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Best 15 Legal Studies Degree Programs in 2024

January 26, 2024 | Admin

Legal Studies Degree

A law degree involves the study of different legislations that govern society. A degree in law is important for those who want to make a change in the justice system. Nevertheless, a law degree does not only lead you to solve court cases. With a law degree, you’ll be able to represent individuals, cooperation, and even governments on legal matters in and outside the court system.

Rank School Location
1New York University School of LawNew York City, New York
2Columbia University- Columbia Law SchoolNew York City, New York
3Harvard Law School Cambridge, Massachusetts
4Georgetown University Law CenterWashington, D.C., United States
5Fordham University School of LawNew York City, New York
  • To establish a strong foundation in academics – Most courses especially in the business world require knowledge of the law.
  • Variety of career options – With a law degree, your guaranteed financial security and good-paying careers.
  • Legal studies enable you to develop exemplary critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills.
  • The power to bring changes to the justice system – If you believe that there are flaws in the justice system, pursuing legal studies will give you a chance to make the difference you desire.
  • You become more aware of your rights and responsibility as a member of society.
  • Finally, a legal studies degree poses an intellectual challenge and inspires you to learn more.

If you need help finding a college or university that offers you a degree of preference we can help. Below are the 15 best universities and colleges offering a degree in legal studies.

1

New York University School of Law

  • New York City, New York
  • Points: 96

New York University offers a versatile LL.M Program that should pique the interest of any legal student with serious ambition. Whether the student wishes to take on corporate, trade, international or intellectual property, the program is designed to cater to varying interests. The curriculum is designed to keep abreast with both current affairs in the US and beyond, but also old established concepts in human rights, international business transactions, environmental law and conservation, and energy law.

School Overview

Tuition: $66,036
Program Length: 9 months
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2

Columbia University- Columbia Law School

  • New York City, New York
  • Points: 95

Columbia University is diverse and offers several options in their LL.M Program. From Constitutional Law regulation and public policy to Litigation and Dispute Resolution, there is practically no specialization that you can miss out on should you opt for their program. There are specializations available in Criminal Justice, Data Analytics, Environment, and Energy among others. The program enables the student to take part in other activities like moot courts and pro bono work making for a very well-rounded program.

School Overview

Tuition: $72,352
Program Length: 10 Months
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3

Harvard Law School

  • Cambridge, Massachusetts
  • Points: 90

Harvard Law School is a world-renowned institution that has produced some of the brightest legal minds including former President Obama and his dear wife Michelle Obama. It has an enviable LL.M program with excellent professors, a proven track record, and a transition to the workforce rate that is almost second to none. The curriculum is rich and diverse and gives students a wide selection to choose from. There are more than 500 courses offered to graduate students every year in various specializations. Each year, there are workshops to tackle such legal topics that are prevalent in the current society.

School Overview

Tuition: $65,875
Program Length: 12 Months
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4

Georgetown University Law Center

  • Washington, D.C., United States
  • Points: 87

Georgetown University Law Center is found a few blocks from the Supreme Court in Washington DC, making it one of the most strategically placed colleges in America. 100% of Supreme Court cases were mooted at Georgetown in 2019-20 making it the premier institution in the country to allow for interaction with the most important jurisprudence in the land. The faculty is unsurprisingly made up of officials from courts, corporations, and agencies with their headquarters in the Capital assuring students of the very best. The program is full-time, but with options for part-time and online programs.

School Overview

Tuition: $69,050
Program Length: 12 Months
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5

Fordham University School of Law

  • New York City, New York
  • Points: 86
Outdoor view of college campus

Situated in New York City, the nation’s legal and business hub, Fordham Law School attracts individuals from around the globe who are driven to move our profession, society, and world forward. We offer a warm and welcoming community and a curriculum that combines a foundation in enduring legal principles, outstanding opportunities for real-world training, and exposure to emerging theories, techniques, and technologies. With nine in-person LL.M. program areas to choose from, students have the opportunity to specialize in a legal discipline with the support of its fulltime professors and adjunct faculty members drawn from leading law firms, companies, and governmental and non-governmental organizations. Beyond the classroom, Fordham Law offers experiential learning opportunities, where students apply their knowledge and gain practical training. The LL.M. program is offered both full-time and part-time and students can start in either the fall (August) or spring (January) semester. Successful completion of the in-person LL.M. program allows most candidates to gain eligibility to sit for the New York Bar exam. Fordham Law now also offers fully online LL.M. degree programs in U.S. Law and Corporate Compliance.

School Overview

In-person Tuition: $63,992
Online Tuition: $56,928
Program Length: 9-12 Months (full-time)
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6

The University of Southern California- USC Gould School of Law

  • Los Angeles, California
  • Points: 84
Outdoor view of college campus

The University of Southern California- USC Gould School of Law is on the West Coast and offers one of the most diverse LL.M programs in the country. Aside from the standard LL.M program that runs over the course of a year, the school also has an extended two-year LL.M program which introduces the student to English Law then eases them into American Law while tackling the salient issues in the curriculum. There are also specializations in Alternative Dispute Resolution, International Business and Economic Law, and Privacy Law and Cybersecurity among others. A student wishing to get a wide selection can not go wrong with this college.

School Overview

Tuition: $68 682
Program Length: 9 Months
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7

University of Houston Law Center (UHLC)

  • Houston, Texas
  • Points: 81

University of Houston Law Center (UHLC) is one of the leading schools in the country offering a program in Health Law. It also offers the second-best LL.M tax program according to Corporate Counsel. This is in addition to having a robust Intellectual Property and Information Law program. It is the leading law school in Texas with distance programs in Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Law and Tax Law. It has a more affordable tuition fee compared to the others in this list while not compromising on the quality of education.

