If you find yourself drawn towards truly mastering your ability to communicate, a bachelor’s in this versatile discipline could be just the choice for you!

1. University of Florida

The University of Florida is one of the top public research universities within the southeastern United States, if not the nation. This school presently has around 34,000 undergraduates, meaning it’s a large enough school to have significant resources without needing to skimp on quality. Located in Gainesville, Florida, the University of Florida has expanded aggressively into online education in recent years. With a graduation rate of 87% for undergraduates, the school ranks as one of the top public schools in the nation by this metric. Additionally with an average cost of attendance around $8,000 a year after financial aid is granted, it’s a great buy!

The University of Florida has one of the premier journalism and communications schools in the country. This makes their fully-online bachelors of science in telecommunication: media and society degree a particularly unique find. As a bachelor of science degree you know you’ll gain valuable quantitative knowledge and skills you can use running a data-driven communications campaign. Graduates of this program are known to take jobs in international communications, market research, media campaigning, and marketing. The central focus of the program is on mass media pushed by electronics (online, television, radio). 

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2. Florida International University

Florida International University (FIU) — the second Florida-based university on our list is located in the suburbs of exciting Miami, Florida. With a student size of close to 42,000 students, it’s a large university, and similar to other large public universities within the state it’s able to offer a relatively affordable experience. The average cost of tuition after financial aid is around $8,000 a year. Of additional note, Florida International University is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution, meaning there are additional support programs in place for LatinX communities, and Hispanic students are a large portion of the campus. 

Florida International University offers a fully online bachelor of arts degree in communication arts. This degree program is offered by the innovative and interdisciplinary college of communication, architecture, and the arts. For individuals who want to hone the craft of communication, this degree may be a great start. The college offers a communication arts studio, which offers professional online communication coaching. Focus within the program is on learning to build group dynamics, interpersonal communication, and the art of persuasion. If these ideas jive with what you think communications should be about, this may be the degree program for you. 

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3. University of Central Florida

The third Florida-based university in our list is the University of Central Florida. As with the  above two Floridian universities, the University of Central Florida is a great value for a relatively highly-ranked public university. The average cost of tuition for undergraduates after financial aid is applied is presently around $13,000 a year. With a graduation rate of 71%, the school outperforms many schools of it’s size (which is presently close to 60,000 students). With a main campus located in Orlando, Florida, students who do attend in person have many opportunities for extracurriculars and cultural events. With that said, the University of Central Florida has expanded quickly into online education in recent years. 

The University of Central Florida has invested heavily in online degrees in recent years. The range and interesting angles of degrees offered online are proof of this. Their online bachelor of arts in communication and conflict degree is no different. If you’re looking for a conflict resolution-centered communications degree, this could be a great degree for you. Offered by a US News and World Report designated “best online bachelors degree provider,” a relatively inexpensive online bachelor’s from UCF has a great “bang for your buck.” 

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4. Appalachian State University

Appalachian State University is a mid-sized public university located in picturesque Boone, North Carolina. Home to around 17,000 students, Appalachian State is still able to provide relatively small class sizes which means more one-on-one attention for students of courses. With a graduation rate at 72%, the university scores better than a majority of public universities. The school is also relatively affordable in comparison to many schools. After financial aid, the average cost per year for an undergraduate student is presently $14,000. 

The fully online bachelor of science in communications studies degree offered by Appalachian State University is ranked for providing a range of features that online students tend to care about. This degree program offers courses in accelerated eight week bursts. Year around courses are available so that you can accelerate your time until degree if you so desire, and the entire degree can be completed in 6 semesters! For individuals looking to push through their coursework quickly, this grounded-in-science degree could be a great choice for you. 

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5. Eastern Illinois University

Eastern Illinois University is a relatively small university by public university standards. At around 4,600 undergraduate students, it’s closer to the size of many liberal arts universities. This feature shows out in nice and small class sizes (much smaller than others on our list thus far). So if you’re an undergraduate who learns well by participating and getting to know your professors, then this school could be for you. In recent years, Eastern Illinois University has expanded into online education. With a graduation rate of 63% and an average cost of undergraduate tuition after aid of $14,000 it’s a solid buy for sure. 

Yet another unique communications degree is offered by Eastern Illinois University. The title of this fully-online offering is communication in organizations. This 46-credit hour program is really a degree completion program. Though individuals may choose to take their general education requirements from EIU as well. If you already hold an associates or did your gen-ed requirements elsewhere, this can be a great value for completing your degree. Additionally, this degree program is available for full and part time students. 

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6. University of Minnesota Crookston

The University of Minnesota System is one of the top in the region, and Crookston is one of it’s top schools. With less than 2,000 students, it’s quite small for a public state school, and the perks of this are reflected in the university slogan of “small campus, big degree.” Located at the edge of a large agricultural tract  in the Red River Valley, the university is able to offer some unique research opportunities as well as academic programs within some fields. With an average annual cost after financial aid of $11,000, it’s a good “bang for your buck” university. For students attending some courses in person or moving to the area, the small city of Crookston offers affordable living as well. 

One of the more flexible degree in this list’s lineup is the bachelor of science in communication offered by the University of Minnesota Crookston. Students may elect to pursue this degree as a minor, major, in-person, hybrid, or online. Additionally, students may choose between three emphasis areas depending on what their goals and interests are. The emphasis areas presently offered include social media, communication studies, and organizational communication/public relations. As one of the more affordable — tuition wise — options in our list, this covers a lot of bases for individuals wishing to enter any one of those three emphasis areas. 

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7. Arizona State University Skysong

The Skysong Innovation Center is the home of Arizona State University’s virtual campus. This concentration of teaching talent and delivery method expertise has allowed Arizona State University to reach the upper echelons of online education. Located in Scottsdale, Skysong allows for an experience where students never have to attend campus, a rarity traditionally. And something many students have taken ASU up on, with a current enrollment of close to 30%. For an online-only portion of the university, graduation rates are quality at 56%. The average cost of attendance for a full year at the undergraduate level is $14,000 after average financial aid. 

Arizona State University’s fully online bachelor of science in communication offers accelerated courses that only require 7.5 weeks for completion. Students have a range of electives they may choose from and may find themselves taking additional courses in relational communication, social influence, persuasion, leadership, professional issues, or gender issues. As a nationally recognized university, Arizona State University can be a great stepping stone to get started on the communication career you’re interested in. 

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8. University of Texas of the Permian Basin

University of Texas of the Permian Basin is a small to medium sized public university located in the city of Odessa, Texas. Known for programs related to oil fields, the university has enjoyed a boom in recent years, particularly in certain academic disciplines. With a class size of 3,500 students, the school is also able to provide relatively small class sizes, meaning more one-on-one attention for students. The average annual cost is solid for universities in UT-Permian Basin’s tier of schools at $10,000 after average financial aid is applied. 

The bachelor of arts in communication offered by UT Permian Basin provides a wide range of electives with which students can tailor their degree to their interests and goals. In particular, students may choose to focus on advertising, legal issues with communications, language in contracts, rhetoric, among other topics. Students may transfer in up to 24 credit hours, roughly one quarter of the degree program. This degree is offered part time, full time, in person, or for remote students. 

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9. Northeastern University

Northeastern University is the first private university within our ranking. And while it may have dropped a few spots due to our methodology considering the average cost of attendance, it’s historically been one of the top schools in the nation. Home to close to 14,000 students, the university uses its significant endowment to keep classes quite small and student services are top notch. As mentioned, the average cost of attendance after aid is more steep than other universities in our list (at over $30,000 a year). But this helps to fund opportunities for connections with individuals and alumni who are top in their field. A choice of satellite campuses in opportune economic and academic regions is another draw for students wishing to attend graduate programming at this university. 

Northeastern University offers a digital communication and media degree that is a bachelor’s of science through their innovative college of professional studies. Their college of professional studies provides skills ready for the workplace, and tends to offer interdisciplinary applied knowledge from industry professionals. Experiential learning is at the heart of Northeastern’s learning philosophy, so students should expect to need to apply what they are learning in group projects, internships, or their current workplace. If you’re seeking to attend a world-renowned university from the comfort of your own home, this degree program could be for you. 

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10. Bellevue University

Bellevue University is the second private university on our list, and a unique offering. This university has focused on the outset on adult education as well as distance education. Around 80% of undergraduates are over the age of 25. And this is a school of over 10,000 students. Unique for its unerring focus on adult and nontraditional students, this is reflected in a very solid graduation rate for online students. Additionally, pricing is affordable for a private university, with an average undergraduate tuition of $12,000 a year after aid. 

Bellevue University offers one of the most flexible online bachelor’s degrees in communication we see in this year’s ranking. A range of emphasis areas allows students to build off of a bedrock of communications understanding to specialize for their future career. Current emphasis areas include: mass media, organizational and strategic communication. Additionally, for students interested in such, the Kirkpatrick Signature Series are a group of American-values centered courses that students are required to take when attending Bellevue University. 

