NEWS
NORMAN, OKLA. – The University of Oklahoma College of Law is the first law school in America to be accredited by the American Association of Professional Landmen. This accreditation recognizes OU Law’s Master of Legal Studies in Energy and Natural Resources Law program, a fully online graduate program.
“OU was an early adopter of master’s level online law degrees and was the first to offer one that focuses on energy, natural resources, oil and gas law,” said Joseph Schremmer, an associate professor of law and faculty director of this master’s program. “We were looking to meet the legal training needs of people in the land services profession, commonly known as landmen.”
The American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL) is the major national trade association for land professionals, boasting a membership of nearly 12,000 from more than 9,000 companies. They accredit energy-related programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. However, OU’s Master of Legal Studies in Energy and Natural Resources is the only law school program to receive AAPL accreditation.
“This program is geared toward people across the energy industry generally, not just landmen. It’s relevant for company executives, lease analysts and owners of small oil and gas companies and production companies, as well as mineral royalty owners,” he said. “Plus, we’re trying to keep up with industry changes by offering content on renewable energy, like wind and solar, environmental compliance, and even electric utility regulation and electricity markets.”
The 15-month, fully online program offers 17 courses over eight modules. Enrolled students are invited to campus each year, either in the fall for the Eugene Kuntz Conference or in the spring for the Energy Symposium, to network and receive special programming geared exclusively to these cohorts.
Earning the AAPL accreditation gives students in this master’s program many benefits. In addition to a shorter track toward certain AAPL certifications, graduates also gain access AAPL’s nationwide network and become eligible for scholarships from the Landman Scholarship Trust.
“This accreditation means that the leading trade association for land professionals has faith in the quality and breadth of our program. They’ve certified the program as providing valuable, relevant and high-quality education to their members and future landmen,” he said.
Learn more about OU Law’s M.L.S. in Energy and Natural Resources Law and the American Association of Professional Landmen.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.
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