An Online Degree in Law and Society

Many occupations today require at least some legal knowledge and notion of the law.  With a Bachelor of Arts in Law and Society, you will not only learn about the law, legal principles, and legal systems and processes in the United States; but you can also become skillful in logic, rhetoric, research and legal writing.  These versatile skills can help you develop your legal or law enforcement career in nonprofit organizations, regulatory agencies, small businesses, public offices or even the military.

Why Law and Society at Penn State

Applicable course work — As a law and society student, your 15 credits of core course work will include legal brief writing and the philosophy of law and legal ethics. Throughout your studies, you can develop skills to critically analyze arguments and detect careless language use and fallacies.

Immediate results — While earning your bachelor’s degree online, you can enhance your resume by acquiring a professional certificate or an associate degree. For example, both the Certificate in Organizational Communication and the Associate in Arts in Letters, Arts, and Sciences include many of the courses required for the Bachelor of Arts in Law and Society. You can gain credits toward a bachelor’s degree while also reaching these notable milestones along the way.

Who Should Apply?

The bachelor’s degree in law and society might be a good choice if you:

• are not a lawyer but work with legal issues in human resources, affirmative action, law enforcement, child and family services, government, education, communication, technology, or health care
• have an associate degree in areas such as law enforcement, legal studies, or law and society
• have earned a certificate through Penn State’s paralegal certificate program
• want a baccalaureate degree focused on law, as opposed to related fields such as criminal justice and political science
• are a law enforcement and corrections officer, community service professional, or member of the armed services and want to enroll in a degree-completion program
• own your own business and often must handle legal matters such as contracts or permits
• plan to attend law school after earning a baccalaureate degree

Career Opportunities for Graduates

With a bachelor’s degree in law and society you can work as a:

• law enforcement officer
• police officer or detective
• legal assistant
• arbitrator
• mediator
• conciliator
• contract negotiator
• business owner

Online Education at Penn State

Penn State has a history of 100+ years of distance education and more than a decade of experience in online learning. We strive to create an online learning environment that brings you as close to the face-to-face experience as possible. Learn more about Penn State World Campus.