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11. California Baptist University

California Baptist University is one of the first Christian universities in our list. This private university is home to over 11,000 students and keeps small class sizes in both online and in-person courses. With a main campus in Riverside, California, California Baptist University is associated with the California Southern Baptist Convention (related to the Southern Baptist Convention). For students looking for a mid-priced Christian university that is private, California Baptist University could be for you. The present average cost of annual attendance for an undergraduate after financial aid is $23,000. 

California Baptist University’s online bachelor of arts in strategic communication offers a unique option — particularly for students seeking a Christian-grounded education. Up to 24 credit hours, roughly one calendar year’s worth, may be transferred into the program. The program can be greatly accelerated and the average completion time is around 16 months. Courses included in this degree program include a focus  theory of communications, digital trends, a senior project, public relations, and legal and ethical aspects of communications. 

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12. Ashland University

Ashland University is a mid-sized private Christian university associated with the Brethren Church. For students looking for a degree in communications with a strong Christian basis, Ashland attempts to provide a Christian worldview in all of their courses. With around 5,700 students, the university has a long and storied history of close to 150 years. For a school this size, a wide range of academic disciplines are offered including courses through a theological seminary, a college of nursing and health, a college of education, of business and economics, a college of education, and a college of arts and sciences. The average cost of annual tuition after financial aid is presently $20,000. 

Ashland University offers two fully online communications degrees at the bachelor’s level. The first is a bachelor of arts in communication studies, which is a traditional four year program that requires the choice of a minor. The second is a fully online bachelor of arts in communication studies that is geared towards adults and includes accelerated 7-week courses. Up to 30 credit hours may be transferred into the program, which is more than most undergraduate programs. For students looking for a Christian-based curriculum, both of these communications degrees can be a great option. 

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13. Arkansas State University

Arkansas State University is the flagship location of the Arkansas State University System. Presently the second largest university in the state of Arkansas, roughly 14,000 students call the university home. At the undergraduate level, a school of close to 9,000 is able to offer mid-sized college courses, helping to up the quality of engagements and amount of attention students gain. Arkansas State University’s graduation rate is typical for universities within its tier. And the university can be considered a good “bang for your buck” school with an average cost per year after aid of $14,000. 

The fully online bachelor of arts in communication studies degree offered by Arkansas State University places in this ranking due to its affordability and flexibility. At $258 per credit hour and with financial aid available, it’s one of the most affordable degrees we surveyed (even for those not in the state of Arkansas). It also allows for students to accelerate or decelerate their course of study with a variable length degree program. A wide range of electives include particularly unique options like conflict resolution, narratives in health in healing, and computer mediated communication. 

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14. Mississippi College

The second Baptist college on our list, Mississippi College is the oldest college in Mississippi. With a strong endowment and only 6,000 students, the college is able to provide quality instruction and keep course sizes low. In recent years the university has added a handful of online degrees, but a majority of students still attend in-person at the campus in Clinton, Mississippi. The college has a strong undergraduate graduation rate for colleges in its tier. The average cost of attendance for an undergraduate per year after aid is accounted for is $17,000. 

Mississippi College offers a wide range of courses in communication online. These include a bachelor’s in communication generalist track courses, as well as graduate-level communications courses. For individuals interested in a Christian liberal arts school-like experience that they can pursue online, Mississippi College could be a great choice. As one might expect this entry did well compared to many of the colleges on our list in the metric of graduation rate. Courses within the bachelor’s in communications degree include digital communications, communication law, media in society, public speaking, journalism, and a senior project. 

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15. Columbus State University

Columbus State University is a space grant university that is a part of the University of Georgia System. This school is home to close to 8,000 students and recruits from all 50 states and a range of international locations. Some of the most noteworthy programs and academic centers within the university include their space center, a center for writers and musicians, an environmental learning center, a center for global engagement, and a strong archive collection. The average cost to attend Columbus State University for an undergraduate after aid is accounted for is $14,000. 

Columbus State University’s online bachelor of arts in communication ranks highly due to it’s flexibility as well as the relatively affordable nature of the program. The widest range of emphasis areas seen in the schools in this year’s ranking are present at Columbus State University. These communications degree emphasis areas include a film production track, a social media track, a visual communication track, an integrated media track, a public relations track, and a communication studies track. Columbus State was also found to be the 5th most affordable program surveyed after student financial aid was taken into account. 

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16. Lakeland University

Lakeland University is another Christian-centered university on our list, in this associated with the Church of Christ. This liberal arts college offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs and places an emphasis on promoting access to education for nontraditional learners. This focus is achieved through a wide range of evening, weekend, and online education centers throughout the state. Additionally, a two year program is available at the international campus in Tokyo. With a strong graduation rate, Lakeland is moderately priced for a private university with an average undergraduate annual cost of $20,000 after average aid. 

Lakeland University provides an elective rich fully online bachelor’s degree in communication. Individuals can use this degree to prepare for a job in web content, public policy, journalism, public relations, integrated communications, or corporate communications. With a relatively high graduation rate, this degree program can be a great choice for individuals seeking a Christian-centered degree program. Additionally, Lakeland has a long history of providing academic programming for nontraditional and adult students. This means they likely know a thing or two about online education. 

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17. Trine University

Trine University is a small private university that is home to around 2,200 in-person and 2,800 online students. For it’s small size, the university is a rarity to hold the prestigious space-grant designation. Though the university started as a teacher’s college, today courses are offered in arts and sciences, business, education, and engineering. Trine is accredited at the highest level (regionally) by the Higher Learning Commission. Their graduation rate is strong for their tier of university (regionally ranked). The fees are moderate, however, for private colleges with an average cost of undergraduate annual attendance at $26,000 after financial aid is applied. 

Trine University’s fully online bachelor of arts in communications is great for adult learners and in particularly those in the armed forces. Courses can start any night of the week. And an already relatively affordable private degree program offers great discounts for active duty military members. Another unique offering is that students must choose a “professional track.” This is essentially a secondary discipline used to enhance their communications coursework and provide more of an interdisciplinary mindset. Current professional tracks include health care administration, organizational leadership, criminal justice, and information systems. 

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18. University of North Dakota

The University of North Dakota is a space-grant designated public research university that holds a main campus in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It’s a mid-sized public institution with about 13,500 students. In recent years the university has expanded online by a decent degree. With clost to 1,000 academic faculty, class sizes can remain small and students can gain a great deal of one-on-one instruction in many disciplines. Their online programming has been lauded by a range of publications including US News and World Report. Whether you study online or in-person, there are a wide range of academic subjects one can pursue. In-person a total of 224 fields of study are available. The average cost of undergraduate annual tuition after average aid is applied is presently $16,000. 

The University of North Dakota’s bachelor of arts in communication degree is placed in our ranking due to UND’s commitment to high quality and flexible online education. As with many of their other undergraduate degrees, students can pursue their degree through self-paced courses that they can enroll in anytime. While you’ll likely want to keep your degree program moving along, this additional flexibility can be a life saver for working or non-traditional students. Students can also customize their degree with a wide range of focus areas. A sampling of these focus areas include digital journalism, advertising, social media strategy, and strategic communication. 

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19. Liberty University

Liberty University is an evangelical Christian university that has in recent years been one of the fastest growing schools in the nation. While around 15,000 students attend the university in-person, online degrees have fueled the schools growth where there are over 90,000 students! This means Liberty University has a great deal of data on what works and doesn’t work in online education. For students who share the evangelical Christian beliefs of the university in particular, Liberty can be a tried and true way to progress in a huge range of fields. The average cost of attendance for undergraduates after the average amount of financial aid is applied is presently $28,000. 

A unique offering on our list, Liberty University offers a fully online bachelor of science degree focused on strategic communication. We like this degree for many of the reasons Liberty is so popular among online learners. For example, you can transfer in up to 75% of the total degree. Additionally, courses are quick, only taking 8 weeks. These factors allow the average time until degree to drop to 3.5 years. Two concentrations are available within this degree program,  social media management and strategic communications. 

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20. Colorado State University – Global Campus

Colorado State University has long been a well reputed western school in a range of subjects. In recent years, the emergence of CSU – Global, a separate university within the Colorado State University System, has taken on increasing prominence within online education. With one of the widest ranges of online degrees in the nation, and coming from a well regarded public school, CSU – Global has helped students to succeed across the nation and world. Presently CSU – Global has about 20,000 fully online students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Programming – as one might expect – centers around non-traditional programs and adult learners. 

Colorado State University – Global is known for being SUPER adult or nontraditional student friendly. And their bachelor of science in communication degree is no different. Courses are often asynchronous, meaning you can log in when you have time. Additionally, there are 18 total specialization that individuals can delve into to make their communications degree interdisciplinary and to specialize in a subfield. A sampling of these specializations include finance, computer programming, data management, project management, small business, marketing, and many others. 

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For Further Reading:

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1. University of Florida

The University of Florida is a public four year institution located in Gainesville. UFL offers associates bachelors, masters, and doctorate degrees as well as professional certifications. The student population is over 52,000 and the student-to-faculty ratio is 17 to 1. According to Carnegie, the University of Florida is a doctoral university with very high research activity. To support the success of their students UFL offers academic and career counseling, study abroad opportunities, and distance learning options. According to the US News and World Report, the University of Florida ranks as the 30th best school in the nation as well as highly for undergraduate teaching, undergraduate engineering, and business programming among others. In recent years. UFL has grown to offer online programs for both undergraduate and graduate students alike. In fact, students may pursue an online degree as a registered nurse, an online masters degree in curriculum, and instruction in an online PhD in pharmacy studies just to name a few.

