Why We Love It
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$52,390Potential Avg. Salary*
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Growing DemandJob Outlook
* Salary & growth data is based on the recent Bureau of Labor and Statistics data published at https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes232011.htm for 23-2011 Paralegals and legal assistants 11/2021. Based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
With a bachelor of science in legal studies, you can take one of two paths. Either you can enter the industry as a legal professional, working as a paralegal or legal assistant, or you can continue your education and enter law school to become a lawyer.
For either approach, a bachelor’s degree in legal studies will provide you with the education you need to do well on the LSAT and/or thrive in legal careers.
What is a Degree in Legal Studies?
A bachelor of science in legal studies is a common pre-law degree program. Students study legal topics at a high level, gaining an introduction to the different disciplines in the legal industry.
This helps students narrow their interests so that they can choose an appropriate field of study upon entering law school. A bachelor’s in legal studies also helps students excel when taking the LSAT, which can help them get into the graduate program of their choice after graduating from an undergraduate program.
For students who aren’t interested or aren’t ready to enter law school after graduation, a legal science degree can help them find relevant work in the industry. Many work for lawyers as legal secretaries and paralegals, researching historical court cases, preparing documents and arguments, and filing paperwork.
Others find work in courtrooms and with judges. Because they have a sound understanding of the legal system and requirements, they’re prepared to enter the workforce right after graduation.
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What Courses Would I Take For a Major in Legal Studies?
- Introduction to Law
- Legal Research
- Legal Ethics
- Legal Writing
- Litigation
- Criminal Law
- Contract Law
- Legal Practices
What Jobs Can You Get with a Degree in Legal Studies?
Lawyers are heavily dependent on their support staff—legal assistants and paralegals—to assist with day-to-day tasks, so demand for these professionals is expected to be sustained in the coming decade.
Additionally, by utilizing support staff to conduct research, filing, and paperwork tasks, lawyers are able to charge clients lower rates, which enables them to acquire more customers. For all of these reasons, it’s expected that individuals with legal services degrees will have a bright future in the industry.
How Long does it take?
A bachelors in Legal Studies will have a typical length of 4 years in a full time schedule. That said, there are many ways to speed up the timeframe by either taking more units via online coursework, community college, or taking free classes at OnlineDegree.com that could transfer to universities in the US.
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Best Jobs for Legal Studies Degrees
With a bachelor’s degree in legal studies, you can continue your education to earn a graduate degree and license as a lawyer, or you can end your education and enjoy a career as a legal secretary or paralegal.
Some individuals also go on to work as district attorneys, prosecutors, and judges later in their careers after gaining professional experience in the legal field as lawyers.
How to save time and money
Our mission is to help you to avoid paying full price for college. We want your Legal Studies degree to be affordable and accessible. Here’s how you could save:
Create Your Free SmartPlan
There are many ways to make college affordable and accessible.
That’s why we created a helpful tool called SmartPlan.
It’s free, and helps you find potential ways to save and tons of information about each school you’re considering
Think of it as your “college blueprint”, to help you instantly craft a path to your degree:
- Which Colleges Match Your Needs
- Ways You Could Save Time & Money
- Free Courses You Could Take for Credit
- Valuable Data and Insights on Each College
- Detailed Steps You Should Take!
See what’s possible for you and generate a free plan within just a few minutes
Create My SmartPlanGet an Associate’s Degree in Paralegal Studies First
Unless you plan to go to law school, a bachelor’s degree isn’t necessarily required. You may be able to find work in the industry as a legal assistant or paralegal with only an associate’s degree in paralegal studies.
Then, if you decide later you want to continue your education or become a lawyer, the credits you earned in the associate’s program may transfer to reduce the number of credits required for your bachelor’s degree.
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