Compliance and Risk Management, MCRM

Degree: Master of Compliance and Risk Management (MCRM)


Program Overview

Case Western Reserve University School of Law’s master and certificate programs in compliance and risk management are designed to meet the steadily increasing demand by businesses and government agencies for experts in the state, federal, and international laws and regulations that are relevant to the day-to-day operations of businesses.

The School of Law's programs in compliance and risk management join only a few other concentrated graduate courses of study in the country focusing on governance, risk management and compliance (GRC). The master program is the only such program in Ohio.

The master degree programs in compliance and risk management will provide lawyers and non-lawyers with the knowledge and analytical skills needed to work in an organization’s compliance and/or risk management department competently, effectively, and ethically.

Learn more about GRC and the unique aspects of the programs.

Program Requirements

As the regulatory state has expanded, compliance and risk management has become a major new field of expertise with its own methods of critical thinking, risk assessment, and managerial sociology, allowing lawyers and business executives to protect stakeholders by anticipating and reducing enterprise risks. The Case Western Reserve University School of Law Master of Compliance and Risk Management is a concentrated course of study that will give working professionals the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the regulatory environment competently, effectively, and ethically. Students will acquire essential legal skills such as how to read and interpret statutes, regulations, and case law, how to identify, assess, and address legal risks and opportunities, and how to design and implement compliance and risk management programs.

Students earning an M-CRM degree must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours.

Required Courses:
LAWS 5501Risk Management4
LAWS 4561Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance3
LAWS 4570Compliance & Risk Management Skills: Planning, Auditing, Investigating, and Reporting3
LAWS 7511Thesis M.A.4
Electives16
Total Credit Hours30

Master of Compliance & Risk Management students have the option for study of advanced topics in specialty areas. 

If a student chooses to earn a specialty concentration, this will require completion of specific required courses and concentration electives, in addition to the general requirements for the degree.

Environmental Regulation Concentration

Required Courses:
LAWS 5727Environmental Law3
Electives a13
General Electives b3
a

Students must complete at least two environmental regulation electives approved by the Program Director.

b

Electives must be approved by advisor, but can include any course offered by CWRU.

Intellectual Property Concentration

Fusion Focus

Required Courses:
LAWS 4302Patent Law3
LAWS 4303Trademark Law3
or LAWS 4301 Copyright Law
LAWS 5341Commercialization and Intellectual Property Management3
Electives a7
General Electives b3
a

Must complete at least two fusion concentration electives as approved by the Program Director.

b

Must be approved by advisor, but can include any courses offered by CWRU.

Patent Law Focus

Required Courses:
LAWS 4302Patent Law3
LAWS 4311Patent Preparation and Prosecution I3
LAWS 4312Patent Preparation and Prosecution II2
Electives a8
General Electives b3
a

Must complete at least two patent law concentration electives as approved by the Program Director.

b

Must be approved by advisor, but can include any courses offered by CWRU.

Law & the Arts Focus

Required Courses:
LAWS 4301Copyright Law3
LAWS 4303Trademark Law3
LAWS 5332Sports Law1
Electives a9
General Electives b3
a

Must complete at two law and the arts concentration electives as approved by the Program Director.

b

Must be approved by advisor, but can included any courses offered by CWRU.

Healthcare Concentration

Required Courses:
LAWS 4201Health Law3
LAWS 5218Health Care Organizations, Finance, and Regulation3
Electives a6-8
a

Must complete at least two healthcare electives as approved by the Program Director.

Business Finance Concentration

Required Courses:
LAWS 4401Business Associations4
LAWS 5431Securities Regulation3
Electives a6-8
a

Must complete at least two business finance electives as approved by the Program Director.

Consumer Protection & Financial Integrity Concentration

Required Courses:
LAWS 5430Consumer Protection3
LAWS 5728ePayment Systems1
Concentration Electives a3
a

Must complete at least three credits of elective coursework focused on Consumer Protection / Financial Integrity, as approved by the Program Director.

Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Concentration

Required Courses:
LAWS 5314Cyberlaw3
LAWS 5339Privacy Law3
Concentration Electives a3
a

Must complete at least three credits of elective coursework focused on Cybersecurity / Data Privacy, as approved by the Program Director.

Sample Plans of Study

If a student chooses to earn a specialty concentration, this will require completion of specific required courses and concentration electives, in addition to the general requirements for the degree.

