Human Resources and Employment Law, MHREL
As labor laws evolve, the ability to interpret regulations and support organizational goals is essential. You can build expertise and skills in employment law, workforce strategy and HR practices to promote compliance, resolve issues, and advance professional growth.
Quick facts
Credits
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation and professional licensure
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
The Master of Human Resources and Employment Law is a non-Juris Doctor graduate program that specifically caters to both entry-level and established nonlawyer human resources, recruitment and operations professionals who wish to understand the legal and regulatory framework that governs recruiting, hiring, maintaining, promoting and dismissing employees and independent contractors in the public and private sectors.
You identify and solve critical employment-related problems facing organizations that only trained professionals understand by learning the complex legal and regulatory framework governing HR activities.
The MHREL program consists of 30 credit hours that can be completed either in person or online in one to three years, on a full-time or part-time basis.
The Society of Human Resources Management, a premier HR professional organization with more than 300,000 members nationwide and globally, has recognized the ASU Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law as the first law school that's fully aligned with the SHRM curriculum guidelines. https://www.shrm.org/
This alignment provides you with an emphasis in human resources and employment law the opportunity to apply for the SHRM certification professional exam. Achieving this certification is an important distinction that many employers recognize in hiring and promoting HR and employment law professionals.
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below:
30 credit hours including the required capstone course (SDO 685)
Required Core (18 credit hours) Electives (9 credit hours) Culminating Experience (3 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information The degree culminates in a three credit hour capstone course that focuses on the practical application of knowledge and skills gained during the program. During the capstone course, students evaluate the impact of various statutory and regulatory laws that affect the day-to-day operations of a human capital management professional, learn how to successfully navigate challenges these laws present, and manage relationships with varying employee groups at all organizational levels. Other Requirements
SDO 501 U.S. Law and Legal Analysis: Masters (3)
SDO 531 Employment Law: Masters (3) or LAW 629 Employment Law (3)
SDO 541 HR and Employment Law: Masters (3)
SDO 551 Duties, Obligations and Rights in the Workplace: Masters (3)
SDO 552 Employment Discrimination: Masters (3) or LAW 630 Employment Discrimination (3)
SDO 569 Advanced HR and Employment Law: Masters (3)
SDO 685 Human Resource and Employment Law Capstone (3)
Following completion of the six required core courses (18 credit hours), students in the MHREL program can select from varied elective courses (at least nine credit hours) that count toward their degree. The pool of elective courses students can choose from include courses focused on employment law-adjacent subject areas such as privacy rights, dispute resolution and contracts. Students are also able to choose elective courses that present an opportunity to explore other legal areas that may interest them or be pertinent to their chosen career path.
There is a minimum of B- or better for the MHREL capstone course and a minimum cumulative graduation GPA of 2.67.
Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law. Applicants must have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in a related field from a regionally accredited institution. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of an applicant's bachelor's degree program is preferred. Prospective students may earn admission with a cumulative GPA below 3.00 if the other assets included in the application package are strong, such as: U.S.-educated applicants can apply through the FastApp process, which streamlines the application process and may allow for an offer of conditional admission to the MHREL program while the applicant continues to submit any additional requested documentation. International or internationally educated applicants should complete the MHREL Full Application form. All applicants must submit: Additional Application Information International applicants must also submit an official transcript, two letters of recommendation, a personal statement, a writing sample and explanations of affirmative answers to any conduct questions. U.S.-educated applicants may also be asked by the admission team to submit these resources to strengthen their application. Applicants with foreign education credentials should have all transcripts evaluated by the Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute Inc. ACEI independently evaluates all academic documents issued in countries other than the U.S.
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency. If English is not an applicant's native language, and an applicant has not completed a bachelor's degree or higher at a regionally accredited institution in the U.S., they must provide evidence of English proficiency as indicated by acceptable scores. Most competitive applicants should have a TOEFL iBT® score of at least 4.5, or 90 (taken a testing center) if taken before January 21, 2026; or an IELTS score of at least 7.0; or a PTE score of at least 64. Exceptional candidates with relevant experience and background who have scores slightly below these thresholds will also be considered. ASU's institutional code is 4007.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students receive financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Employment opportunities exist in supervisory and management positions in government agencies (federal, state and local) and the private sector. Graduates of the program may find positions as:
- compensation and benefits managers
- employment recruiters
- equal employment opportunity managers and specialists
- executive search consultants
- hiring managers
- human resources managers and specialists
- labor advocates
- labor relations specialists
- legal support workers
- ombudsmen
Human resources specialist employment is projected to grow faster than average (employment increase of 6% or more) in the U.S. and to have 81,800 job openings nationwide over the period 2024 to 2034.
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law
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BCLS 420
MHRELASU@asu.edu
480-965-1474
Admission deadlines
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
