Online Legal Studies Degree: The Benefits and Opportunities

• Constitutional Law
• Contracts
• Litigation
• Civil Law

• Official high school transcripts:

  Official transcripts must be mailed or emailed from your high school.

• Official college transcripts, if any:

  Some schools may accept college credits instead of high school transcripts, depending on the courses and your GPA.

• For some colleges, homeschooled students must demonstrate competency in secondary school curriculum through the Common Application Secondary School Report. Schools may also wish to see SAT/ACT scores.

• International students may need to provide a TOEFL or alternate test of English assessment.

• Paralegal:

  Paralegals are certified legal professionals who often handle legal research and writing for the attorney. These professionals may write briefs and legal memos, gather discovery, and assemble case files for their attorneys.

• Compliance Officer:

  Financial, healthcare, and corporate businesses must follow complex government regulations to avoid legal issues. A compliance officer must understand the legal aspects of their industry, the paperwork involved, and what penalties their company faces for lack of compliance.

• Policy Analyst:

  Policy analysts work in all levels of government, nonprofit, and even private business. They analyze the laws and their agency mission statements to assess how their activities impact the community. Policy analysts must understand all aspects of state and federal law and business relations.

• Law Office Manager:

  Law office managers must coordinate all activities of a busy law office, including secretaries, legal assistants, attorneys, and clients. Even if they don’t handle any legal matters themselves, the manager must know what is happening when other office personnel ask questions and have matters that need to be addressed.

• Asynchronous classes mean you can log into classes when it’s convenient for you. You’re not locked into set class times.

• You can keep your current job and stay in your location. You don’t need to move or try to juggle hours and days off, trying to fit work into your school schedule.

• Although online degrees often have the same per-unit cost as in-person degrees, you’ll save money by not needing to commute or relocate to a new town to get your degree.

• Some students don’t learn well in a remote setting. If you’re one of those students, you should think carefully before getting an online degree.

• Online classwork requires a reliable high-speed internet connection. If you know your technology is unreliable, you may need to consider a hybrid class, or an in-person class instead.

Frequently Asked Questions About Online Legal Studies Degrees

• Is an online legal studies degree respected by employers?

  Your bachelor’s degree is just as much a four-year degree as any other degree received from an accredited university. Some schools do not put “online” on your diploma. Your concern should be that the school you attend is accredited by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or other associations.

• Can I transfer my credits to a J.D. program?

  Juris Doctorate (J.D.) programs do not transfer credits. What they require is a four-year degree. If you decide to pursue a law degree, you must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college. If your online degree was obtained from an accredited school, you can apply to a law school.

• What technical requirements should I expect?

  Any standard computer and internet connection should be able to handle an online degree. However, your connection must be reliable, and you should be able to handle Zoom or Skype calls. Courses may have live meetings with professors or other classmates. If you live in an area with intermittent connectivity, consider installing a dedicated line while you’re taking classes.