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination on the bases of race, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation and national origin in a very practical way. The materials will be presented in a manner dedicated to enhancing the ability of present or future human resources professionals to deal with specific problems that continually arise in the workplace.
Instruction will be directed toward providing advice on how to deal with and avoid problems in areas, including racial and sexual harassment, religious accommodation, pregnancy and family leave, LGBT concerns, handling EEOC investigations, drafting personnel manuals, avoiding retaliation claims, mandatory and voluntary retirement, disability-based accommodation and drug testing.
Who Chooses the Online MJ in Labor & Employment Law From Tulane?
THIS PROGRAM IS FOR YOU IF YOU ARE:
- An HR professional in any industry, in a company of any size, and at any point in your career
- A people manager at any level, from the director or VP of human resources at a global Fortune 500 company to a business or office manager at a small to mid-sized company
- Union and labor organizers or intermediaries, such as a faculty coordinator at a public K-12 school with unionized teachers or the owner of a company who relies heavily on the subcontracted work of unions
- Mediators, investigators and arbitrators who are not lawyers
- Those looking to transition into a worklaw career and want to differentiate themselves from the competition by being a clear expert on the labor and employment laws that govern the way businesses interact with their people
- Nonlawyers who work with the law, such as court professionals
Is an MJ in Labor & Employment Law worth it?
The job outlook for HR managers is strong, with a 7% growth expected through 2031.1 Capitalizing on this opportunity by earning a master’s degree in employment law will have a positive impact both on your earning potential and on your career path. With your MJ in hand, you will set yourself apart from others in the talent pool.
Career Outcomes
The MJ curriculum and expert professors have proven wildly valuable and immediately applicable to my career and business in so many ways over the last two years. I was so excited to join the Tulane MJ-LEL program because I have always felt a pull to go to law school, but I didn't want to practice law. This program seemed perfect for me and now that I'm in my final semester, I can confidently say it was a perfect choice.
Hear From a Tulane Law Faculty Member
Deputy Faculty Director Elizabeth Townsend-Gard explains the unique opportunities the program offers. She addresses the importance of those working with the law every day to have a strong grasp of its ins and outs, rhetoric and applications.
Employment Law and Labor Unions
Whether you work as an HR professional at an organization or you lead a labor union, understanding the laws around labor union rights and the role employers play is essential. Gain a thorough understanding of the federal and state laws and regulations governing the relationship between the employer, employee and labor union. Through your coursework, you will focus on specific problems and issues that human resources professionals experience in dealing with organized and unorganized workforces and learn the proper way to manage these relationships.
The desire for more knowledge on how the law interacts with my work led me to the wonderful program at Tulane law school. They have taken my business mindset for HR work and added knowledge of legal theory behind what laws I administer, policies I develop, and processes I follow. In the ever-changing American law system, understanding Labor and Employment law are vital to compliance work.
- Retrieved November 14, 2022, from bls.gov/ooh/management/human-resources-managers.htm
- Based on a limited sample of self-reported data from alumni of Tulane University from graduating cohorts between Summer 2016-Spring 2019, including respondents who indicated they expect to receive a promotion within 6 months from the time of their response.