As non-traditional education moves from the fringes to the mainstream in American society, more and more people are looking to further their career by enrolling in online colleges and universities. Online law school allows any student to avoid the time and financial commitments of traditional class-based legal education, potentially saving tens of thousands of dollars and allowing them to graduate sooner and begin their career. Not all online law schools, however, deliver the same quality content, meaning that a potential student needs to be careful about their decision.
Online Law Schools
There are several different law school online courses that will help a student begin their career. Some are all-inclusive, meaning that it is possible to complete a full JD and be ready for employment as a lawyer upon graduation. Others are only a partial course listing, meaning that a student can knock out certain preliminary courses for a fraction of the cost of an actual law school before continuing their education. Many accredited universities, such as Washington University’s law school, have begun to offer full immersion online courses. This allows both foreign and local students to complete coursework away from traditional classes.
Legal Programs In Online Law School
While the juris doctor degree needed to become a practicing attorney remains the highest possible degree available from online law schools, not all are geared towards providing full employment for future attorneys. Others focus on paralegal education or criminal justice courses for future guardians of the peace. Not all the same institutions who offer law school online courses will have criminal justice courses, but many allow a student to determine different types of coursework they can pursue in order to graduate.
Why Choose Online Education?
The traditional education field of pencil-and-paper classroom lectures and examinations are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Nearly one third of all college courses are taken from home, since an Internet connection allows students to communicate with instructors and each other just as efficiently as they would be able to do in person. Online education, furthermore, is extremely inexpensive, since it is not necessary to pay for the physical facilities. A student does not need to consider moving or commuting when they choose law school. The price difference can be tens of thousands of dollars each year, a major advantage for those who are hoping to complete their education on a budget.
Courses In Online Law
Like any law school, the principle type of coursework for online law schools remains the Socratic method, in which a class of one to two dozen students engage with a professor. These courses include introduction to legal practices, legal ethics, and the myriad fields of law. Whether you want to become a real estate lawyer or a tax attorney, online law school courses help you realize that goal.
Beginning A Career
Since the demand for lawyers is less than the supply, developing career prospects is no less challenging for graduates of a law school online than the traditional university. However, online universities pride themselves on their after-education capabilities, providing networking and contacts for students to begin internships or get hired after graduation.
Why Go To This Type of School?
Some of the very best universities offer online law school. Georgetown University, one of the most prestigious law schools in the nation, partnered with universities in North Carolina and California to offer comprehensive online education. Even if it was pursued online, a Georgetown degree is more liable to get a person employed than a state university degree.
How To Get Admitted To An Online School
Like a traditional law school, it will be necessary for a student to first complete a four-year undergraduate degree. This does not need to be a pre-law focus, but must have taught critical thinking and writing skills needed for a legal career. The student must have references and recommendations in order to be accepted, as well as LSAT scores indicating their capability for complex decision making.