Ideally the type of law degree that you wish to purse as an education and future career should be chosen because of the type of law that you take great interest in. Considerations in this regard of course may include the amount of pay that legal professionals specializing in specific fields make in comparison with one another, or perhaps it’s just a matter of aptitude on the student’s part and it is crucial to know one’s strong points. An analysis of the varying types of law degrees may shed some light on which career path may be best suited to a particular student and there are many to choose from. The type of degree chosen by the Graduate student is indeed important as it may determine which part of the world you may be practicing in.
The first two types of law degrees that a student may choose pursue are the Juris Doctor’s Degree and the Bachelor of Law Degree. Both of these degree programs require a four year undergraduate education but the Juris Doctor’s degree is much more common in the United States and Japan whereas the Bachelor of Law degree is more prevalent Europe. Other studies in business or administration may be specialized to take conjunction with the law courses taken in order to broaden the student’s expertise into a field of their choosing.
The next type of degree program that must be considered is the Master of Laws degree and this one is essential if you plan to purse an even higher level of education following it. The Master of Laws degree allows students to practice a specific field of law and perhaps requires the broadest level of education for the practicing attorney. The various fields of law that can be practiced with a Master of Laws Degree include environmental law, criminal law, human rights law, labor law, and taxation law. This broad incorporating degree field prepares students for a future dealing all types of legal issues which may at times overlap.
Another type of law degree is the Doctor of Juridical Science and Philosophy in Law degree and this is geared toward those who wish to teach law. In order to attain this degree the student must already possess a degree in Master of Laws and haven written a dissertation that is considered to be a contribution to law sciences.
In addition to these main legal degree programs there are also Joint-law degree programs. These joint degree programs allow legal students to combine subjects such as business with their current law degree and specialize in Corporate Law. Whichever field interests you the most, be sure not to take the decision lightly as to which type of degree you choose to pursue for it may determine the entire outcome of your legal career.