by our College Data Analytics TeamDo you love the lively exchange of a good debate? Can you successfully navigate the complex laws that govern our society? If you have it in your heart to become a lawyer, you may want to choose a major in General Legal Studies.
This major prepares you to practice law independently, take the state and national bar examinations, and complete advanced research. The main reason for choosing this major or certificate program is to help you get into law school. You will refine your thinking, reading, writing, and communication skills which will help your ability to reason. This program is most offered as a certificate program that will help prepare you for law school. This can be successfully paired with a major in English, Political Science or History.
You will take courses in theory and practice of the legal system. You will learn about statutory and administrative components of both civil and criminal law. Law schools look for candidates with a broad education. In addition to classes on logic, advanced writing, constitutional law, political science and social science, you will also learn history, philosophy, math, and science.
In 2021-2022, non-professional general legal studies was the 143rd most popular major nationwide with 4,592 degrees awarded. Our 2025 Best Non-Professional General Legal Studies Schools ranking analyzes 35 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for non-professional general legal studies students. Explore this or one of our many other custom non-professional general legal studies rankings further below.
Critical thinking and the ability to reason are the most important skills to have as a pre-law student. It is absolutely necessary to be a strong reader and writer. Excellent communication skills will help you prepare convincing arguments to persuade a judge and jury. Students who have confident and outgoing personalities tend to do well in this field.
You should be a careful thinker who can creatively see ways to get out of tricky situations. This will help show your strong analytical and problem solving skills. It is also important to work hard and be prepared for an intense schedule. You will be juggling difficult classes while studying rigorously in order to keep your GPA(grade point average) high. Most programs will suggest you intern in a law office or legal rights organization. It is also important to join and be involved in student government.
non-professional general legal studies degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. In addition to these basic non-professional general legal studies program qualifications, to serve in some non-professional general legal studies careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
There are various different levels of non-professional general legal studies degrees. You can get anything from a in non-professional general legal studies to the highest non-professional general legal studies degree, a . Depending on the non-professional general legal studies degree you choose, obtaining your diploma can take anwhere from 1 to 4+ years.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A doctor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to non-professional general legal studies, with approximately 35.3% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to non-professional general legal studies tend obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| First Professional Degree | 46.2% |
| Doctoral Degree | 35.3% |
| Master’s Degree | 15.4% |
| Post-Master’s Certificate | 2.1% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 1.1% |
About 98.9% of workers in careers related to non-professional general legal studies obtain at least master's degrees. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in non-professional general legal studies have received.
The education level required is different depending on the non-professional general legal studies career you are seeking.
This major or certificate program prepares you to get into law school. Upon graduating law school and passing the bar examination you will be able to become a professional lawyer, a judge, a prosecutor, or acquire some other law-related position.
Want a job when you graduate with your non-professional general legal studies degree? Non-Professional General Legal Studies careers are expected to grow 12.3% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to non-professional general legal studies.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Law Professors | 23,800 | 12.3% |
Recently graduated non-professional general legal studies students earned an average of $40,742 in <nil>. Earnings can range from as low as $23,017 to as high as $84,141. As you might expect, salaries for non-professional general legal studies graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for non-professional general legal studies graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers non-professional general legal studies grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Law Professors | $130,710 |
With over 371 different non-professional general legal studies degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased non-professional general legal studies school rankings to help you with this.
One of 4 majors within the Legal Professions area of study, Non-Professional General Legal Studies has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Legal Studies | 3,976 |
| Pre-Law | 613 |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies, Other | 3 |
View All Non-Professional General Legal Studies Focus Areas >
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Law | 36,411 |
| Legal Research | 12,336 |
| Legal Support Services | 11,322 |
| Legal Professions (Other) | 2,371 |
View All Non-Professional General Legal Studies Related Majors >