The University of Florida online offers a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology. This program is offered through the College of Liberal arts and sciences. Upon completion students will obtain a bachelor of arts with a major in criminology. Students must complete general education classes along with upper class upper division classes in the following areas: criminology, history, sociology, psychology, political science and more. The major includes course material that emphasizes law and legal processes, law and society, and advanced principles of criminal justice. Students may complete this program in eight semesters. This bachelors degree requires 120 credit hours for completion. From more information about this online degree and to get started check out their website.

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2. Florida International University

Florida International University as a public for your institution located in Miami, Florida. The university enrolls over 58,000 students and has a student faculty ratio of 27 to 1. According to Carnegie, Florida International University as a doctoral university with very high research activity. To support the success of their students the institution offers academic and career counseling as well as distance-learning options and study abroad programming. The institution has been accredited by the Southern Association of colleges and commission on colleges Since 1974. According to the US News and World Report, Florida International University ranks of the 187th best school in the nation and highly for veterans, value, business programming, computer science, and much more. Some of their online offerings include programming in biology and biomedical sciences, health, homeland security, education, and communication journalism and related programming among others.

Florida international University offers an online bachelor of arts in political science. This is a 120 credit hour undergraduate degree. In this program you’ll gain an in-depth knowledge of the following areas: comparative politics, international politics, American government and politics and political theories. Students complete these breath requirements along with their political science requirements and political science electives. Each online student is prepared is paired with a success coach. For more information about this program and to apply check out their website.

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3. University of Central Florida (Legal Studies)

The University of Central Florida is a public four-year institution located in Orlando. This institution in rolls over 69,000 students and has a student a faculty ratio of 30 to 1. You see us offers bachelors masters UCF offers associates bachelors masters and doctoral degree us as well as professional certifications. According to Carnegie, the University of Central Florida is a doctoral university was very high research activity. To support the success of their students the institution offers a myriad of student support services including study abroad opportunities, academic and career counseling, and credit for life experiences as well as distance-learning options. Undergraduate students and graduate students may pursue a degree online. UCS offers an online bachelors degree‘s bachelors degree in speech communication rhetoric as well as an online Masters degree in industrial engineering among many others. In recent years UCF has grown to expand to dozens of online options for both undergraduate and graduate students.

UCF office an online bachelor/bachelor of science and legal studies. This is a 120 credit our program that is offered to the community innovation in the College of community innovation and education. If you’re looking for foundational courses specific to your future career in the field of love in this program may be for you. Upon graduation you’ll be prepared to pursue a career in one of the following areas: legal assistant, legal analyst, legal operations manager, court reporter and others. For more information about this program and to apply check out their website.

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4. University of Central Florida (Criminal Justice)

The University of Central Florida is a public four-year institution located in Orlando. This institution in rolls over 69,000 students and has a student a faculty ratio of 30 to 1. You see us offers bachelors masters UCF offers associates bachelors masters and doctoral degree us as well as professional certifications. According to Carnegie, the University of Central Florida is a doctoral university was very high research activity. To support the success of their students the institution offers a myriad of student support services including study abroad opportunities, academic and career counseling, and credit for life experiences as well as distance-learning options. Undergraduate students and graduate students may pursue a degree online. UCS offers an online bachelors degree‘s bachelors degree in speech communication rhetoric as well as an online Masters degree in industrial engineering among many others. In recent years UCF has grown to expand to dozens of online options for both undergraduate and graduate students.

University of Central Florida offers an online bachelor of arts in criminal justice. This second option from UCF makes it onto our list for being another outstanding offering that can prepare one for a law degree. This is a 120 credit our program. You may or in either a bachelor of science or a bachelor of arts and criminal justice to their online program. This program supplies you with the information to become an FBI agent, homicide detective, lawn Forssman officer, friends and science technician, corrections officer and more. Additionally UCF office and online bachelor of arts and political science. If you’re looking to advance your career in the private sector or through foreign or public service or politics in this program might be for you. The degree prepares you for a career in government politics international relations policy and more. More information about this program and to apply check out their website.

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5. Appalachian State University

Appalachian State University is a public four-year institution that is located in Boone, North Carolina. Currently their student to faculty ratio 16 to 1 and the current student population is over 19,000. Upstate offers bachelors masters in doctoral degree is as well as professional certifications. According to Carnegie appellations day classifies as a Masters college with larger programming. To support the success of the students to university offers academic and career counseling, credit for life experiences, ROTC, study abroad opportunities, distance learning options and more. Do US news and world report ranks Appalachian State University regionally as the sixth best school in the south and highly for value, innovation, public schooling, undergraduate teaching and more. When it comes to innovation Appalachian state features research opportunities as well as sustainability programming for all students. Additionally the academic offerings feature do you need programming in disciplines such as the visual culture of Appalachia, sustainable development, actuarial science, art history, Music therapy, mental health counseling, dual master of arts programming and more.

Appstate online offers it bachelor of science and communications studies. This is a full-time program that is 120 credit hours in length. We selected this program for its affordability and flexible format. Courses are offered an eight week sessions and are given year round. The program features course material in public speaking, small group communication, principles of accounting, and sociological perspective. Seriously select from either a business minor or a sociology minor both of which are offered online. This program provides you for leader ship and the ability to communicate in a wide variety of areas including healthcare, nonprofit sector, legal, businesses, and education among others. For more information about this Program and to apply check out their website.

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6. University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities as a public four year institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Twin Cities offers bachelors masters and doctoral degree‘s as well as professional certifications. The university enrolls over 51,000 students and has a student faculty ratio of 17 to 1. Twin Cities has been accredited by the higher learning commission since 1913 and offers a wide array of student services including academic and career counseling, credit for life experiences, and distance-learning options. According to Carnegie, the University of Minnesota That’s classified as a doctoral University with very high research activity. The University of Minnesota Twin Cities ranks highly and is currently running to see 66th a school in the nation as well as highly for computer science programming, value, colleges for veterans, public schooling and undergraduate engineering programming among others. The university office number of online programs in the field of business.

The University of Minnesota offers an online bachelor of arts and tribal administration and governance. This is a 120 credit our program 54 of those are within the major. This program is offered through American Indian studies department. Some of the courses include federal Indian policy, and introduction to tribal administration and governance, the foundations of indigenous leader ship, American Indian diplomacy: treaties, compacts, and agreements. As well as an internship in American Indian studies. Students may also pursue a certificate of business administration for 16 credits. This certificate is from the Labovitz school of business and economics and includes the fundamentals of marketing, financial management, applied statistics, organizational management, Accounting, and more. For more information about this program and to apply check out their website.

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7. Pierce College

Pierce college is a private four-year institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The student population is 1178 and the student to faculty ratio is 13 to 1. Pierce offers associates, bachelors, and Masters degrees as well as certifications. According to Carnegie, pierce college is considered to be a Baccalaureate college with diverse fields. To support the success of their students pierce college offers credit for life experiences as well as academic and career counseling and distance learning options. In recent years they have expanded to include online programming. In fact the majority of the programming us offered entirely online. Students may pursue online associates bachelors and Masters degrees in the fields of law, homeland security, health, business management and more.

Pierce college offers and number of undergraduate programs for pre-law students including their bachelor of science and paralegal studies as well as their bachelors to JD program that is offered with Rutgers law school. The bachelor of science and paralegal studies includes course material ends legal writing, estate law, real estate law, legal technology, criminal law, advanced legal technology, advanced legal research and much more. The bachelors to JD program with Rutgers law School It’s for students who have earned at least 94 credits already towards a bachelors degree at peers including all of their major and core requirements. Students must complete these requirements before enrolling in courses at Rutgers law school. The JD will be awarded at Rutgers law school upon completion of the 84 credits of law school courses. For more information about this programming and to apply check out their website.

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8. The University of Memphis

The University of Memphis is a public four-year institution located in Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis offers bachelors masters and doctoral degrees as well as a number as of professional certifications. According to Carnegie the University of Memphis classifies as a doctoral university with high research activity. The university offers a number of online options for both undergraduate and graduate students including in the fields of business, education, health, parks recreation, visual and performing arts and much more. To support the success of their students the institution offers academic and career counseling as well as credit for life experiences ROTC programming teacher certification so your road options and weekend/evening college.

University of Memphis global offer a legal studies program for students pursuing a bachelor of professional studies. The legal studies concentration is tailored to individuals who are pursuing a career in the field of law. This program is offered in partnership with the Cecil C Humphreys school of law. Additionally the University of Memphis offers a 3+3 accelerated be a/JD program. This program is offered entirely online. The legal studies program focuses on theory process application and ethics of law as well as Laura related technologies and communication skills necessary for the profession. Students will be able to participate in both legal an administrative research. This online degree prepares you for a long career in the following sectors: government agencies corporations, nonprofits, educational institutions, law-enforcement, healthcare organizations, and much more. For more information about this program and to apply check out their website.