School Overview

Tuition: $ 43,392
Program Length: 12 Months
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8

University of Miami School of Law

  • Coral Gables, Florida
  • Points: 79

University of Miami School of Law is the leading institution on the south coast right in the middle of Florida. It offers a respectable selection of programs with a special emphasis on Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law, and Real Estate and Property Law. Most programs are full time in person, with a few of them being online like taxation of cross border investment. The program also has a very gender-balanced intake, with almost 50% of the student intake being female. The programs are also neatly separated between locally trained attorneys and foreign-trained ones.

School Overview

Tuition: $54,134
Program Length: 9 Months
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9

Boston University School of Law

  • Boston, Massachusetts
  • Points: 78

Boston University School of Law is ranked among the best in the country, featuring in the top 10 in Banking & Financial Law, the Tax LLM Program, and Intellectual Property Law. In addition to its General LL.M Program, it also offers other specializations like the LL.M in American Law program for international law practitioners to acquaint themselves with US law and practice. This program is also very gender-sensitive with many as 63% of the students being women.

School Overview

Tuition: $57,650
Program Length: 9 Months
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10

George Washington University Law School

  • Washington, D.C.
  • Points: 78
Statue of George Washington on college campus

George Washington University Law school, aptly named after the nation’s founding father is the second school on the list found in Washington DC. It also boasts having a faculty that also actively testifies and speaks at the Supreme Court. The professors do such a stellar job that the alumni have gone on to become Attorney Generals, Chief Justices, powerful ministers, ambassadors, judges, and partners at top law firms. The variety of programs offered is mind-boggling: energy and environmental law, environmental law, government procurement law, government procurement and environmental law, intellectual property law, international and comparative law, international environmental law, litigation and dispute resolution, national security and cybersecurity law, and national security and U.S. foreign relations law.

School Overview

Tuition: $53,400
Program Length: 12 Months
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11

University of Chicago Law School

  • Chicago, Illinois
  • Points: 75

University of Chicago Law School offers something different from the other schools on this list. There are no specialized programs that a student may or may not take. The student is allowed to design his own program putting the combinations that work best for him. This may include courses such as criminal law, antitrust law, tax law, in the combinations that work best for the student. The class size is kept small to allow for maximum interaction between professors and the students. The quality of education is very high as a result and boasts one of the best students to faculty ratios in this whole list.

School Overview

Tuition: $68,652
Program Length: 9 Months
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12

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law

  • Chicago, Illinois
  • Points: 72

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law is also found in Chicago, Illinois. It offers a variety of programs for both local and foreign students with specializations in taxation and international human rights law. It also offers executive LL.M programs for both American and non-US students who want to accelerate their business-related program by also working during the summer with corporates. It also has one of the best staff to student ratio on this list.

School Overview

Tuition: $71,688
Program Length: 9 Months
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13

Brooklyn Law School

  • New York City, New York
  • Points: 69

Brooklyn Law School is yet another University based in Brooklyn New York. It’s exclusively a postgraduate university with no undergraduate courses offered. It offers a variety of specialized LL.M courses including specializations in Refugee and Immigration law. It is one of the more affordable options in New York with affordable tuition fees compared to the others on the list. The LL.M Program has so far produced more than 23,000 alumni from across the world. It is also a fairly balanced program with a 60% representation of women in the class and a record class size of 30 students per class. This is mind-boggling yet very believable considering the necessary strict admission criteria. It serves only the best students.

School Overview

Tuition: $61,783
Program Length: 12 Months
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14

Northeastern University

  • Boston, Massachusetts
  • Points: 65

Northeastern University offers the full-time LL.M program on campus and online. The program is especially good for international students looking to qualify for the New York Bar Exam or those just seeking to advance their career or studies with a variety of concentrations. It offers concentrations in five key areas; health policy and law, human rights, international business law, law, and economic development, and intellectual property and innovation. Those are diverse and represent the various elements of the law. Students may choose their preferred program and combine it with a second one.

School Overview

Tuition: $54,750
Program Length: 12 Months
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15

University of Minnesota Law School

  • Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Points: 65

The University of Minnesota is found near downtown Minneapolis. The twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are home to 16 Fortune 500 Companies. 100% of all students who apply for the program are considered for a scholarship with an option to extend their studies to the third semester and earn an additional concentration. The curriculum is diverse and offers many options in Business Law, Civil Litigation, and nine other concentrations. The Business Law program is the most popular concentration with professors and instructors from the Fortune 500 companies offering hands-on instruction that is paired with the necessary experience. The school has great representation, with 97% of the students being international, and 73% being women. This is in addition to having a class size of just 37 students leading to maximum student-professor interaction.

School Overview

Tuition: $57,800
Program Length: 12 Months
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Ranking Methodology

This ranking was based on the analysis of best software data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard and the respective university websites. The schools were ranked based on tuition amounts per academic year and program length. Both factors were accorded 50 points and each school was assigned points based on how it compared with others on tuition amounts and graduation rates. The points earned for both ranking factors were then added together to get each school’s total score.

We strive to provide current and accurate information to our readers. If you’re associated with one of the schools we ranked above and you realize an error in the information provided, please feel free to contact us and let us know so we can make any necessary corrections.

For more programs check out our Master’s in Legal Studies degree page.

Find the program that’s right for you

Whether you’re trying to start your career or make a big change, we can help you find the perfect school to help you reach your goals.

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