Top 10 Schools for Online Degrees in Law in the US: An online law degree provides students with a foundation in U.S. law, government powers, and public policy connections. So, if you are interested in pursuing a career in the legal profession but cannot afford the exorbitant legal fees of the onsite institutions, then you should consider pursuing an online degree program in law. Several US institutions offer online law degree programs that teach students to examine legal documents, research precedents, and argue points in speech and writing.
Online legal studies degrees prepare students for law school and other careers requiring legal knowledge. Legal occupations are expected to grow by 9% between 2016 and 2026, with arbitrators, mediators, facilitators, paralegals, and legal assistants growing by 15%. These programs help develop leadership, critical thinking, and communication skills.
Online law schools are gaining popularity due to technology, offering distance learning programs for students who cannot attend traditional classes. This article explores the benefits, challenges, and potential benefits of online law schools, focusing on whether they are a good option for prospective law students who want to pursue their legal education without leaving their jobs or relocating.
Career Opportunities for Online Law Graduates
Individuals with online degrees in law have a variety of career opportunities available to them. Here are some potential career paths and workplaces for individuals with online law degrees:
- Legal Practice: Lawyer/Attorney: Provide legal advice and represent clients in court.
- Legal Consultant: Offer specialized legal advice on specific areas of law.
- Corporate Sector: Corporate Counsel: Handle in-house legal matters for corporations.
- Government Agencies: Government Attorney: Work for government agencies dealing with legal issues and representing the government.
- Nonprofit Organizations: Legal Advocacy: Contribute to nonprofit organizations as legal advocates.
- Legal Technology and Innovation: Legal Tech Consultant: Explore opportunities in legal technology.
- Compliance and Risk Management: Compliance Officer: Ensure organizations adhere to legal and regulatory requirements.
- Legal Writing and Publishing: Legal Writer/Editor: Contribute to legal publications.
- Academia and Research: Legal Researcher: Engage in legal research.
- Court Administration: Court Administrator: Manage court processes, schedules, and personnel.
- Human Resources: HR Specialist/Manager: Use legal knowledge in human resources.
- Real Estate and Property Management: Real Estate Attorney: Specialize in real estate law.
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Advantages of Pursuing Law Degrees Online
Legal degrees, like a Master of Legal Studies or a Master of Studies in Law, are designed for non-lawyers seeking a solid understanding of the law for their future profession. These degrees can benefit paralegals, human resources managers, compliance officers, and health services managers. Online legal degree programs offer flexibility, lower costs, and networking opportunities.
Students can take courses at their own pace, balancing work and family commitments, and study from anywhere with a reliable internet connection. Online courses are often cheaper and provide financial aid, making legal education more accessible. Online forums and discussion boards also help build professional networks.
Challenges and Solutions in Online Legal Education
Online law schools offer numerous benefits, but they also face challenges such as lack of accreditation by the American Bar Association (ABA), lack of hands-on experience, and academic integrity issues. Traditional law schools offer clinical programs, internships, and externships, providing students with practical experience essential for success in the legal profession. Online law schools may not offer the same level of practical experience, potentially disadvantaging graduates in the job market. To ensure academic integrity, law schools must implement plagiarism detection software and proctor exams.
Online law schools are suitable for students who balance studies with work or family commitments, live in remote areas, or cannot relocate to traditional law schools. However, they may not be suitable for those seeking hands-on experience or practicing law in states that require ABA accreditation. Students in highly competitive fields, such as corporate law or international law, may benefit more from traditional law schools with more networking and job placement opportunities.
How to Work and Online Law Studies
1. Create clear time boundaries and set a routine
Working hours should be separate from study hours, with core hours being 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and work emails not checking outside of that time. Use lunch breaks for errands, and avoid cutting into study time. Set good routines, not just law school routines, and stick to them to develop a specific pattern of behaviors.
Discipline is crucial for success, and self-discipline is a key motivator, as noted by St. Francis graduate Frederick Chernoff. Embracing these routines can help you stay on track and succeed in your studies.