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9. Dominican University

Dominican University is a private four-year institution located in Forest River, Illinois. Dominican offers bachelors masters and doctoral degree‘s as well as professional certifications. The student population is 3029 and the student faculty ratio is 10 to 1. According to Carnegie, Dominican is a masters college and university with larger programming. To support the success of the students the institution offers credit for life experiences as well as employment options, academic and career counseling services, study abroad programming, teacher certification and distance-learning options. Undergraduate and graduate students May pursue a degree online. According to the US news and world report, Dominican university ranks is the 10th for school on the region and highly for value, undergraduate teaching as well as social mobility and business programming.

Dominican university offers an accelerated online criminal justice degree program. This online degree features lower tuition rates academic excellence personal coaching as well as tuition deferment and is a great option for veterans. Dominican is a military friendly school. In this program you’ll receive an introduction to criminal justice along with programming and criminology, juvenile justice professional ethics and criminal justice to name a few. These courses are focusing law and including courses and constitutional and civil law. A special consideration in this program is given to issues surrounding domestic violence mental health and corrections. Upon completion of this program you may be eligible for a career in one of the following areas: customs, corrections, border patrol, police force, security officer, special agents, and much more. Additionally this program supplies a firm foundation for pursuing a law degree. For more information about this program and to apply check out their website.

• Program Website

10. Bellevue University

Bellevue University is located in Bellevue, Nebraska. The University enrolls 11,637 students and has a student faculty ratio of 27 to 1. Bellevue offers associates, bachelors and Masters degrees as well as doctoral degree ‘s. According to Carnegie, Bellevue University is classified as a master college was larger programming. The student support services include credit for life experiences as well as academic and career counseling, so you brought programming, ROTC, and distance-learning options. Undergraduate and graduate students like me pursue programming online. In fact majority of their programming is offered online including in the fields of business, biology, homeland security, social sciences, Public administration and much more.

Bellevue University offers a bachelor of science and legal studies. You may participate in this program either on campus or online. The course material features everything you’ll need to pursue a degree in law. The course is designed to help you with critical thinking skills related to the profession as well as ways to analyze legal ethical and logical standpoint‘s that provide you the solid foundation required for the career. The curriculum features course material and foundations for professional studies, theory and practice of law, judicial and administrative practices and civil and criminal procedures, the US legal system of the judicial process, the rule and rule of law in matters of life and death, freedom and responsibility, American visions of values and much more. The total credit our requirement is 127 credits. 37 credits are devoted to integrative general education courses, 40 credits are the major requirements and 50 credits are your elective requirements. For more information about this program and to apply check out their website.

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11. The University of Arizona

The University of Arizona is a public for your institution located in Tucson. The institution enrolls 44,577 students and as a student to faculty ratio of 15 to 1. Arizona offers bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees as well as professional certifications. To support the success of their sin as the University of Arizona offers academic and career counseling as well as teacher certification options, study abroad opportunities, and distance-learning opportunities. I’m going to Carnegie the University of Arizona is classified as a doctoral University with very high research activity. According to the US news and world report the University of Arizona ranks of the 97th to school in the nation and highly for value, veterans, public schooling, undergraduate engineer in programming business program in computer science and much more.

The University of Arizona offers a bachelor of arts in law. US News and World Report ranks this program as the seventh best online bachelors program in the nation. This is a 120 credit our program that includes course material in environmental law and policy, and introduction to public international law, the judicial process, immigration law and policy, constitutional law: federalism, and procedures. This program supply students with a knowledge to succeed in a career and law politics government and more. Upon completion: students go on to pursue a JD at law school or at the end as a career for a career as a lawyer and my fellow career paths in any of the following areas: what legislative and regulatory affairs analyst, human resources representative, mediators, educators, public relations officers, anti-money laundering analyst, contract administrators, and tribal affairs specialists. For more information about this program and supply check out their website.

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12. SUNY Canton

SUNY Canton is a public four year institution located in Canton, New York. This institution enrolls just over 3000 students and has a student faculty ratio of 18 to 1. It is classified as a Baccalaureate college in diverse fields. There are student support services including programming for veterans, distance students with disabilities, academic and career counseling, credit for life experiences and much more. Additionally SUNY Canton offers online programming for undergraduate students. Some of their most best third most robust online programs are in the fields of liberal Arts, applied psychology, homeland security, registered nursing, and business administration.

Canton offers a bachelor of science in legal studies. This degree includes an internship and it’s designed for students who are paralegal studies transfer students criminal justice transfer students recent high school graduates or working professionals looking to pursue a degree online. Canton state offer say 3+3 program giving you a earn you a bachelors degree and a UB law degree in just six years. This program is in partnership with the University of Buffalo school of law. And in this program you will learn about legal research, law including business law, real property law, criminal practice, family law, negligence and intentional torts, and civil litigation among others. Come on information about this program check out their website.

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13. Brandman University

Brandman University is located in Irvine California. Brandman offers associate specialist masters and doctorate degrees as well as professional certifications. The student population is over 10,000 and the student faculty ratio is 19 to 1. According to Carnegie, Brandman University is a doctoral/professional university. To support the success of the students the institution offers credit for life experiences as well as academic career counseling teacher certification and distance-learning opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students. In fact, the majority of their programming is offered entirely online from the associate To the doctoral level. Some of their most popular online programs are in the field of business administration, education, liberal arts and sciences, and psychology among others. US is in rolled report ranks Brandman universe is all online programs among the best in the nation.

Brandman University has an online campus. And offers an online bachelor’s degree in criminal justice as well as an online bachelor of arts and legal studies, business law. The online bachelor’s degree in legal studies is intended for students looking to pursue a career in law or related field. The business law concentration focuses on the many facets of the legal system and includes hands-on experience with an emphasis on employment law and transactional law. Students most complete basic skills training in writing communication and quantitative reasoning as well as or no oral communication. The breath requirements are in the humanities natural sciences and social sciences. Finally students will complete core requirements that include course and serial and white collar crime, foundations of law, legal research and writing, constitutional governance, business organizations, torts, contracts, interviewing negotiating an alternative dispute resolution and much more. The business law concentration includes course material and employment law, Intellectual property, and transactional law. The criminal justice degree holds focus areas like victim advocacy, intercultural communication, contemporary legal issues, law practice management, and much more. This flexible online program is a good fit for anybody looking to lay the foundation for a law career.

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14. Webster University

Webster University is a private four-year institution located in St. Louis Missouri. The student population is over 9000 and listen to factory ratio is 12 to 1. Webster offers bachelors masters in doctoral degrees and professional certifications. The institution is classified as a masters college and university with larger programming according to Carnegie. Their student support services are wide reaching including academic and career counseling, study abroad opportunities, ROTC, teacher certification and distance learning options. Webster has been accredited by the higher learning commission since 1925. Webster offers a myriad of online offerings in the fields of business communication in journalism, education, health professions, how much security, legal professions and much more. In fact, undergraduate and graduate students like me pursue programming online.

Webster offers a number of online criminal justice/legal studies program. These programs may be pursued s at the undergraduate and graduate level. These programs can prepare you for careers in criminal justice, law enforcement, or public policy. And students may work through bachelor’s and then master’s-level programming related to law at the same institution. For more information about this program check out their website.

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15. Mississippi College

Mississippi College is a private four institution located in Clinton, Mississippi. The college offers bachelors masters and doctorate degrees as well as professional certifications. The student population is 4733 and the student of faculty ratio is 14 to 1. According to Carnegie, Mississippi College is classified as a doctoral/professional university. To support the success of their students the office of academic and career counseling provides robust programming to help students get the most from their degree and get into the workforce. Mississippi College has been accredited by the Southern Association of colleges and schools since 1922. This is a nationally ranked institution that ranks highly for social mobility, business programming, and engineer in programming according to the US news and world report.

Mississippi College is a Christian university. They offer a number of majors in degrees in paralegal studies. The paralegal studies degree prepare students for a degree for a career in law. In this program you will learn how to create legal documents and perform legal research. Students will gain exposure to the federal court system as well as the procedures they’re in. Upon completion you will qualify for a job as a paralegal. Those measuring and paralegal studies will take courses in the following areas: legal research and writing, law office management, family law, civil litigation, wills and Estates, and much more. For more information about this program and to apply check out their website.

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16. California Baptist University

California Baptist University is a private institution located in Riverside California. The student population is over 11,000 and the student faculty ratio is 16 to 1. California Baptist offers associates, bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees. According to Carnegie, California Baptist classifies as a masters college and university with larger programming. To support the success of their students the institution offers academic and career counseling, distance-learning opportunities, teacher certification options, study abroad programming, and much more.Some of their most popular online programs are in the fields of business management, nursing, psychology, film cinema and video settings, and general education among others.

CBU offers in bachelor of science in criminal justice. This program is divided into the following areas: general education requirements, lower division requirements, upper division requirements and prerequisites to the program. The upper division requirements 533 credit hours 33 credit hours are devoted to the upper division requirements including course material in crime and delinquency, terrorism and homeland security, methods of research for criminal justice, emergency management, minorities in the criminal justice System and much more. Students must complete 42 credit hours of general electives. For more information about this program check out their website.

