M.S. Employment Law Program
The employer-employee relationship has been regulated to varying degrees for the past several decades, but nothing has matched the amount of regulations that employers face in today’s market. With the establishment of laws regulating wages and benefits, mandating occupational safety, prohibiting discrimination and harassment, requiring time off for medical purposes, establishing bargaining units and unions, and defining workplace privacy, the human resource professional is constantly confronted with regulations that control many, if not most of the decisions made regarding employees. With the ever increasing use of technology in the workplace, and employees becoming increasingly more aware of their legal rights regarding employment, it is becoming essential that business and human resource professionals have some basic understanding of labor and employment law. The belief that business and human resources professionals need more exposure to and knowledge of, laws regulating the workplace has provided the impetus for the creation of a Master of Science in Employment Law program (M.S. Employment Law) at the Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center. The program is intended to meet the needs of business and human resource professionals who are non-lawyers seeking a basic understanding of labor and employment law.
Each student will complete 6 10-week terms of course work, attend three brief on-campus residential Institutes for the Study of Employment Law, and complete an Individual Research Project in seminar format. The 20-week terms of coursework each are divided into two ten-week long sessions. Students take two courses per session, except for the final session during which only one course is required. Thereafter, students have approximately six months to complete an in depth research project.
To accommodate the need and desire for working professionals to remain in their present location and employment and, at the same time, draw upon a nationwide faculty, the M.S. Employment Law program is uniquely offered via NSU’s state-of–art, Internet–based distance learning technology. The majority of work, with the exception of the attendance at three brief on-campus Institutes, will be accomplished conveniently from the students own home, on the student’s own time, without requiring compromise of career and other obligations.
The program begins with a brief, mandatory, on-campus, Institute for the study of Employment Law at NSU’s campus. Student at this, their first Institute, become orientated with classmates, meet faculty, tour NSU’s legal facilities and undergo intensive computer training. They also begin coursework in at least two of their courses. Sessions include discussions of the employment law and the judicial system of the united states. During this time the students will also complete orientation regarding polices and procedures of the M.S. Employment Law program.
Students return after a year of coursework to attend a second Institute. At this institute, returning students will meet incoming students, engage in some hands on work relating to their courses and discuss their Individual Research Projects. This Institute is also mandatory, and students must attend the entire time.
The third Institute is mandatory as well. At this time students will present their Individual Research Projects to their peers and faculty.
Online, students are guided through interactive class lessons over the internet, working closely with faculty members and exchanging ideas with fellow classmates.
Required interactivity is all asynchronous, meaning that students do not need to access their online course at any particular time during the day. The program is, however, characterized by a great deal of required interactivity. Students will often find themselves online nearly everyday. Such interactivity promotes a high-quality learning experience and differentiates this program from a correspondence or “self-study” program. Many professors will hold live chats and students are urged to attend.
Grades are posted on the Webstar system at the end of each session. http://webstar.nova.edu and then enter your personal identification number (PIN). The M.S. Emp.L. program uses the following grading scale: A, A-, B+, B-, C+, C-, D+, D-, and F.
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