2. Adopt a time management strategy that works for you.
A study routine and effective time management are crucial for law school success. A clear agenda helps prevent distractions and ensure full focus. Time management apps like RescueTime, Remember the Milk, Focus Keeper, and Focus@Will can track usage, block distractions, and sync across devices.
Focus Keeper uses the Pomodoro technique to increase focus, while Focus@Will uses music for productivity. Sharp concentration is essential both in class and outside of class, and efficient tracking of class activities can increase comprehension and recollection.
3. Give yourself time for self-care
Law school is a demanding environment, and it’s crucial to schedule mental breaks to stay on track. Allow yourself time for enjoyable activities like movies, dinners with friends, or a few episodes of your favorite show on Saturday mornings. These breaks should be planned and scheduled to help you stay focused and prevent burnout. It’s essential to prioritize sleep, meals, and mental breaks to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
4. Develop a support system around you
Working full-time and attending law school can be overwhelming, so it’s essential to have a strong support system. Recruit family members to help with test preparation or friends to support you. Find fellow students and professors who can offer advice and help. A sense of community can be difficult to find in any school, so it’s essential to interact with others.
Reach out for help, such as joining study groups or attending office hours with professors. Grit, time management, and study skills are essential for success, but these can be developed together.
5. Set priorities and focus on the most important tasks
Mastering the skill of prioritizing tasks in law school is crucial for effective time management. Start by creating a list of tasks, such as studying for exams or writing papers. Prioritize the most important ones and work your way down to less important ones. Focus on one task at a time, rather than multitasking, as this approach is generally less effective.
6. Do fun things
Law school is a time for students to grow not only academically, but also personally. Making time for fun is an important part of the law school experience. By participating in activities outside of class, students can learn more about themselves and the world around them. Simply having fun can help relieve stress, lead to new friendships, and provide a much-needed break from schoolwork. So go out and have some fun! Your future self will thank you.
Specializations in Online Law Programs
Choosing the Best Online Law Program
Most institutions offer hybrid or online law programs that combine affordability and quality. These programs are expected to pay off in a lifetime, with graduates ensuring their hard work is not wasted. While choosing the best school for online degree program, consider the annual cost, return on investment, and reputation of the school.
Top 10 Schools for Online Degree in Law in the US
1. Liberty University
Liberty University offers an online Bachelor of Science in Law and Policy – Pre-Law, aimed at students aspiring to become lawyers. The degree is grounded in a biblical worldview, fostering professional and spiritual growth. Students learn key legal domains and ethical reasoning, including Jurisprudence and Constitutional Criminal Procedure.
Graduates can pursue careers in legal assistants, legislative analysts, and public administrators. The degree also includes a Public Policy concentration, aimed at those interested in law and government work.
2. Villanova University
Villanova University, a prestigious private institution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, offers a flexible online format for its non-traditional and online programs. Established in 1842 by the Order of Saint Augustine, the university provides a rigorous curriculum and hands-on learning opportunities for students.
The Graduate Tax Program, a joint program between the Charles Widger School of Law and the School of Business, offers three online graduate degrees and certificate programs for accounting, business, and legal professionals. The Master of Laws (LLM) in Taxation is designed for practicing attorneys, while the Master of Taxation (MT) degree is geared towards accountants. The program also offers an online JD/LLM in Taxation degree for on-campus JD students.
Additionally, online graduate Certificate Programs in Employee Benefits, Estate Planning, and State and Local Taxation can be completed as standalone certificates or in conjunction with the LLM or MT degree.
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3. Texas A&M School of Law
Texas A&M School of Law, established in 1989 as the Dallas/Fort Worth School of Law, offers non-traditional legal studies at various levels and focuses. Graduates can earn an online Master of Jurisprudence (M.Jur.) in Wealth Management or Risk Management, with 30 credits and 24 credits respectively. Students with a J.D. law degree or first law degree from a non-U.S. law school can earn an online Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Wealth Management or Risk Management, with 24 credits.
