Types of Law and Business Degrees
A business degree or a law degree can allow an individual to find gainful employment working for a company or law firm. At the undergraduate level, a business degree can be earned and used for immediate employment post graduation or as a path to the eventual completion of an MBA. A law degree, called a JD, can be earned after the successful completion of law school.
Law Degrees
An individual must first complete an undergraduate degree before acceptance to law school. Entry into law school is generally competitive, as law schools receive far more applications than the schools have available spots. Applicants are admitted based off of undergraduate grades, extracurricular activities and LSAT test scores. The LSAT, which stands for Law School Admissions Test, is a standardized test that all United States law school applicants must take prior to admission.
Once accepted into law school, a student attends school for three years before being awarded a law degree and being allowed to take the state bar exam to become licensed as a lawyer. The next level of law degree available in the United States is a Master of Laws, or LLM degree. A Master of Laws degree can allow a lawyer to specialize in a specific type of law or law research, or it can allow an international lawyer to receive accreditation in the United States.
Business Degrees
Business degrees are available at the undergraduate and graduate level of education. An undergraduate degree in business can usually be earned at most regional colleges and universities, while a Master's Degree in Business is earned after graduating from college's school of business. Entry into MBA programs can be very competitive, especially at the top ranked programs in the country. Many business students choose to spend several years working after completing their undergraduate education before applying to business school.
Combination Degree Programs
Some colleges and universities offer a dual JD/MBA degree program that allows a student to earn both degrees upon graduation from the program. Depending upon the school, entry into a program of this type may be more competitive than entry into the law or business program alone. Students who earn a joint JD/MBA degree can go to work as a corporate lawyer or as a legal business advisor for a company.