Wake Forest Law Professor Steve Virgil, director of experiential learning, is partnering with School of Divinity Professor Dr. John Senior to offer a 12-week, online Faith-Based Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program open to Wake Forest University students as well as non-students beginning in January 2017.

“This is a very good example of a cross-campus, multi-disciplinary effort that connects to the non-Wake Forest community as well,” Professor Virgil says.

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Wake Forest Law’s Master of Studies in Law (MSL) degree and certificate program director is featured in a U.S. News and World Report article about JD programs embracing online education.

Ellen Murphy, who is also assistant dean of instructional technologies and design for the law school, is featured in the following portion of the U.S. News and Report article, “Law Schools Experiment with Partially Online Learning,” published by Jordan Friedman on Nov. 7, 2016, that follows:

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Hometown: Memphis, Tennessee

Undergraduate school and major: I attended undergraduate at the University of Memphis where I earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in criminal justice.

Why I chose to pursue the MSL degree: I decided to pursue Wake Forest Law’s Master of Studies in Law degree because of the flexibility of distance learning while still being able to develop analytical and reasoning skills.

What I like about Wake Forest Law’s MSL: The courses are aggressively up-to-date. Each topic receives careful and comprehensive treatment. While some courses may be challenging, they also provide a great thought-provoking learning experience. They also provide a well-rounded, but in-depth understanding of the law. I enjoy having an environment where I can work with professionals from all over the world, rich online databases and online tools combined with the possibility to study from wherever I am. I can travel with my studies and learn at any time of the day. All I need is dedication and a computer.

Applying MSL to my career: The program is very well devised: coherent and wide-ranging. More importantly, it is rigorous and challenging and the professors are amazingly helpful. Upon completion of the program, I will have a new horizon of career options. Through the program I have been able to obtain a more in-depth knowledge of law for certain areas that are of interest to me. The skills and knowledge I have gained so far have proven to be most valuable to me in my position as a paralegal and a small business owner. I am very glad that I opted for this program.

Assistant Dean Ellen Murphy (JD ’02) authored the following article, “Dispelling Myths about Online Learning,” originally published in the Huffington Post on March 30, 2016.

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Wake Forest Law has launched a fully online, part-time Master of Studies in Law (MSL) degree program for working professionals who want a better understanding of the law.

Applications for Fall 2016 are now being accepted here. The degree program, which can be completed in less than two years, combines the flexibility and accessibility of online learning with the rigor and academic excellence that are hallmarks of Wake Forest Law. The online MSL is the law school’s first wholly online degree offering.

“We are thrilled to be able to bring a Wake Forest Law education to individuals who would not have been able to take advantage of this unique opportunity solely because of geography,” explains Dean Suzanne Reynolds (JD ‘77). “Our new online MSL degree is designed to help professionals reach the next level in their careers.” Continue reading »