Most schools have rolling admissions and financial help so you can start your degree in a few weeks!
What Can I Expect from an Online Master’s in Business Law Program?
In an online master’s program in business law, you can expect courses that emphasize legal issues in the business world. Your classes will be just as rigorous as they would be if you attended them in person, but you will have additional flexibility in an online program. Full-time graduate students and working professionals may benefit from online courses that allow them to work at their own pace or at an accelerated rate to finish quickly. Choosing online master’s programs from accredited educational institutions will provide the same degree of quality and professionalism as programs held on campus.
Available concentrations
Graduate students completing their business law master’s degree online learn a blend of legal and business principles that can be applied in a wide range of careers in almost any field. Due to this versatility, earning your degree offers you numerous career paths. If you’d like to pursue a career in a specific industry, choose a concentration that aligns with this vocation.
Environment and natural resource law: An online master’s in business law with a concentration in environmental law focuses on issues dealing with conservation and could include courses on public policy, land use, pollution, and climate change. Individuals with this concentration are qualified for positions including conservation lawyer, business compliance officer, or resource protection manager.
Entertainment law: A concentration in the entertainment industry covers contracts and laws in the film, radio, movie, television, music, and publishing industries, including intellectual property rights and celebrity privacy laws. This concentration may lead to a job as a celebrity attorney, in-house legal adviser, legal consultant, or entertainment counsel.
Real estate law and business: Concentrations in real estate law focus on listing, purchase, and sale agreements between property buyers and sellers. This concentration may be a good choice for those who wish to become real estate attorneys.
Human resources and employment law: Master’s in business law programs with a concentration in employment law focus on hiring, firing, promoting, and training employees and can cover finance, insurance, and health care topics. With knowledge gained in this concentration, an individual may become a personnel or human resources manager, compensation and benefits analyst, or labor relations lawyer.
Common degree curriculum
Online master’s in business law programs are designed to provide you with the knowledge to address various legal issues that impact a business’s performance, including financial regulations, compliance, and risk management. Many programs are offered 100 percent online for maximum convenience to working professionals, but some require an end-of-program research project or thesis that may entail some work on campus. Each program offers its own unique curriculum, but some standard courses you might take include:
Business Organization: Prepares graduates to work as legal consultants and examine the laws that govern businesses, especially corporations, including the foundational concepts, structures, and functions of various entities.
Corporation and Limited Liability Company: Covers common laws governing these types of businesses, including related securities laws and the rights and legal duties of the owners, shareholders, and corporate officers.
Regulation and Compliance: Explores the laws that affect individuals and businesses, including safety, health, environment, employment, and consumer protection statutes.
Contract Creation: Delves into reading and writing binding and nonbinding contracts and other legal agreements.
Risk Management: Business strategies and risk management, focusing on specific business goals and how to reach these goals in the current marketplace.
Certification and license preparation
A master’s in business law can help prepare you to take the state bar exam required to practice law. However, many states require you to complete a juris doctorate before sitting for the bar. Some online programs offer a dual degree in business and law, often a JD/master of business administration program, that meets education requirements.
Program accreditation
Accreditation is the evaluation process that ensures a college or university meets high academic standards. The most prestigious form of accreditation is regional accreditation, but schools can also have national accreditation. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation oversees agencies that provide national accreditation to ensure compliance with specific standards, as does the Department of Education.
The American Bar Association (ABA) requires a juris doctor degree to practice law in most states, which you can obtain through online programs. However, the ABA doesn’t currently accredit any juris doctor or master’s in business law programs conducted online. Since online-only master’s in business law programs are typically not intended for those seeking to become an attorney but for those wanting to gain legal knowledge to excel in their chosen careers, choosing schools with regional or national accreditation should suffice.
Program completion timeframe
The time required to complete an online master’s program in business law varies depending on the specific program structure, the student’s pace of study, and any potential transfer credits. Typically, these programs can take one to three years to complete. Full-time students often finish within two years, while part-time students may take longer, extending their studies to accommodate work or other commitments. Accelerated programs or those with intensive coursework may allow for quicker completion. It’s essential for prospective students to carefully review the curriculum and program requirements of the specific institution they are interested in to determine the expected duration of the online master’s degree program in business law.
Employment Outlook for Master’s in Business Law Graduates
Earning an online business law master’s degree can put you on a fast track to advancement in your chosen career with a higher starting salary. Your degree may even allow you to skip over entry-level positions and immediately enter mid-level jobs related to your business law concentration. This is especially true for graduates pursuing careers in business management who have a master’s in business law, which makes them more desirable candidates in highly competitive fields.
Once you’ve completed your online business law master’s program, you’ll have extensive knowledge of the laws, policies, and practices that apply in a business environment. Many companies prefer applicants with advanced degrees, and every industry benefits from a staff member with legal expertise. Understanding the legalities that impact a business puts you in a prime position for jobs in compliance, risk, regulation, and personnel management jobs like these.
The legal field is lucrative, even in lower-level positions that still require advanced knowledge of business law. Completing your online master’s in business law can prepare you to be a legal assistant in various industries, and the industry you work in can affect your salary, as demonstrated below.
Paralegals work in law firms assisting business lawyers in most tasks or work for large corporations, providing legal advice and support through their in-house legal department. Some duties of a paralegal include legal research, contract creation and negotiation, managing business correspondence, and file maintenance.
Working in regulatory positions requires precise coordination and documentation of a business’s internal regulatory processes, including internal audits, license renewals, or registrations.
Compliance managers ensure businesses comply with all laws and regulations governing their operation, including compliance with contracts, licenses, and permits.
Risk managers analyze and manage any area of potential risk to the assets, earning capacity, and overall success of a business, including recommending ways to better control or reduce risks in various scenarios.
$69,520 per year
12%
Professional organizations
Joining professional organizations helps graduates with a master’s in business law connect with peers, stay current on legal issues in their field, and pursue educational, occupational, and certification opportunities that help hone their skills and advance their careers. Highlighting your membership in national and international organizations in your field also shows potential employers your dedication to your career and desire to continually improve your skills. These are a few organizations that may interest business law professionals.
National Human Resources Association: A nonprofit organization for business law graduates in human resources, members take advantage of professional networking, professional development, and leadership opportunities. It also offers career services to help your job search and access to various nationwide training events.
American Bar Association Business Law Section: A global network for business law professionals that allows them to expand their knowledge and careers through peer-reviewed scholarly journals, business law content, practice-specific committees, annual meetings, networking, and job listings.
International Bar Association Corporate Law Section: An international organization that provides information, industry updates, news, and other resources relevant to corporate law, plus internship programs, training courses, online CLE programs, and a vast network of professional contacts.
Financing Your Online Master’s in Business Law
While online degree programs are often less expensive than their on-campus counterparts, many graduates still require financial aid. Your first step should always be filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which provides access to the largest sources of financial aid from the federal government. Many states and universities also use your FAFSA application to determine your eligibility for their financial aid programs. Graduate students should also seek funding through grants, loans, and other financial assistance options.
Student finance resources and guides
Understanding how to manage the finances for your online degree in business law is a key part of the admissions process. Fortunately, there are numerous resources online that can help you make sense of it all, including the following:
Learn more about online degrees, their start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
