Masters in Legal Studies Online Degree Programs: MA, MS or MS/LS

A masters in legal studies degree is reserved for professionals who wish to study law without becoming attorneys. Topics covered within a master of legal studies program are often similar to the topics covered by a first year J.D. candidate, and may include constitutional law, civil procedure, and contracts. While J.D. programs typically last three years, many masters in legal studies programs last just one. Below are the top online colleges offering masters degrees in legal studies and closely related programs including Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement.

Legal studies revolve around the law and justice. It is common for someone who later wishes to go to law school to become a judge or work in the upper ranks of law enforcement to obtain a masters in legal studies. A masters in legal studies improves you earning power and the job opportunities that are available to you when entering the work force. Undergrad work is often in business or legal studies.

One area of students that are obtaining masters in legal studies are PhD students. Those who already hold a PhD are finding themselves more appealing to potential employers if they have an extensive background in law. With a masters in legal studies you can serve as a legal business consultant in your area of expertise. For those who have spent time studying areas that may not have readily available jobs such as music or education. People with a PhD in some areas often end up in teaching careers. Someone studying technology can further their earning power by getting a masters in legal studies and focusing on issues such as property law. When it comes to technology, the legal industry has many new areas to work with such as property and privacy laws. This will be a rapidly growing field for many years to come, as only the surface has been scratched regarding Internet laws. Adding a masters in legal studies to the mix allows you to be a consultant and make a very lucrative career out of an area of study they enjoy and are experts in.

What career can I have with a masters in legal studies?

Legal business consultant

Businesses often have a legal business consultant on hand to wade through the laws and regulations a business by follow. This may be a contract position or you may be on salary. A legal business consultant helps a business go through all contracts, negotiations and property purchases. A legal business consultant may have an are of expertise such as real estate, but in most cases legal business consultants are brought in for any legal help a business needs. Large companies bring in legal business consultants when going over new information over buying or selling portions of the company. A business owner may also bring in a legal business consultant to conduct due diligence when working with a potential partner or company.

Legal business consultant at a firm

In this position you do the same as mentioned above, only you're working for a firm, so networking is not as crucial. It is still important you have excellent communication skills for speaking with clients and conveying your message in an articulate manner. Legal business consultants who work at a firm are assigned to one client and typically work with that client for a long duration of time. Should the client call upon the firm again in the future, this same consultant will take on the new project. The need for legal business consultants is 31% of social workers are employed by the government. Over half work in the social assistance and health sectors. You may work with clients with little education or background on their rights. It is your job to see these people are well-represented and get the proper resources to improve their situation. You may also work for the city over a team of social workers. Social workers in large urban cities can make $60,000, but in most markets a social worker makes around $40,000 per year.