Posted by Jen Zeman on May 6th, 2009
My online bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies did not provide me with a career as a paralegal as I had originally anticipated. What I learned are most law firms, especially the larger ones that pay well, look primarily for experience over having a degree. I had no experience in a law firm which worked against me, even as I vividly described the legal experience gained with my online courses. Many firms would offer entry-level clerical positions, but I was at a point in my career where I was not willing to start over again in terms of salary (i.e. it would have been a significant decrease in pay).
In spite of this, I still found earning my degree extremely rewarding. It was one of my major life goals, both personally and professionally. Obtaining the degree after years of hard work and sacrifice was a truly joyous occasion, making me feel I was capable of just about anything I put my mind on. Ultimately the degree paid off as I was able to obtain a well-paying, highly-coveted federal government position that requires individuals to have a bachelor’s degree. The research and analytical skills I learned online at UMUC have proven to be in-demand within my current position and in many other career positions within the government. I am confident that advancement opportunities abound with the education I received.
If you do not end up in the career field you anticipated upon graduation, don’t despair. A variety of opportunities may appear at your feet instead – just keep your mind and eyes open. Obtaining an online degree will never be a wrong decision.
Posted by Jen Zeman on February 4th, 2009
As someone who is interested in researching facts and finding answers, I felt becoming a paralegal would be the perfect career path to follow. The University of Maryland University College (UMUC) offers a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies completely online, so this is the program I chose to complete. I had no previous experience in a law firm nor did I possess an associate’s degree in legal studies (I have an Associate of Arts in General Studies). Neither is required for this program. Your studies will begin with an Introduction to Law course and it builds from there. I completed courses such as Legal Writing, Techniques of Legal Research, Intellectual Property, Torts, and Advanced Legal Writing. You can select upper-level legal courses based on the area of law you would like to end up working in such as family law or contract law. A complete listing of the legal courses can be found here: http://www.umuc.edu/programs/undergrad/courses/lgstcat.shtml#lgst101
Program requirements for UMUC’s Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies can be found here: http://www.umuc.edu/programs/undergrad/lgst/
I found the courses to be challenging, but interesting. The curriculum overall involves a lot of research (naturally), and a lot of writing. The law is complex in any area, so a keen eye for detail and the ability to be thorough when conducting research is essential. Equally as important is the ability to write well since major functions of a paralegal’s job duties are writing legal memorandums and court documents. These documents need to be concise, clearly detailing the legal issue at hand and clearly explaining the client’s position. If you don’t like to write, legal studies may not be for you!
I also completed a minor in humanities which complemented my legal studies courses. The humanities minor delved mainly into philosophy courses. These courses assist in expanding critical thinking skills and enabled me to look at legal case studies from a different perspective and allowed me to see “the big picture”.
If your desire is to eventually enroll in law school, the B.S. in Legal Studies is a perfect foundation.
Posted by Jen Zeman on December 22nd, 2008
When I started my search for an online degree program, I requested information from about three different schools, all within my home state of Maryland. I wanted to start my search local before considering out-of-state institutions, primarily because I knew in-state colleges and universities would accept more transfer credits and in-state tuition would be less expensive. The information I received included full admissions packets and I did find the information helpful since it helped me determine if the school offered online degree programs AND in the discipline I wanted to study (i.e. legal studies). As I have mentioned before, I was fortunate to find the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) offered an online legal studies bachelor’s degree.
I am very satisfied still to this day with the quality of education and the online experience with UMUC, so I do not have any regrets in not requesting information from additional schools for my bachelor’s degree. When I started a search for master’s degrees online, I broadened my search to include more out-of-state institutions and requested information from about three schools. I did this because I found most colleges and universities offer online graduate degrees mainly in business or education fields; I was looking for a liberal arts graduate degree. I found a few schools that offered an online graduate liberal arts degree and found a good program at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. The best advice is to know what you want to study and keep searching. A larger variety of online programs become available each year, so you are bound to find what you are looking for. Requesting information is not a commitment to any particular school, so gather as much information as possible and then develop a pros and cons list for each. This will help you narrow your search to the eventual ideal institution. Happy hunting!
