Classes that U.S. Department of Defense government contracting and procurement employees take through the Defense Acquisition University to meet certain federal requirements for their jobs now will receive credits toward a University of Dayton School of Law master’s degree thanks to a new agreement between the schools.
The first course under the agreement, Contracts 2900, which is equivalent to DAU’s CON 290, begins Sept. 15. The 90-minute classes will be online weekdays, supported by government tuition assistance and can be applied toward the School of Law’s master’s degree in government contracting and procurement. The online class through the UD School of Law also adds scheduling flexibility for those who could not otherwise fit DAU courses into their schedule.
“Government contracting and procurement personnel need these classes to reach Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act levels supervisors use for evaluating job performance and determining raises and how much employees are authorized to purchase,” University of Dayton School of Law Dean Andrew Strauss said. “We are happy we can offer additional flexibility and a pathway to a master’s degree that will add to their professional credentials.”
Government contracting officers and attorneys from the U.S. Air Force Materiel Command and defense industry will teach the courses combining Defense Acquisition University curricula with online learning methods to enhance the acquisition and retention of knowledge, according to Paul Schlottman, director of strategic initiatives for the School of Law.
“The courses emphasize the real-world development of legal discernment and business acumen needed in government contracting and procurement,” Schlottman said. “It fills gaps not filled with master’s programs in business or public administration, which don’t touch on contract law, government data rights, intellectual property, Federal Acquisitions Regulations policies or procedures, or Defense Federal Acquisitions regulations policies or procedures.”
While this agreement is focused on government employees, the School of Law began offering government and procurement classes with an M.S.L. program in 2017 to prepare participants for careers buying for or selling to federal, state and municipal governments. M.S.L. degrees differ from the more commonly known juris doctor degree for practicing lawyers. M.S.L. degrees are more similar to master’s degrees and geared toward those with a bachelor’s degree who need an advanced understanding of a particular area of the law. Graduate entrance exams are not required for admission.
To learn more about UDSL-DAU equivalent courses visit go.udayton.edu/dau.
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