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17. University of Maryland Global Campus

The University of Maryland Global Campus is headquartered in Adelphi, Maryland. The institution offers associates bachelors, masters and doctoral degree‘s as well as professional certifications. The student population is 58,281 and the student to faculty ratio is 19 to 1. According to Carnegie, UMGC is a masters college and university with larger programming. This institution has been accredited by the middle states commission on higher education since 1946. To support the success of the students institution offer why the rate of sin support services including academic and career counseling, credit for life experiences, distance learning opportunities, teacher certification and more.

UMGC offers a legal studies bachelors degree. All courses are available online. This is a 120 credit our bachelors program where are you learn how to draft legal documents and perform legal research. You MGC accepts up to 90 transfer credits.Some of the coursework includes drafting legal forms, reviewing the statute and assess its application, and much more. The courses in the major are as follows: an introduction to law, techniques of legal research, legal writing, legal ethics, advanced legal writing, torts, Domestic relations, criminal law and procedures, litigation, contract law, advanced legal practices. For more information about this program and to apply check out their website.

• Program Website

18. Pennsylvania State University

Pennsylvania State University is a four-year institution that offers associates bachelors masters and doctorate degrees as well as professional certifications. Institution and rolls over 91,000 students and has a student or faculty ratio 15 to 1. Penn State university has campus is all across the state of Pennsylvania. According to Carnegie Penn State is a doctoral University with very high research activity. To support the success of their students the institution offers academic and career counseling services as well as distance-learning options, study abroad opportunities, and much more. Penn State is ranked among the top 100 schools in the nation and is currently ranked 63rd nationally as well as highly for value, innovation, public schooling, undergraduate engineering, business program and computer science study abroad opportunities and much more. When it comes to innovation Pennsylvania State bring Sally for his undergraduate and graduate online options, technological advances in the classroom, and innovative faculty.

Penn State world campus offers a bachelor of arts in law and society. This is a 123 credit hour program that prepares you for work as a mediator, my arbitrator, legal assistant, and more. To apply to this program you should be an interested you should be interested in working in legal with legal issues in human resources and ferment of action law enforcement Child and family services etc. During the program you can acquire a professional certificate or an associates degree. This program prepares you for a this program provides you with the foundational knowledge required to pursue a degree in law. The benefit of world campus is that students may pursue this program from anywhere across the globe. For more information about this degree check out their website.

• Program Website

19. Hodges University

Hodges University is a private for your institution located in Fort Myers, Florida. Their enrollment is 977 and the student faculty ratio is 15 to 1. Hodges University offers associates bachelors and Masters degrees as well as professional certifications. According to Carnegie the institution is classified as a Masters college. To support the success of the students the institution office academic and career counseling as well as employment opportunities, and distance-learning opportunities. Some of the most popular online programs are in the field of computer and information sciences, psychology, and health.

Hodges university offers a bachelor of science and legal studies. The bachelors in legal studies is a comprehensive curriculums that’s designed to give you the foundational knowledge required to pursue a degree in law or a related discipline. The program is offered 100% online making it accessible to working adults and nontraditional students alike. Students will receive the litigation law training with a discovery and a litigation courses. This program prepares you for work and as a legal assistant, court assistant, probation officer, research assistant or an administrative supervisor. For more information about this program and to apply check out their website.

• Program Website

20. National University

National University is located in La Jolla, California. The institution is ome to 16,000 students and has a student or faculty ratio of 16 to 1. National University office associates, bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees as well as professional certifications. According to Carnegie, And you ranks as a masters college what larger programming. To support the success of their students national offers academic and career counseling credit for life experiences and distance learning options among other student support services. According to the US news and world report national University ranks regionally I said 95th to school in the region and highly for social mobility as well as computer science programming.

National University offers a bachelor of arts in pre-law studies. This is a four year degree that may be completed on campus or online the program provides you with the foundation and legal studies as well as the concepts that you’ll need to gain entry into law school. This program is military friendly and features year around enrollment. This is an accelerated online degree that features for week classes. This program in this program you learn how to develop critical thinking skills necessary for judicial cases, create legal documents, and analyze business is in relation to anticipate any business issues that may arise legal issues that may arise. Additionally you’ll learn how to develop a concise legal argument and plan for a fact in negotiation. From our information about this program and to apply check out their website.

• Program Website

Additional Resources:

20 Non-Law Firm Jobs with a Law Degree

What Degree Do You Need to Be a Paralegal?

What Degree Do I Need to Be a Mediator?

The post The 20 Best Online Bachelor’s in Prelaw Degrees appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

If you’re an adrenaline seeker, there are plenty of exciting careers that can help you quench your thirst for adventure.

Some professional thrill seekers fuel their adrenaline rush by protecting the public. Others save the lives of people who are in danger. Still others work in fields where they encounter adventure – and even dangerous situations – on a regular basis.

There are fun jobs as well as serious, high-pressure jobs, and everything in between. Likewise, there are jobs that pay well and jobs where the pay rate is disappointingly low, even if these professionals report high job satisfaction.

If you want a career that promises excitement, take a walk on the wild side with one of our top 15 jobs for adrenaline seekers. 

1. Emergency Room Doctors and Surgeons

If you’re looking for the most exciting jobs that save lives, look no further than emergency department doctor. This isn’t only one of the best jobs for adrenaline junkies – its six-figure median salary also makes it one of the jobs that pay well.

Doctors and surgeons have a lot of responsibility, period. However, physicians who work in hospital emergency rooms are always under pressure. They see patients with serious and sometimes life-threatening injuries and illnesses.

If emergency room doctors don’t act fast – and take the right actions – their patients could end up losing blood, limbs and even their lives.

Often, they don’t have access to the patient’s complete medical history the way a primary care doctor would. This means they have less information to go on when making a diagnosis, and the stakes are incredibly high.

Of course, being an ER doctor is fulfilling in many ways, too. Yes, there’s a lot of stress. There’s also the opportunity to save the lives of patients who could die without your help.

RELATED: Is a Typical ER Doctor Day Similar to What We See on TV Medical Dramas?

The high median annual salary reported by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) – which, incidentally, landed the career its first-place spot on this list – is another benefit.

If emergency room doctor sounds like the right career to you, expect to spend close to a decade in training, between going to medical school and completing internships and residencies.

Since people get sick or hurt at all times of the day, ER doctors may have to work odd and often long hours.

Median Salary: $310,640

Education: Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree (DO)

Nature of the job: Saving lives

2. Critical Care Nurses

ER doctors and hospital surgeons don’t handle all of the patient care responsibilities themselves. They have help from specialized nurses trained in critical care, trauma and intensive care unit (ICU) nursing. These intense jobs in the health care field can really get your blood pumping.

The job of caring for patients in dire health is certainly enough to get your adrenaline going. In this nursing specialty, patients’ lives are on the line.

It’s a stressful job intervening when patients have gone into shock, keeping calm when your patients have suffered severe wounds and managing the life support systems, like ventilators, that are keeping your patients alive.

Critical care nurses also have the responsibility to educate and support the often distraught families of seriously ill or injured patients. This job duty can be stressful in and of itself.

Aspiring critical care nurses must first earn the registered nurse (RN) credential, which requires a formal nursing education at the diploma, associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree level.

Through coursework, hospital fieldwork or a combination of the two, they develop the skills to work in a critical care setting. Then they can seek the Certified Critical Care Nurse (CCRN) credential.

Like ER doctors, critical care nurses must often work unusual schedules. Skilled nurses are needed to provide care for people who are gravely ill, even during nonstandard hours. ICU patients need close monitoring 24 hours a day, so hospitals must have these specialized nurses on staff at all times.

Critical care nurses may earn substantially higher salaries than RNs in other specialties. While the BLS reports that registered nurses earned a median salary of $77,600 in 2021, Salary.com reported in 2023 that critical care nurses made $82,400 per year on average.

Although ICU nurses and nurses in other areas of critical care don’t earn nearly as much as doctors do, this is another of the jobs that pay well and will keep you on your toes.

Additionally, the demand for RNs is expected to be even higher than the demand for doctors in the near future. The BLS anticipates jobs for registered nurses to increase by 6% over a decade, compared to the slower-than-average 3% growth expected for physicians.

Median Salary: $66,640 – $82,400

Education: Nursing Program Diploma, Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN)

Nature of the Job: Saving lives

3. Detectives and Criminal investigators

If you’re looking for a cool job, detective surely deserves consideration. Detective work has long been a source of fascination in entertainment of various forms, from Sherlock Holmes to CSI. If you’re looking for an adrenaline rush, why not make a career doing a job that others only read about or watch on TV?

As a real-life detective, you’ll see actual, active crime scenes in person when you collect evidence. You will have the chance to interview real suspects, witnesses and victims as you investigate the crime. Talk about exciting jobs!

RELATED: Is Life as a CSI Like They Show on TV?

Different types of detectives work in different employment situations. Your employment situation plays a large part in determining what your day-to-day work responsibilities are and how much money you could make.

