Careers and Professional Development

Career Services

The MSL program provides an array of career services for its students, including dedicated MSL career advisors and a range of professional development activities designed to help students improve their marketability and their knowledge of the job search process. Our goal is to empower MSL graduates to seek out interesting and worthwhile positions that will use the skills and knowledge gained in the MSL program.

Throughout their time in the program, students have numerous opportunities to learn about relevant careers and professional positions – the MSL program and the Law School regularly sponsor events, panels, and presentations focused on careers and professional development. MSL students also have access to Northwestern University’s career resources, including University-sponsored career fairs, employer information sessions, and Handshake – Northwestern’s central platform for career activities and job opportunities. 

Career Outcomes

MSL graduates are well-equipped for a variety of positions at the intersection of law, business, and technology, and they have had great success in the job market. Employment statistics from 2018-2020 show that 93% of MSL graduates achieved their post-program goals: 70% were gainfully employed in jobs related to their MSL training and 23% were enrolled in another educational program (medicine, law, business, technology, etc.).

MSL graduates are employed across a range of industries, including law, finance, engineering, consulting, and startups. Many of these graduates could not have secured their current positions without the MSL training, and most report utilizing knowledge and skills from the MSL program on a daily basis. Here is a list of some positions held by graduates of the MSL program:

  • Bioscience Sales Specialist
  • Business Development Director
  • Clinical Project Manager
  • Consultant
  • Contracts Specialist
  • Data Analyst
  • Director, Regulatory Affairs
  • Entrepreneur/Co-Founder
  • Financial Analyst
  • Investment Banking Associate
  • IP and Patent Specialist
  • Lab Chemist
  • Legal Analyst
  • Marketing Manager
  • Manufacturing Engineering Technician
  • Patent Engineer
  • Product Manager
  • Project Manager
  • Regulatory Specialist
  • Project Manager
  • Quality Engineer
  • Scientific Consultant
  • Technical Specialist
  • Technical Writer
  • Trademark Specialist

Employers

MSL graduates provide immense value to employers – they are well-rounded professionals who can approach issues from a variety of perspectives and interact effectively with different functional units. If you are an employer interested in learning more about the MSL program or hiring MSL graduates, please contact Evan Goldberg at evan.goldberg@law.northwestern.edu.