A Brief History of the Law Major
Lawyers affect every aspect of life and society. Lawyers play a role in everything, from what we buy at the grocery store to how we relate to friends and co-workers. Students who have always wanted to make an impact in their environment can go on to pursue degrees in law. Legal education dates back to the Roman Empire and the era of Greek philosophers. Lawyers have always maintained a prestigious status in society. With the advent of technology, legal education is now available on the web. Many online colleges and universities now offer various levels of law degrees. The online approach is fast becoming a source of debate in the law community. While traditional schools remain largely popular, they don’t always work for every student. Distance learning, on the other hand, is a viable option for working adults, students who live far from law institutions, those in service of their country, and those with family responsibilities. Not all online courses lead to law degrees. Some provide training and certification for those hoping to dive into other aspects of the law field, such as law enforcement, paralegals, and legal studies. Some online programs employ a telecommunications learning modality while others favor an independent study learning approach. Regardless of the focus or format, the benefit of online law degrees is that they afford students the flexibility to pursue their academic dreams without sacrificing their personal ones.
Delving Into the Law Major
The coursework of online law degrees will vary based on institution and area of concentration. Juris Doctor Degree candidates will have already earned a bachelor’s degree as the JD is a professional degree. In addition, programs like these will usually take about four years to complete. Those seeking expedited degrees will have a wide menu of other programs to choose from. Some students may opt for the Executive JD degree, which typically takes about three years to complete, as long as you already have a bachelor’s degree, according to Duke University. An Executive JD is a good supplement to prior knowledge in paralegal work. Many colleges and universities give students opportunities to work towards a master’s degree in Law. The online program may differ from the education offered at brick-and-mortar institutions. Students engage in active virtual learning through sample studies, group projects, case studies, and simulations. Web-based programs provide students with online collaborative tools such as discussion boards, wikis, articles, and messaging to facilitate discussion, debate and collaboration among students and faculty. Course materials are usually accessible online in various forms, including text, streaming media, audio recordings of required readings, and more. Depending on the degree program, students can expect to take courses on topics like Ethics and Social Justice, Managerial Law, Legal Research and Writing and more, though coursework will vary widely depending on the student’s interests and ultimate goals.
Degree Levels:
Associate
The first two years of legal studies provides an overview of the essential ideas that constitute the law discipline. This curriculum introduces students to the foundations of the American legal system and the fundamentals of legal analysis and legal argumentation. Students who choose to pursue a legal education will start with a foundational education in the field. This degree level will encourage pre-law students to think, analyze and communicate about legal developments. An online Associate Degree program can also help prepare students for work in the paralegal system. Candidates will learn to carry out research, record-keeping, drafting, investigatory, and various administrative functions under the supervision of an attorney or court.
Bachelor’s
A Bachelor of Laws (or L.L.B.) degree can also be of immense value to those doing legal research or paralegal work. Students with pre-law degrees will find opportunities to work towards a Master’s degree in Law at certain online colleges, with courses that are designed to help those in the legal support professions. The bachelor’s curriculum places emphasis on the basics of the U.S. legal system and helps students build communication, critical thinking, and research skills. Many online colleges and universities require a bachelor’s degrees in legal studies for admission into law school.
Master’s
Those seeking specialized knowledge in law will continue on to the L.L.M. program. This is the equivalent of a master’s degree. Law students at the master’s level complete research papers and a Master’s Degree thesis on legal issues confronting their state, city or other organizations. By the end of the master’s program, students will gain a perspective on the crucial role of law in society. The bachelor’s program prepares every student to pass the bar and to enter the legal profession as a practicing lawyer in an area of their choosing.
Doctorate
The research doctorate in law is known as S.J.D. or "Doctor of Juridicial Science" ("Scientiae Juridicae Doctor" in Latin). This is the highest level of law education in the United States of America. The purpose of a doctorate program in law is to provide a robust training in legal education. The goal is to help learners reinforce mastery of the law discipline. By the end of the education, each student will have prepared a draft proposal for a thesis that is intellectually rigorous, feasible, and equips the student with tools necessary to succeed in the law profession. The doctorate law program seeks to provide candidates with a rigorous and intellectually challenging legal education that prepares them to function in the wide range of activities that occupy a lawyer’s professional life.
Supplementing Your Law Major
Law is a broad and versatile profession. Law students who wish to specialize have many areas to choose from. Areas of concentration include, but are not limited to: Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, Community Procedure, Bankruptcy Law, Sports Law, Health Care Law, Torts, and a host of other specializations. Some online institutions offer web-based Executive JD programs. This is ideal for students who want to benefit from a law education. It is usually a three-year course of study tailored to meet individual needs. EJD graduates can use their newly minted degree to strengthen careers, open up job opportunities or enhance personal knowledge. Practicing attorneys who want to acquire practical knowledge or assume larger roles in the legal system can pursue an LLM degree to enhance advancement opportunities. Lawyers can be found in all walks of life. The versatility of law education allows indviduals to work in government agencies, private firms, congress, or even start their own law organizations.
Learn More About the Law Major
- American Criminal Law Review
- American Journal of Criminal Law
- University Law Review
- Duke Law Lectures
- Harvard Law School
- Constitutional Law
- Economic Analysis of Law
The Law Major in the Job Market
The legal profession affects every aspect of daily life. Few occupations enjoy as much prestige and financial reward as law. A degree in a law related field can open up a lot of doors for students, and those living in the often overly litigious United States will find a wealth of job opportunities as lawyers and paralegals. For lawyers, while there are numerous jobs available competition for them is stiff as thousands of students graduate from law schools each year. Many students will want to enter into a private law firm or maybe even start their own once they get a little experience under their belts. Those working in the paralegal or legal assistantship fields may fare a little easier on the job market. The job market for these careers is supposed to grow quickly in the coming years as law firms cut costs by having paralegals do work once done by lawyers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual income for salaried lawyers was $110,590 in 2008. The middle half of the profession earned between $74,980 and $163,320. Actual salaries will vary based on region, experience and area of specialization.
Careers I Can Get with This Degree:
