Is a Legal Studies Major Right for You? Career Opportunities and Academic Insights

The job skills you develop in a legal studies major include legal writing and research, document preparation, critical thinking and analysis, and professional responsibility. These abilities are desirable in many fields besides the legal profession. Even if you decide to work in another field, you won’t regret your bachelor’s in legal studies.

Some students know their career goals when they enter college. Others begin their major and find a career path that suits them. As you progress through your legal studies program, you may find a path that fits you better than others. The legal studies major in most colleges is relatively broad. Some courses will appeal to you more than others.

After you leave school, here are some entry-level jobs to consider:

A legal studies program is not a pre-law program. Most colleges do not offer a “pre-law bachelor’s degree.” Legal studies programs provide an overview of law's framework, history, and culture. In addition, like any other undergraduate program, students must complete a typical general education curriculum and the legal core.

Although each college has its program, you can expect a full schedule. You’ll need 16 lower division units and 24 upper division units in your major, plus the general ed requirements. U.C. Berkeley’s sample undergraduate plan recommends doing only prerequisites and general education courses for the first two years.

Your goal should be to have an excellent educational experience and an enjoyable college experience and discover what type of career you want without burning yourself out on studying law. You can do it all if you plan carefully.

There are so many different legal studies degrees that it’s challenging to summarize the “legal studies curriculum.” In some colleges, courses may be grouped according to “distribution requirements,” so students gain knowledge of different types of law. Others have “tracks” that divide legal studies into Regulatory, Private, Public, and General tracks. In addition to core classes, students must pick upper-level courses that prepare them for particular career goals.

The Regulatory track contains topics geared towards public policy and government law. Sample classes include Regulatory Law, Use of AI in Law and Regulation, Public Policy and the Law.

The Public law track is similar but focused on social policy and civil rights. Classes might include the Evolution of American Civil Rights Law, law and Homelessness, and law, Slavery, and Race.

Those taking the Private law track get a grounding in business and technology law, which they’ll need in the business world. Courses like Employment Law, Law and Entrepreneurship, and Law and Economics give students a basic understanding of private law operations.

In the General track, students take at least two to four courses from each other track. This gives them a general perspective on all fields of legal studies but not an in-depth understanding of any single area.

You can expect to study standard courses like:

These are general topics. Each college teaches these courses differently and with different emphases depending on how they group and track classes. For instance, you could learn about the Fourth Amendment (Constitutional Law) during your Criminal Law studies since it affects search and seizure laws. Learning how aspects of law interact is one of the most critical aspects of legal studies.

Getting a legal studies degree doesn’t limit you to the legal profession. You will gain several highly desirable skills employers want to see no matter where you apply. Some of the valuable skills you’ll acquire include:

If you plan on going to law school, you should know right away that legal studies is not pre-law. USC’s Gould School of Law states, “pre-law is a pre-professional emphasis. Pre-law is a resource available to all USC students, and not an actual course of study or a particular academic program.” Most other colleges are similar. “Pre-law” is a concentration, not a course.

A legal studies major gives you better insight into whether law school is right for you. It will give you a grounding in critical analysis and basic legal writing. Legal concepts like contracts and torts will be familiar. Most importantly, you’ll understand some of the tricks of legal research that your law school classmates won’t have.

Law school is a graduate school; graduate programs don’t rely solely on your undergraduate degree. Your writing skills and analytical abilities matter more than which legal classes you took. Use your legal studies major to hone those skills to a fine point, and you’re more likely to get into law school.

The advantages of a legal studies bachelor’s degree are many. You have many legal professions, and the job skills apply to many other fields. You can take a degree in healthcare compliance, government, and more.

The disadvantages of a bachelor’s degree in legal studies are much the same as those of any other four-year degree. You’ll need certifications (such as a paralegal specialization) or an advanced post-graduate degree (a JD or an MLS) to advance in the legal profession. According to informal online forums, employers like to see something “more” besides a four-year degree.

A four-year bachelor’s in legal studies is a great way to ensure your career in the legal profession.

• It opens a wide range of career options

• It teaches you desirable job skills applicable to more than the legal field

• It can help you on your way to law school or other post-graduate work

Contact universities and colleges for information about a legal studies degree. During your vacation or gap year, spend time volunteering or interning in a related field and see whether legal studies is the right job for you.