Is a Bachelor’s in Law Right for You? A Comprehensive Guide to Legal Studies and Career Paths

Not every law-related career demands a law degree. If you’re interested in a government career, business, or even a role in a legal field that doesn’t involve becoming an attorney, spending years in law school getting your JD might be a waste of time and money. The legal profession has expanded in recent years, and many areas that would have required a juris doctorate are now open to those with a bachelor’s that gives them a strong background in law.

You might consider a Bachelor’s in Law if you’re aiming for a career in:

• Regulatory compliance. Compliance officers ensure their company follows the rules and restrictions placed on every industry. Finance, IT, manufacturing, and hospitals all have compliance officers on staff. It’s a good way to combine civil law and an interest in another field.

• Public Advocacy. Social work, civil rights, ombudsman offices, consumer affairs, and similar occupations provide legal support to the public. If you want to help your community but don’t want to spend all your time in the courtroom, these careers combine both types of work.

• Law Enforcement. Federal law enforcement needs legally-trained workers in border work and investigations. Increasing scrutiny of police agencies has led to departments and cities wanting analysts and ethics officers with degrees in law who can work in human resources and investigations.

• Government. Politicians, from mayors to congressional offices, need legally trained staffers who can read documents and translate from the legalese. Correspondents and consultants with legal credentials can find a niche explaining the same for the media.

Once you have a bachelor’s degree, you can continue your legal education. American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law schools will not accept anyone without a bachelor’s degree. Some states have non-accredited schools that will accept someone without a degree, but you’ll need to have completed at least some college courses.

A bachelor's will save you time if you plan to get another graduate degree. A “master’s degree” is an advanced degree showing in-depth knowledge of a particular topic or subject.  For instance, you might get your Bachelor’s in Law, then go on to get a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice.

A Master’s degree can give you greater employability, command higher pay, and open better job positions.

A bachelor’s degree is a four-year degree that includes general education courses (Gen. Ed.) and the core curriculum. Generally, students spend the first two years covering the Gen. Ed. classes, and then two years on the core curriculum. A typical program is about 120 units, consisting of 36 Gen. Ed. units, 33 core or prerequisites, and 51 electives.

The core or prerequisite courses give the student a basic grounding in law. Not every college uses the same core curriculum, but a standard courseload might include:

• Contract Law

• Property Law

• Business Law

• Torts

• Constitutional Law

• Criminal Law

• US Legal System and Constitutional Law

• Legal Writing

This basic courseload gives the student a general overview of the law. Students would also need to select specialized electives such as:

• Entertainment Law

• Intellectual Property/Patent Law

• International Law

• Family Law

• Health Law

• Administrative Law

During the final year, students are often encouraged to complete an internship in an area of interest to gain an understanding of the workings of their chosen profession.

The career options available to bachelor’s degree graduates have increased since the creation of this unique specialization. Most people consider traditional law firm jobs like paralegal, legal assistant, or law enforcement. Other areas where a law-related degree will be useful include:

• Regulatory analysis

• Insurance compliance

• Legal research and analysis

• Personnel services

• Legal advocate or ombudspersons

Other unexpected areas where a bachelor’s in law can be helpful are consumer affairs, claims adjuster, environmental protection, consulting, risk management, even media and public information officers. Wherever people need legalese explained in layperson’s terms, a bachelor’s degree and law experience is essential.

If you discover during your coursework that law school is in your sights, some colleges and universities enable you to transition from your bachelor’s to law school or graduate school.

The B.A program at the University of Arizona can qualify you for a fast track to the Master’s program. You could complete the Master’s of Legal Studies (MLS) in one additional semester. The University of Arizona advisors will also assist students wanting to continue law school. Other colleges with bachelor’s have similar fast-track programs.

If you plan to continue to law school, you should check if your undergraduate school is an accredited law school. You can obtain a JD and sit for the bar exam if you attend an unaccredited school, but there are a few extra hoops to jump through. Double-check the admissions requirements for your chosen schools.

The critical thing in any of these transition programs is improving your study skills and ensuring you have the time and financial support. If you move straight from undergraduate to graduate school, you’ll be away from the job market for some time and may rack up some debt while you do so. Take time to consider your career goals before leaping.

No matter what school you attend, BA in Law curricula is similar in all schools. You will spend the first two years taking general education courses (the so-called “Gen Ed”), and two years in your specialization.

When comparing programs, no matter what degree you’re getting, consider these factors:

1. Tuition costs. Even online programs differ significantly in price. Find out if you can complete the Gen Ed courses at a community college, then transfer to your chosen college. Be sure all units will transfer.

2. Time to complete the degree. Can the degree be completed in three or four years if you need to work? Compare part-time and online degree completion times.

3. Course loads and assignments. Online programs often have more course work, and smaller classes where you’re required to turn in regular assignments. You might trade the convenience of online courses for increased homework.

4. Career services. Will the school give you career development services, or will you be on your own? Check the school’s Google and LinkedIn reviews and see what other graduates have to say about their advisors.

Take time to review the course curriculums and compare the courses. If you want a policy or regulatory specialization, and those courses aren’t available in your preferred college, you have a few options. Bite the bullet and go to a different school, or get creative and discuss the alternatives with the academic advisors at the school you want. Plan ahead. You’ve got four years of work.

Some states, such as Arizona, have a paraprofessional license to apply for once you complete the degree. If you intend to continue to law school, check the law school’s accreditation before applying.

Getting a bachelor’s in law is a very new concept. A degree in law that isn’t a precursor to law school is a novel approach to starting your professional life. In general, any bachelor’s degree is preferable to not having one. A Google search for “is it better to have a bachelor’s degree” gets thousands of results; whereas a search for “is it better to have a bachelor’s degree in law” returns at least 50% responses about the need for an undergraduate degree in law school. (Personal search, 9/3/2024)

Getting your bachelor’s degree in law is a benefit if you don’t plan to become an attorney. The legal field has many outstanding careers that don’t require your JD. Having a bachelor’s that focuses explicitly on law can be a tremendous advantage and give you an edge over applicants with more general degrees.

A Bachelor’s degree in Law is a relatively new and cost-effective way to get a legal degree without the cost and time investment of a law degree. If you don’t plan to become a litigator but want the advantages that legal knowledge provides in your career, then a bachelor’s in law may be just what you need.

Visit the colleges and universities listed here and get more information about their programs, or do some online research. Ask the admissions office for the best ways to apply for your Bachelor’s in Law to advance your law-related career.