Police detectives, for example, earned a median salary of $83,640 per year in 2021, the BLS reported. In an exciting career as a police detective, you may be involved in law enforcement activities like arrests and raids.

On the other hand, private detectives earn lower salaries. The median salary for private investigators was around $59,380 per year in 2021, according to the BLS.

Although it may not rank highly on the list of jobs that pay well, the private detective has other qualities of a dream job. Many private detectives work for themselves in private practice.

RELATED: Is Being a Bounty Hunter Really How It Looks on TV?

Both private and police detectives often start out their careers in law enforcement or in the military. A college degree isn’t always necessary, but can certainly be helpful – especially since there’s plenty of competition for detective jobs.

Crime never sleeps, so both police detectives and private investigators may need to work unusual hours to get the job done. This reality can sometimes pose challenges in your personal life.

Median Salary: $59,380 (private detectives) – $83,640 (police detectives and criminal investigators)

Education: Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice or Police Science

Nature of the job: Protecting the public

4. Police Officers

When trouble erupts, it takes a brave person to run toward the danger rather than away from it. In their high-adrenaline jobs, police officers do just that.

As a police officer, it doesn’t matter whether you’re pulling over reckless drivers on the highway, responding to reports of a violent crime or arresting suspects who may not come quietly. You can never be sure what will happen next.

Police officer is a high-risk job. You put yourself at risk every day to protect and serve the public. Even if you’re not scared easily, there will likely be at least a few times in your career – and more likely, many times – that you feel a rush of adrenaline.

When you’re working to save the victim of a crime, it’s definitely exciting. So is working to diffuse a risky situation or going in to arrest a dangerous suspect.

Different precincts have different education and training requirements. In some districts, you may be able to apply to a police training academy with just a high school education, according to the BLS. However, many precincts seek candidates with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.

Having a college education is becoming more and more valuable due to the competition for the job. If you want to be a police officer, you will need a clean criminal record. You also must be able to meet strict physical fitness requirements.

Overnight and shift work is common for law enforcement officers, as is overtime.

Median Salary: $66,020

Education: Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree in Law Enforcement or Criminal Justice

Nature of the Job: Protecting the public

5. Explosives Workers

Perhaps one of the most badass jobs is explosives worker.

It’s tough to think of any event that’s as dramatically dangerous as an explosion. For most of us, witnessing an explosion might be a once-in-a-lifetime event. For explosives workers, it’s all part of the daily routine.

These professionals handle, position and detonate explosives for a purpose. Explosive workers find jobs in industries like engineering, construction, mining and oil and gas extraction. It’s their responsibility to safely and effectively demolish buildings and move rocks and earth so new structures can be built or so existing resources can be reached.

It isn’t only the explosion itself that’s enough to get your adrenaline going. Explosive workers have the added stress of making sure the demolition goes safely.

Explosives worker is a relatively small occupation. The BLS reported that just 7,100 people worked in the profession in 2021. The BLS has predicted that the occupation will grow by just 100 jobs over a decade.

Most explosives workers enter the occupation with a high school education. Some professionals in this field get a certificate-level or undergraduate education in a related subject like engineering or construction.

Median Salary: $53,040

Education: Certificate or Undergraduate Degree in Engineering, Construction or Chemistry

Nature of the Job: Encountering adventure or danger

6. Firefighters

Could you imagine yourself running into a burning building? Braving the dangers of a home on fire to save lives isn’t just the ultimate adrenaline rush – it’s also extraordinarily heroic.

Maybe that’s why, despite the risks and the stress, the competition for full-time firefighter jobs is fierce.

Naturally, firefighters respond to emergencies involving burning buildings, forest fires and explosions. They use high-pressure hoses and other equipment to extinguish the flames. However, they are also called on for help in other emergency and disaster situations.

Firefighters use their training as emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to save lives in search and rescue missions and provide basic life-saving care.

Firefighting is, without a doubt, one of the most exciting careers, but it isn’t always a fun job. Firefighters may work exceptionally long and unusual hours. Their shifts often last between 24 and 72 hours, the BLS reported. During this time, they work, sleep and eat at the fire station, constantly on call in case an emergency should arise.

RELATED: The 20 Best Jobs Without a 9-to-5 Work Schedule

You don’t necessarily need a college degree to get your first firefighter job. You do, however, need at least some post-secondary education in subjects like airway management and trauma care to become an EMT.

If your goal is to eventually advance into a role like captain or chief, a college degree in fire science will be helpful, if not required.

RELATED: The 10 Best Online Fire Science Degree Bachelor’s Programs

Median Salary: $50,700

Education: EMT Certification; Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Science or Public Administration

Nature of the Job: Protecting the public

7. Correctional Officers

The next career on our list may not be one of the most thrilling jobs, but it has its share of excitement. Would being surrounded by criminals convicted of violent crimes be enough to activate your fight-or-flight response? For correctional officers, it’s a typical workday.

These protective service professionals work in prisons. Here, they supervise inmates and enforce rules.

Having to review the condition of jail cells, restrain inmates and conduct searches for contraband requires you to be alert and levelheaded under pressure. If correctional officers don’t effectively enforce the rules, they could find themselves caught up in a prison riot. That could be a very dangerous situation.

Shift work is common among correctional officers. This is because jails need to be staffed, supervised and kept in order 24/7. Overtime work is also common and can significantly increase correctional officers’ total wages.

Correctional officers are often part of a union, according to the BLS. This means they enjoy more employment protection than the typical at-will employee working in the private sector, for example. They also get benefits such as retirement plans and uniform allowances.

A high school diploma is sufficient education for working as a correctional officer in a number of local and state jails. However, there are some doors only a college education will open.

Even some local and state facilities that don’t require a college degree still require candidates to complete a minimum number of college credits. If you want to work in a federal prison, you will need a bachelor’s degree.

Even at facilities that don’t require a college education, having a degree can give you a boost over the competition – which there’s sure to be plenty of, since the BLS has predicted a 10% decline in job opportunities for this occupation between 2021 and 2031.

Median Salary: $47,920

Education: Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice or Corrections

Nature of the Job: Protecting the public

8. Hazardous Materials Removal Workers

Hazardous materials removal is a dangerous job – it says so right in the name – but someone’s got to do it. Would dressing head to toe in protective gear help you find the courage to approach some of the most toxic materials known to humankind?

Nearly two-thirds of all hazardous waste removal workers find employment with waste management services, according to the BLS. However, they may encounter different kinds of dangerous substances, ranging from nuclear waste to lead and asbestos.

RELATED: Top 50 Degrees For Changing The World

As if the hazardous materials themselves weren’t dangerous enough, these employees often work in dangerous environments, too. Common workspaces for hazardous materials removal workers include:

• Confined spaces
• Partially demolished buildings
• The scenes of accidents and disasters
• High heights

Most people wouldn’t add hazmat removal worker to a list of fun jobs. This is a high-pressure job in more ways than one.

These workers are responsible for protecting others by removing dangerous substances. They also need to follow safety protocols to the letter to protect themselves and their teams. Still, these exciting jobs are sure to keep things interesting.

Most hazardous materials removal workers don’t have a college education. However, a degree is essential for certain roles, such as those in nuclear plants.

Whether or not you earn a college degree, you should expect to spend time learning the profession through safety training both inside and outside the classroom.

You may need specific training and even a state license or federal permit to work with certain kinds of hazardous materials, such as nuclear waste, lead and asbestos.

Median Salary: $46,300

Education: Associate’s Degree in Radiation Protection

Nature of the Job: Encountering adventure or danger

9. Emergency Dispatchers

Can you keep your cool even when others around you are panicking? Emergency dispatcher might be the job for you.

While they don’t visit emergency scenes in person, police, fire and ambulance dispatchers are literally the first people to respond to a 911 call. The callers on the other end of the phone are often frightened and distraught. Sometimes they’re badly hurt or in danger themselves.

Emergency dispatchers need to listen carefully and communicate effectively to find out where the emergency is taking place and which authorities need to be alerted.

In this exciting job, you’re not just answering a phone. Dispatchers don’t only send the right agencies to the scene of the emergency but may also remain on the line with the distressed caller while police, fire and emergency medical personnel are on their way.

During the call, emergency dispatchers may guide callers in getting themselves out of danger, giving first aid to an injured person on the scene and preparing for the arrival of first responders.

Historically, most emergency dispatchers haven’t had college degrees. However, there are a number of academic subjects in which a college education could help an emergency dispatcher succeed, including:

• Communications
• Criminal Justice
• Emergency management
• Emergency services
• Public safety

The number of emergency dispatcher jobs is expected to increase by 4% over the next decade, the BLS reported.

Still, having an education or skills that set you apart from the competition can be important. In many states, having a certification like Emergency Medical Dispatcher is beneficial or even required.

Emergency dispatchers don’t work in a physically dangerous environment. They do, however, experience plenty of stress and pressure in their daily job responsibilities.

When they receive a call, lives are at stake. They need to be able to multitask and to quickly make the right decisions and provide the right instructions.

Both long shifts and overtime are common, the BLS reported. This means handling many troubling calls for help each workday.

