Best Colleges with Law Degrees in the U.S.

While a career in law may not actually be like an episode of Law and Order, it’s never the less an excellent choice for those who are always curious. A law degree is formally known as a Juris Doctorate (J.D.), and granted as a graduate degree after one completes a three-year program at a law school. It is the highest education available in the United States in the legal field.

Traditional courses taken in law school include civil law, public law, criminal law, contract law, and business law. When obtaining a law degree, it may seem necessary to live among the book stacks of a law library, but there will be time for fun as well. Along with schoolwork, students working towards a law degree will generally partake in internships and externships or volunteer in legal societies. Due to the rigor and time commitment that comes with the degree, many students do not work and take out loans to cover tuition and cost of living while completing this degree. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Before law school, you’ll need to get an undergraduate degree. The great thing about law is there are a variety of areas of practice, so students with specialized bachelor’s degrees are often more highly desired. Some common undergrad majors include political science, literature, philosophy, and history, which provide the writing and critical thinking practice students will need in law school. However, science degrees are especially beneficial, because students with a science degree will have already proven to do well in rigorous classes. Having a science degree is also great if you want to practice environmental law or represent scientific-based companies.