Master of Law and Social Policy (MLSP)
Since 1976, the Master of Law and Social Policy Program has prepared professionals in social work or human services, public administration, and policy analysis for socio-legal practice and research. The only Master's degree of its kind in the country, the program focuses on the convergence of law and social work, social services and social policy. Students learn about law and legal processes, legal reasoning and analysis, legal research and writing, and working critically with core legal concepts, such as fair procedures, due process, and equal treatment. Students may pursue the MLSP degree while also enrolled in Bryn Mawr's Master of Social Service (MSS) program or, for those who already possess a Master's degree, on a post-Master's basis.
Specifically, our Law and Social Policy Program prepares our graduates to:
- analyze and interpret the law's impact on social services
- conduct legal research of practice-based issues and effectively communicate the findings
- understand the legal system, its competencies and its limitations
- appreciate law's shaping influence on social policy
- evaluate fundamental legal principles, such as fair treatment, equal treatment and personal liberty, and their practical implications
- apply legal knowledge to substantive and administrative problems in social work practice explore the role and impact of alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms, such as mediation, and the implications for social welfare
- comprehend the interdependence of legal institutions and the consequences for advocacy and for promoting social change.
Read more about specific areas of the MLSP program:
MLSP Admission
Application to the MLSP Program occurs: (1) in conjunction with simultaneous application to Bryn Mawr's MSS program; (2) after successful completion of one year in Bryn Mawr's MSS program; or (3) after successful completion of a Master's degree program in social work or some other related field. Full-time students pursuing both MSS and MLSP degrees simultaneously typically complete all degree requirements within two academic years and one five-week summer session.
Previous law-related experience is NOT required for admission to the Law and Social Policy Program. Students may pursue the degree on a part-time basis.
Law and Social Policy: Careers
Following are examples of the professional roles for which MLSP graduates are prepared. It is a non-exhaustive listing and represents roles that have been or could be assumed by graduates of the program.
Service Provider Agencies
- client advocate
- coordinator of court relations
- planner for legally-mandated services
- staff trainer on legal trends
- legal research specialist
Social Planning Agencies
- legislative analyst
- lobbyist
- advocacy planner
Advocacy Agencies (including Legal Services)
- planner for client services
- administrator
- case management specialist
- community organizer
- legislative analyst
- staff trainer
- legal research specialist
- researcher
Education
- home and school visitor
- school social worker
- program administrator
Criminal Justice
- planner
- legislative analyst
- staff in correctional institution
Public Policy Arena
- legislative assistant
- committee staff member
- implementation planner
- program monitor
- legal research specialist
Courts
- court representative
- court-appointed guardian
- institutional ombuds officer
- staff trainer
- hearing officer
- lay advocate
Dispute Resolution
- mediatior (community, family, divorce, interpersonal)
- program administrator
- legal research specialist
Violence Prevention
- community organizer
- conflict resolution
- legal research specialist