Both on-campus and online programs are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and have acquiescence from the American Bar Association (ABA). The comprehensive academic undertaking in Wealth Management draws professionals from various disciplines, including investment, tax, charitable giving, and estate planning. The asynchronous online curriculum enables students to study anytime, anywhere, and is completed within 24 credit hours.
4. New York University, NYU School of Law
New York University, NYU School of Law, founded in 1835, is a premier law school with numerous rankings. It ranks second out of all law schools globally and first in the US for International Law and Tax Law. The Master of Laws in Taxation Program is designed for students interested in taxation, estate planning, and business taxation.
For 65 years, NYU’s Law Graduate Tax Programs have been offered from Greenwich Village, but now many programs can be taken from anywhere with video technology, online portals, and smart tablet notes from faculty.
5. Boston University School of Law
Boston University School of Law, established in 1872 by three Methodist men, aims to be inclusive and accessible to all students, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or gender. The school became a chartered Association of American Law Schools member in 1900 and is located in the Charles River Campus. The US News and World Report ranked it as the 8th best Tax Law Program in the country.
The school offers several online classes and programs, including a fully online Masters in Law’s in Taxation degree program, which can be completed full-time or part-time, or fast-tracked.
The program was designed for lawyers with a busy schedule unable to attend in-person classes in Boston.
6. Michigan State University (MSU)
Michigan State University (MSU), founded in 1855, is a top research university in the world, with 25 undergraduate and graduate programs ranked in the top 20 nationally by U.S. News and World Report. The university’s Global Food Law Program aims to equip lawyers, regulators, and industry professionals with the skills to navigate the dynamic system of laws governing food safety and regulation.
The LL.M. program is designed for law practitioners or those with a previous law degree, while the M.J. program is designed for non-lawyers. Both programs focus on food regulations, laws, safety, health, traditional/religious practices, international law, and labeling. The LL.M. program requires 24 credit hours to graduate, while the M.J. program requires 26.
The university was initially designated the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan and was also one of the first to focus specifically on the science of agriculture. Far from these specific roots, it is now one of the top research universities in the world, spending over $528 million in research annually.
7. Arizona State University (ASU)
Arizona State University (ASU) is a highly innovative institution known for its innovative online and hybrid education models. The Territorial Normal School, founded in 1886, laid the groundwork for excellence in higher education in Arizona. ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor School of Law offers a Juris Doctorate (JD) Flexible Schedule degree program, catering to those who need a non-traditional education model.
This program discourages full-time work outside of coursework, but encourages students with life commitments that don’t allow for typical law school study habits. The main difference between this program and the traditional JD path is the ability to reduce the per semester course load by one to two courses.
8. University of Nebraska-Lincoln
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is the first school in the US to offer a Space, Cyber, and Telecommunications Law degree program. The program aims to synthesize technology and law, ensuring that laws protect citizens while embracing technology innovations. Students can contribute to this evolving field by creating unique discourse through a book-length thesis on space law.
The program is delivered primarily online, allowing students to earn their Master of Laws while continuing their professional careers. However, three credit hours must be achieved on campus through a residency within the first two semesters.
Students also have the opportunity to participate in one UNL Space, Telecom, Law hosted seminar or conference in person.
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9. University of Massachusetts
The University of Massachusetts in Irvine, California, offers an online legal studies degree, focusing on topics like white-collar crime, conflict resolution, and Supreme Court decisions. The program covers legal research, writing, contracts, and ethics, with concentrations in business law or paralegal studies. The degree requires 120 credits and offers full-time enrollment options. No in-person requirements are required. The application Fee: $85
10. Pennsylvania State University
Penn State University offers an online legal studies degree through its College of the Liberal Arts, focusing on law and society. The degree covers legal systems, principles, and processes in the US. Students pay a flat-rate tuition per credit, regardless of residency status. Penn State’s Career Services provides career coaching, internships, graduate school information, and employer networking opportunities. Full-time enrollment options are available.
