Hundreds of different law courses are available depending on the type of law degree that a student is pursuing. The decision is frequently influenced whether a student plans to pursue a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or a more advanced Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree after the J.D., among other factors. A J.D. is a three-year degree in which a student takes a variety of law courses on a variety of topics, including civil law, constitutional law, and criminal law, among others. Following the J.D., master’s degrees allow students to narrow their interests in relation to a future legal career, such as human rights or environmental law, and usually take an extra year or two to complete.
A solid background in all types of law, as well as the litigation, judicial, and dispute resolution processes, is essential for anyone with a J.D., which is why a number of early law classes are devoted to these topics. Students will typically be required to take a number of history classes in order to understand how law has changed over time, as well as government classes in order to fully comprehend how laws are created the government. Civil law, family law, and criminal law, also known as penal law, are examples of these broad categories. Constitutional law, as well as corporate or business law and labor law, are frequently required.
These are just a few of the most common law courses that students pursuing a law degree are required to take. As the program progresses, more specialized options, such as real estate law or international law, may become available. Though students pursuing a J.D. degree can specialize to some extent, this degree is typically very general, and students who want to specialize in a specific area of law must pursue a Master of Laws.
Students with an LL.M. degree can take a variety of additional law courses to better prepare for their specialized careers. Environmental law, taxation law, and human rights law are some of the most popular LL.M. programs. Of course, pursuing an LL.M. or additional education after completing the required law courses for a J.D. degree is not required; many people will take the bar exam after completing that degree to become licensed attorneys. Keep in mind that many law courses, if not entire law degrees, are now available online, making the process more convenient.