Legal studies is an interdisciplinary degree that draws primarily from the social sciences. From political science to history to economics, an online legal studies degree explores law and justice through a theoretical lens. Students in this major study the origins and evolution of law, along with the historical impact of state and federal laws, and landmark court rulings. You also inspect societal consequences, trends, and contemporary issues pertaining to law.
A legal studies bachelor’s degree online program is not the path for one aspiring to become a lawyer or attorney. It is not a prelaw degree, though it could inspire one to pursue law school. For most, however, a bachelor’s degree in legal studies is the path to a career working in the legal profession in a role other than a practicing lawyer. By earning a bachelor’s degree in legal studies, you position yourself for jobs as a paralegal, title examiner, arbiter, or compliance officer. For legal occupations as a whole, the employment outlook from 2016 to 2026 is positive: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects 9% growth for all legal occupations over that same time period.
Best Online Bachelor’s Programs in Legal Studies 2018-2019
A bachelor’s degree in legal studies program covers the legal and ethical policies of the U.S. justice system. One way to check the quality of a program is to confirm accreditation status. In order to qualify for federal financial funds, a school must be a Title IV school, which means the school holds accreditation from an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The following list ranks Title IV colleges and universities that offer a legal studies bachelor’s degree online program. With data from annual Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) surveys, the rankings are created taking into account such factors as graduation rate, course availability, and tuition cost.
How Much Can You Make in a Legal Studies Career?
For holders of a bachelor’s in legal studies degree, there is an array of career options. While earning a degree does not guarantee one a career or salary, it does set you on the right path toward attaining your career goals in many professional fields. Graduates with an online bachelor’s degree in legal studies can compete for jobs in business, the public sector, healthcare, and law. As the BLS notes, demand for those with a legal studies background continues to grow as corporate in-house legal teams expand and law firms delegate more. While the BLS projects average to above-average growth for legal occupations overall, paralegal positions are expected to grow 15%.
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers
Median Annual Salary: $51,180
JOB GROWTH 2016-2026:
+4.3%
Job Description
Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers work on legal issues related to real estate or property, such as titles, deeds, contracts, and mortgages. They research and help verify facts, clauses, and exceptions. If a document such as a title is not acceptable, they may draft notices.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Median Annual Salary: $50,410
JOB GROWTH 2016-2026:
+15%
Job Description
Paralegals and legal assistants spend a good part of their day investigating and verifying facts for a case, brief, appeal, contract, or will. They provide support to law firms or in-house legal teams. In their daily tasks, they prepare legal affidavits and other legal documents, carry out legal research, and meet with clients to discuss case details.
Compliance Managers
Median Annual Salary: $71,540
JOB GROWTH 2016-2026:
+8.2%
Job Description
Compliance managers or officers work to ensure an entity is in compliance with ethical or regulatory standards. To this end, a compliance manager keeps detailed records of an organization’s activities, as well as any complaints, and findings from any cases or investigations. They also carry out audits and act as a liaison between entities or with government agencies.
Judicial Law Clerks
Median Annual Salary: $57,920
JOB GROWTH 2016-2026:
+5.7%
Job Description
Clerks provide assistance with research or document preparation, carrying out legal research of cases, court decisions, briefs, and opinions to support judges through current trials or cases. Clerks also help with verifying, proofreading, and checking facts, cause of action, and basis for relief.
Arbiters, Mediators, and Conciliators
Median Annual Salary: $60,670
JOB GROWTH 2016-2026:
+10%
Job Description
Arbiters, mediators, and conciliators help resolve disputes or conflicts outside a court of law. Among their duties is to facilitate communication between parties and find common ground that can lead to an agreement. A mediator, arbiter, or conciliator researches a case to verify or contend facts, detect changes in circumstance, and recognize the opportunity for resolution.
Sources: BLS, Projections Central
When researching jobs, it is important to take into account specific data for your state or city and look into any other factors that may impact salary or opportunity. The following list shows salaries and job growth data for title examiners, abstractors, and searchers for all 50 states. As you can see, the numbers vary and this directly ties into supply and demand. Job growth data helps determine trends in a field and the overall “health” of a profession.
For title examiners, abstractors, and searchers, industries with the highest level of employment are legal services, insurance carriers, and real estate. As for the top paying industries, those tied to land use and management lead the way. Legal professionals who work in the oil and gas extraction industry make a median salary of $77,570. The state of Texas, where oil and gas both loom large, is the top employer of title examiners, abstractors, and searchers, followed by California and Florida.
What Courses Can Be Taken for an Online Legal Studies Degree?
For an interdisciplinary degree like legal studies, you should expect to take a blend of courses that examine the justice system and emphasize the role of social sciences, such as anthropology or economics. Below is a sampling of the types of courses found in a bachelor’s degree in legal studies program. These courses may vary, so research specific courses, electives, core requirements, and degree requirements for your school. Note that legal studies bachelor’s degree online programs may also feature moot courts, mock trials, and internships.
American Politics
This course provides a substantive overview of the U.S. political system, covering how the government works and how laws at the local, state, and federal level to create the framework in which they function.
Civil Rights and Liberties
In this course, students study constitutional law and how the U.S. Supreme Court’s duty is to interpret the Constitution. The course explores historical decisions, landmark cases, and evolving opinions when it comes to both individual and group civil liberties and rights.