Median Salary: $46,670

Education: Emergency Medical Dispatcher Certification; College Degree in Emergency Services, Public Safety, Criminal Justice, Emergency Management or Communications

Nature of the Job: Saving lives

10. Self-Enrichment Education Teachers

Do you fuel your adrenaline rush with activities like skydiving, whitewater rafting and rock climbing? If fun jobs are more what you’re looking for, the self-enrichment education teacher career path may be for you.

Hundreds of thousands of extreme sports enthusiasts are making a living by teaching others “self-enrichment” activities like these – and so can you. It’s easy to be passionate about your job when adventure and fun are a big part of your work on a daily basis.

Most self-enrichment education teachers – at least, those teaching high-adrenaline extreme sports and activities like these – don’t need a college degree. They do, however, need a good deal of training and experience to do their job right.

After all, part of the reason these sports are so exciting is because they are dangerous. As a guide or instructor, you’re responsible for the safety of the participants you teach.

You may have to complete a minimum number of times participating in the activity, such as 200 skydiving jumps. Depending on the activity, you may need certain licenses, certifications or ratings from professional organizations like the United States Parachute Association (USPA) or the American Mountain Guides Association.

Through training – possibly in a classroom as well as in the field – you’ll learn the skills and safety procedures necessary to prevent accidents and injuries and to respond if an emergency does occur.

Of course, a career in self-enrichment teaching isn’t for everyone who enjoys skydiving, whitewater rafting and other extreme sports. If instructor is your full-time job, you’re going to spend every workday in that environment, engaging in and helping others engage in the activity.

You’re under a lot more pressure as an instructor than just a participant. In this role, you’re responsible for the safety of others as well as yourself.

However, if you would love to make a career out of your favorite thrill-seeking hobby, you’re in luck. The BLS predicted a “much faster than average” job growth rate of 18% over the decade from 2021 through 2031 for these professionals.

Median Salary: $43,580

Education: Extensive Training and Professional Certification in Your Activity

Nature of the Job: Encountering adventure or danger

11. Fishing Workers

Plenty of people go fishing or hunting for recreation, but you could make it your career. After all, people all over the world need to eat. The meat and fish they consume have to come from somewhere.

If you go fishing or hunting to relax, then a career in the fast-paced fishing industry is probably not right for you. As much fun as you might find recreational fishing, professional fishing worker roles aren’t among the most fun jobs.

However, if you don’t mind confronting adventure or even danger on the sea, then you will love that the job entails the thrill of bringing in a good catch.

You don’t need a college degree to become a professional in the fishing and hunting industry. On-the-job training is often sufficient to get started in this career.

However, with the BLS predicting a slower-than-average increase in fishing and hunting jobs over the next 10 years, attaining these roles might be harder than you would think.

A number of community colleges and vocational schools offer associate’s degree programs in fishery technology, aquaculture and similar subjects. These programs of study can improve your job prospects in professional fishing work and help you advance in your career.

These programs cover a range of topics, according to the BLS, including:

• Fishing gear technology
• Marine safety
• Navigation
• Seamanship
• Vessel operations and repair

Professional fishing workers don’t just bait their rods and sit back to wait for a catch. They use fish-finding equipment to locate fish from large or small boats.

When they make a catch – typically a large one, especially when using gear like nets – they must store the fish in ways that will keep them safe for food consumption or an alternative use.

Median Salary: $32,530

Education: Associate’s Degree in Fishery Technology

Nature of the Job: Encountering adventure or danger 

12. EMTs and Paramedics

Even before emergency room doctors and critical care nurses get to a patient in need, another medical professional is there to provide life-saving first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics travel to the scenes of accidents, disasters, crimes and medical emergencies. There, they provide initial treatment to patients who – in the most serious circumstances – might otherwise not live long enough to reach the hospital.

What makes EMTs and paramedics particularly exciting jobs is the need to provide immediate emergency care. They must be able to evaluate the condition of an injured or ill patient quickly and decide how to best treat that condition. They don’t have the luxury of numerous diagnostic testing facilities with which to do so.

While they do treat patients at the scene, they must also care for patients while an ambulance or medical helicopter transfers them to the hospital. EMTs and paramedics need to be able to handle the pressure and keep calm in an emergency situation.

You don’t need a college degree to become an EMT, but you do to become a paramedic. These are the most advanced of the emergency medical services professionals. Paramedics need more training, including a two-year college degree in a subject like emergency medical technology.

Both EMTs and paramedics save lives in emergency situations, but paramedics have more responsibilities. They can also provide more extensive care to patients.

EMTs and paramedics need to complete a training program approved by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs to earn their certification. These programs include 150 to 1,200 hours of instruction, depending on the level of study, according to the BLS.

EMT and paramedic are high-pressure jobs, but they’re also rewarding career options. In this role, you have the opportunity to literally save lives on a daily basis.

The BLS expects opportunities for EMTs and paramedics to grow by a rate of 7% over the decade between 2021 and 2031. That projected growth rate is about on par with the average growth rate predicted for all occupations during this decade.

All told, this occupation should see 17,900 new job opportunities emerge between 2021 and 2031. Counting the vacancies left by workers retiring, advancing, changing careers and otherwise leaving their jobs, the BLS has predicted a total of 20,000 openings for EMTs and paramedics to be posted each year between 2021 and 2031.

Median Salary: $31,700

Education: Associate’s Degree in Emergency Medical Technology; EMT, Advanced EMT or Paramedic Certification from the NREMT

Nature of the Job: Saving lives

13. Security Guards

Anytime you’re responsible for protecting the public – whether at an office building, bank, school, hospital, mall, casino or entertainment venue – there’s the potential for danger. Instead of serving entire communities like police officers, security guards protect the property, workers and visitors of their specific employers.

Security guards conduct surveillance through in-person patrols and observing security cameras. When alarms on the property go off, security guards are responsible for responding to them. They oversee access to restricted areas, implement security checks and stop those suspected of breaking the law.

Security guards act to prevent crimes of all kinds, from theft and vandalism to violent crimes and terrorist acts. Of course, would-be criminals don’t appreciate security guards for making crimes more difficult to pull off. That’s where these exciting careers can get dangerous.

If you’re quick to notice suspicious behaviors or circumstances and brave enough to go investigate out-of-the-ordinary – and potentially dangerous – situations, a career as a security guard will provide the adrenaline rush you’re looking for.

You will need to stay alert even during night and odd-hour shifts. If an incident arises, you’ll have to think and act quickly.

A high school diploma is sufficient formal education for becoming a security guard. However, these protective services professionals typically must undergo training before starting the job and during their first few weeks on the job.

Through this training, they learn the correct way to handle emergency situations, administer first aid, detain suspects, report incidents and – if applicable – handle weapons like firearms.

In addition to undergoing training, security guards in most states must attain a state registration. Securing your registration typically includes passing a background check, the BLS reported.

Security guard is a very large occupation. The profession currently employs more than 1,100,000 workers. While the BLS predicts modest growth in opportunities for security guards over a decade, the expected 3% increase will translate to more than 37,200 new jobs between 2021 and 2031.

 Median Salary: $31,470

Education: High School Diploma; On-the-Job Training; State Registration

Nature of the Job: Protecting the public

14. Ambulance Drivers

Next on our list of jobs for thrill seekers is ambulance driver. If you’ve ever seen an ambulance speeding by with its sirens screeching and lights flashing, you can probably imagine that driving an ambulance could be a thrilling experience.

The career may not be one of the most fun jobs, but it combines high stakes (the health and lives of patients you’re transporting) with a need for speed and exposure to potentially dangerous environments.

Ambulance drivers must get critically ill and injured patients to medical facilities where they can get the treatment they need. Often, time isn’t on their side.

Between the pressure of having to save the life of the patient being transported and the exhilaration of driving quickly and evasively to accomplish it, it’s easy to see how the job can give you an adrenaline rush.

You don’t need a college degree to become an ambulance driver. Depending on where you intend to work, though, you may need to undergo basic EMT training and get certified.

EMT courses often include training and hands-on experience in driving an ambulance as well as performing CPR and first aid. In many locations, EMTs are responsible for operating emergency vehicles as well as for patient care.

You might also need to attain a special type of commercial driving license or a certificate permitting you to drive an ambulance.

Only about 11,900 Americans currently work as ambulance drivers but are not also EMTs, the BLS reported as of 2021. Unfortunately, the BLS expects opportunities for ambulance drivers to decline by 1% over the decade between 2021 and 2031. This decline is anticipated to reduce the occupation by 100 jobs.

Median Salary: $29,120

Education: High School Diploma; Possible EMT Certification; Commercial Driving License

Nature of the Job: Saving lives

15. Military Personnel

Many more high-adrenaline jobs are found in the United States military.

When you enlist in any branch of the U.S. military, you’re making a sacrifice for the good of your country. You may be deployed far from your loved ones. In the course of your service, you may face danger and stress in a number of forms.

However, you can also encounter adventure as you travel the world protecting your nation. Somewhere along the way, there’s a good chance you will come across an experience worthy of an adrenaline rush.

“Military personnel” isn’t one job so much as one classification of jobs. There are numerous roles you can hold in the various branches of the armed forces. These jobs have varying levels of responsibilities and pay grades. Some military personnel are entry-level enlisted members, while others are high-level officers with decades of experience.