Master of Compliance and Risk Management with a Concentration in Environmental Regulation

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredit Hours
LAWS 5501 Risk Management 4
LAWS 5727 Environmental Law 3
Elective 3
Elective 2
Elective 2
 Credit Hours14
Spring
LAWS 4561 Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance 3
LAWS 7511 Thesis M.A. 4
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours13
Summer
LAWS 4570 Compliance & Risk Management Skills: Planning, Auditing, Investigating, and Reporting 3
 Credit Hours3
 Total Credit Hours30

Master of Compliance and Risk Management with a Concentration in Intellectual Property

Fusion Focus

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredit Hours
LAWS 5501 Risk Management 4
LAWS 4302 Patent Law 3
LAWS 5341 Commercialization and Intellectual Property Management 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours13
Spring
LAWS 4561 Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance 3
LAWS 4303
Trademark Law
or Copyright Law
3
LAWS 7511 Thesis M.A. 4
Elective 2
Elective 2
 Credit Hours14
Summer
LAWS 4570 Compliance & Risk Management Skills: Planning, Auditing, Investigating, and Reporting 3
 Credit Hours3
 Total Credit Hours30

Patent Law Focus

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredit Hours
LAWS 5501 Risk Management 4
LAWS 4302 Patent Law 3
LAWS 4311 Patent Preparation and Prosecution I 3
Elective 3
Elective 2
 Credit Hours15
Spring
LAWS 4561 Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance 3
LAWS 4312 Patent Preparation and Prosecution II 2
LAWS 7511 Thesis M.A. 4
Elective 3
 Credit Hours12
Summer
LAWS 4570 Compliance & Risk Management Skills: Planning, Auditing, Investigating, and Reporting 3
 Credit Hours3
 Total Credit Hours30

Law & the Arts Focus

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredit Hours
LAWS 5501 Risk Management 4
LAWS 5332 Sports Law 1
LAWS 4301 Copyright Law 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours14
Spring
LAWS 4561 Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance 3
LAWS 4303 Trademark Law 3
LAWS 7511 Thesis M.A. 4
Elective 3
 Credit Hours13
Summer
LAWS 4570 Compliance & Risk Management Skills: Planning, Auditing, Investigating, and Reporting 3
 Credit Hours3
 Total Credit Hours30

Master of Compliance and Risk Management with a Concentration in Healthcare

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredit Hours
LAWS 4201 Health Law 3
LAWS 5501 Risk Management 4
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours13
Spring
LAWS 4561 Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance 3
LAWS 5218 Health Care Organizations, Finance, and Regulation 3
LAWS 7511 Thesis M.A. 4
Elective 4
 Credit Hours14
Summer
LAWS 4570 Compliance & Risk Management Skills: Planning, Auditing, Investigating, and Reporting 3
 Credit Hours3
 Total Credit Hours30

Master of Compliance and Risk Management with a Concentration in Business Finance

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredit Hours
LAWS 4401 Business Associations 4
LAWS 5501 Risk Management 4
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours14
Spring
LAWS 4561 Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance 3
LAWS 5431 Securities Regulation 3
LAWS 7511 Thesis M.A. 4
Elective 3
 Credit Hours13
Summer
LAWS 4570 Compliance & Risk Management Skills: Planning, Auditing, Investigating, and Reporting 3
 Credit Hours3
 Total Credit Hours30

Master of Compliance and Risk Management with a Concentration in Consumer Protection and Financial Integrity

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredit Hours
LAWS 5501 Risk Management 4
LAWS 5430 Consumer Protection 3
Electives 7
 Credit Hours14
Spring
LAWS 4561 Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance 3
LAWS 5728 ePayment Systems 1
LAWS 7511 Thesis M.A. 4
Electives 5
 Credit Hours13
Summer
LAWS 4570 Compliance & Risk Management Skills: Planning, Auditing, Investigating, and Reporting 3
 Credit Hours3
 Total Credit Hours30

Master of Compliance and Risk Management with a Concentration in Cybersecurity and Data Privacy

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredit Hours
LAWS 5501 Risk Management 4
LAWS 5314 Cyberlaw 3
Electives 7
 Credit Hours14
Spring
LAWS 4561 Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance 3
LAWS 5339 Privacy Law 3
LAWS 7511 Thesis M.A. 4
Electives 3
 Credit Hours13
Summer
LAWS 4570 Compliance & Risk Management Skills: Planning, Auditing, Investigating, and Reporting 3
 Credit Hours3
 Total Credit Hours30