Constitutional Law
This course specifically deals with the laws set forth by the U.S. Constitution. Students examine constitutional law and how the three branches of government work within its framework. The course looks particularly at the role of federal courts.
Comparative Law
As with comparative literature, comparative law studies the differences and similarities of the legal systems of different countries. Such a course may also focus on culture and how a legal system can develop as a response.
Legal Research
A foundational course for legal studies, this course teaches the steps and overall process of legal research. Topics include courtroom preparation, legal argumentation, and using primary and secondary resources, especially with regard to the internet.
How to Choose the Best Online Legal Studies Program
When choosing a bachelor’s in legal studies program, there are a number of considerations to weigh. Among them are a school’s reputation and accreditation status, the degrees offered, and the faculty. As mentioned above, IPEDS surveys from Title IV schools can also be of help when determining which school is right for you. Meanwhile, there are practical considerations to look at as well, including part- or full-time program options, term start dates, the credit transfer policy, and admissions rate. To help with your research into online bachelor’s degree in legal studies programs, here are a few questions and answers you also may want to inquire about.
What strategies should I follow when choosing my legal studies courses?
The structure of a legal studies program is to provide students with a broad foundation of both law and justice. As part of that foundation, you will have a chance to tailor your degree to a concentration or take electives that focus on one aspect. When choosing courses, you should break down your core curriculum for a bachelor’s in legal studies and then weight your options for the remainder of your credits.
Are there any concerns I should consider in earning an online legal studies degree?
Earning a degree online is becoming more common with every passing year. Advances in technology have made online coursework easier than ever. That said, be aware that earning a degree online requires self-discipline and organizational skills. There are significant differences to on-campus courses, and it may be up to you at times to reach out to instructors and peers for support, questions, or collaborative work.
How will this degree in legal studies help me reach my goals?
To enter a legal profession, you will need at least some postsecondary education. While a paralegal can begin their career with an associate degree, holding a bachelor’s degree in legal studies can only help improve one’s job prospects and earning potential. An online bachelor’s degree in legal studies provides the foundational knowledge to start immediately in a credentialed position that requires a BS.
How do internships work when it comes to an online bachelor’s degree in legal studies?
While an internship is not standard for a bachelor’s in legal studies degree, there are still usually opportunities to take one on with the help of the school. Of course, you should inquire about the curriculum and if there is an internship component in the third or fourth year. If so, you will work with a counselor to establish the best plan to begin your internship locally. Should your program offer only local internships in the school’s city, then you will need to go about finding a workaround that accommodates school policy and your specific situation.
What is the faculty’s background, specifically when it comes to relevant work experience?
Though legal studies is not a pre-law major, it still teaches students the foundations of the American legal and justice system. For this reason, it is important that the instructors given the task of teaching should hold both the academic and professional credentials to do so. Check your prospective school’s faculty page to get information on the professors. In many cases, a professor of legal studies will hold at least a JD and bring years of practical experience.
Scholarships & Financial Aid for Legal Studies Programs
According to the College Board’s report “Trends in College Pricing 2017,” the cost of tuition at four-year institutions continues to rise. The average yearly tuition for an in-state public school in 2017-18 was $9,970, while the cost of a private school was $34,740. Suffice it to say, pursuing an undergraduate degree is a very costly endeavor. It makes sense to invest time in researching, finding, and applying to as many scholarships or grants you may qualify for. Unlike loans, scholarships and grants do not need to be paid back.
LEX Scholarship
Given by the American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE), this award is open to any part- or full-time student who is also part of a Lambda Epsilon Chi (LEX) chapter in their school. Each year, AAfPE awards a $1,500 and a $500 scholarship. To apply, applicants must submit a 500- to 750-word essay on the LEX Scholarship Committee’s selected topic. Applicants also must supply a letter that proves they are in good standing in their local LEX chapter. The committee releases the question in November and all applications are due back by January.
NFPA/Thomas Reuters Scholarship
The purpose of this scholarship from the National Federation of Paralegal Association is to support the further education of the next generation of paralegals. Each year, NFPA awards one $3,000 and one $2,000 scholarship. To apply, students must submit a letter of recommendation from a professor, employer, or program director, their transcript, and an essay answer to the designated topic for that year. Deadline is typically the first of July.
Gene Carte Student Paper Competition
This scholarship program form the American Society of Criminology awards scholarships of $500, $300, and $200 each year. To be eligible, you must be enrolled full-time in an undergraduate or graduate program in criminal justice, criminology, or paralegal studies. This program recognizes scholarly work; your paper is your official submission. Applicants must also submit a letter that verifies their full-time status. Deadline is April 15.
Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship Program
Presented by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, this scholarship program awards four awards ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to college students interested in a career as fraud examiners. Applicants must major in legal studies or criminal justice, accounting, business administration, or finance. Applicants must submit transcripts, demonstrate an interest in stopping fraud, and include two letters of recommendation. The ACFE committee base decisions on the strength of each application. Deadline is in January.
Aiello Harris Legal Scholarship
This annual scholarship is open to all high school seniors who plan to pursue a degree related to law or in paralegal studies. Those already in a college paralegal or law-related degree program may also apply. Eligibility depends on academic record, with minimum a GPA of 3.0. In addition, the applicant must submit an introduction (100-200 words) and a short essay (300-600 words) on the year’s designated topic. The deadline is in July.