Whether you enlist in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard, you can find various work opportunities that will allow you to train in a career field. For some personnel, serving in the military is a long-term career. For others, it’s an opportunity to gain an education and job skills for a future career while serving your country.

To begin your career as an enlisted member of the United States military, you must have a high school education. For certain roles, or to advance to a position such as officer, you will need a college education.

You must also meet age, physical fitness, citizenship and other requirements and pass a background check.

Median Salary: $18,561 – $192,866

Education: High School Diploma; Possible Bachelor’s Degree

Nature of the Job: Encountering adventure or danger

Other Fun Jobs and High-Adrenaline Careers

This isn’t an exhaustive list of exciting careers. Many jobs across a variety of industries can qualify as exciting careers. What constitutes fun jobs also varies from person to person.

Below are a few more examples of cool jobs that can foster your adventurous spirit.

Video Game Designer

If you like to play video games, why not consider a career in video game design? Video game designers develop the concept, story, characters and gameplay mechanics of a game. A video game designer provides creative direction but may also be responsible for some programming duties, as well. For that reason, completing some coursework in computer science may be beneficial for aspiring video game designers.

Opportunities in video game design are hard to come by, but they have benefits beyond high job satisfaction. Overall, video game designer roles are fun jobs that pay well.

Purchasing Agent or Personal Shopper

If you find that “retail therapy” raises your spirits, how about making a career out of spending other people’s money?

Companies employ buyers and purchasing agents to acquire the raw materials, supplies and equipment they need to run their business. Personal shoppers may either work for retail chains, helping customers find the items they want or need, or as independent consultants that individuals can hire for their shopping services.

RELATED: Top 10 Careers for Extroverts

As a buyer, purchasing agent or personal shopper, you’re putting your shopping expertise to work spending someone else’s money – and getting paid to do it. Shopping for a living can definitely be a fun job, if at times more challenging than you would expect.

Event Planner

Organizing events can be a stressful experience, but there’s no feeling quite like watching it all come together – and knowing that you made it happen. Event planner is another exciting job to consider.

Event planners work for hotels and venues as well as companies, colleges and nonprofit organizations. Some event planners offer their services to clients on a consulting basis, helping them find the right location for their event as well as coordinating all the logistics. In many ways, event planning is a fun job as well as an exciting one.

RELATED: What Degree Do People With a Job in Meeting and Event Planning Have?        

Cruise Director

Another fun, if stressful, job is cruise director. On a cruise ship, the cruise director serves as the senior crew member and is responsible for all hospitality activities on board the cruise ship. If you enjoy the work of event planning along with the experience of being out on the water, planning entertainment and recreation activities onboard a cruise ship may be the right fit for you.

Air Traffic Controller

Safely taking off and landing a commercial airplane takes a lot of coordination and communication. Pilots can’t just make a spur-of-the-moment decision to ascend or descend. If they did, they would risk colliding with other planes.

That’s where air traffic controllers come in. Air traffic controllers work in airports, communicating with pilots of numerous planes to ensure that everyone maintains a safe distance and avoids accidents.

RELATED: How to Become an Air Traffic Controller: What Degree Do I Need?

Air traffic control isn’t necessarily a fun job. This is an exciting career in large part because there is so much pressure. Still, if you can handle the stress, air traffic controller roles are jobs that pay well, with an average salary well into the six-figure range.

Editor’s Note: All salary, job outlook, work environment, education and training and license and certification data contained in this article comes from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Salary and job outlook data was last updated in 2023 using the most recent BLS data from 2021.

You can learn more about career paths for adrenaline seekers from the BLS’s blog post Adrenaline jobs: High-intensity careers.

Related Resources:

Top 10 Jobs with a Degree in Emergency Management

20 Non-Law Firm Jobs with a Law Degree

I know Being an Archeologist Isn’t Like Being Indiana Jones. What’s a Typical Day as One?

What Are the 5 Best Careers in Environmental Science?

What Degree Do I Need to Become a Lighting Designer?

The post Exciting Jobs: The Top 15 Jobs for Adrenaline Seekers appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

While many of our rankings focus on individuals specific disciplines, schools with quality social science scholars tend to have a range of fields they excel in. And many social science degrees are interdisciplinary to some degree. To reflect this fact we’ve ranked schools that provide online degrees and excel across a range of the social sciences. Enjoy!

1. University of Michigan

The University of Michigan online offers a number of options for people who are looking to pursue an online degree. Michigan Online offers courses degrees and something called teach outs which are free online learning events that focus on important topics that currently face society. The degree programs are full degrees including undergraduate and graduate degrees and the courses are 4 to 6 weeks long and or self paced. If you are looking to grow skills try their course series.

The University of Michigan online offers a master of social work. This is a part-time online master of social work degree which is perfect for young professionals who have family and other commitments. This is a 45 credit hour part-time program that includes placements near you and your community. As part of the degree you have an opportunity to visit Ann Arbor and meet your cohort. The online curriculum is interpersonal practice in integrated health, mental health, and substance-abuse. This online degree prepares you to become a licensed social worker.

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2. New York University

New York University offers a number of online degrees and courses through NYU online. NYU offers a number of growing online offerings including graduate degrees, enhanced undergraduate experiences, as well as online certifications. Their online programming has expanded their reach and students from all backgrounds are now able to study at NYU. NYU is known for innovation and over the years NYU online has adjusted their curriculum to ensure that they’re using best practices. The courses are created by their faculty which are customized for the students who attend.

NYU online features their online Master of Arts in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness as well as a Master of Arts in Counseling and Guidance. Both programs may be completed in less than two years. The Master of Arts in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness utilizes a hands-on approach and does not require a GRE for admission. This online degree features live classes and interactive work as well as real world training at sites located near your area. The course also features three or four days of networking and intensive training on campus In New York City. Master of arts in counseling in guidance is an 18-month program that does not require a GRE. In this program you’ll learn to be an elementary school counselor, middle school counselor, or a high school counselor. Students may select a bilingual school counseling concentration.

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3. University of Wisconsin

The University of Wisconsin eCampus features over 150 University of Wisconsin online degrees and certifications. There are a growing number of programs available through campuses across the UW system. UW eCampus also offers online supplementation courses for students who are enrolled at a brick and mortar location. You can take classes during the summer, take individual courses online, and more.

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4. University of Washington

The university of Washington offer is the professional and continuing education programs. These online degrees are a great fit for any individual who is non-traditional either looking to return to school or complete their degree online. Their online programs feature bachelors and Masters degrees in a wide range of fields. Their online programs feature number of degrees in engineering and applied sciences.

Additionally, their online programming features online degrees in the social sciences including their bachelor of arts and integrated social sciences. This program is done entirely online and may be completed in 2 to 4 years. Like with all bachelors degrees, this program requires general education requirements and coursework pertaining to the major. Additionally, you can personalize your studies with a mix of courses from various fields including sociology, anthropology, international studies, economics, geography, communication and history. Their online masters degree is a degree in library and information science. This course may be completed at UW Seattle or online. The courses are flexible and the duration is two years. All students will be studying full-time.

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5. University of Texas

The university of Texas at Austin offers the university extension program. All of these courses are 100% online and open Roman. No admission to the university of Texas is required. There are a number of self paced online programs in a wide range of fields including classical mythology, foundations of accounting, world literature, Russian studies, calculus, and so much more.

The University of Texas offers an online course called sociology of love and intimacy. This Course focuses on many aspects of love including social change and human values. Additionally you will have the opportunity to look at how intimacy and love are materializing a variety of societies. In the course you will become familiar with the spiritual and philosophical aspects of life. You will also examine the impact of industrialization and capitalism on private lights. Additionally the University of Texas offers courses in American government Texas government issues and policies in American government women in the United States history and the United States history ranging from 1492 to 1865 and beyond. For more information on the wide array of courses offered in sociology head to their website.

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6. University of Southern California

The University of Southern California is a private research university that offers some of the best education in the world. It’s brick and mortar location is in Los Angeles which is a global center for international business the arts and more. Along with the changing times USC has changed their programming. USC currently offers a number of online programs in a wide variety of fields including computer science, business and accounting, dentistry, engineering science technology, law, library science, psychology, public policy and more.

Among the many online programs is their online school of social work. The Social Work school at USC is one of the best in the world and their online programming includes the nursing MSN, the Social Work MSW and the doctor of Social Work DSW. Additionally students may pursue the online master of science in applied psychology the online masters in public administration and the master of urban planning. There are a number of additional Available. For more information and to sign up for one of these online degrees had to their website.

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7. University of Illinois

The University of Illinois University of. Illinois system offers a number of online options. The University of Illinois at Urbana champagne, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and the University of Illinois at Springfield all offer online programming. Students may pursue a bachelors, bachelors, doctoral degree, certification, continuing education course, and general Ed course.

The University of Illinois Springfield office in online bachelors degree in psychology. This is a bachelor of arts program that is taught entirely online. The college offers a high-quality education taught by faculty from the University of Illinois Springfield campus. This program does provide an individualized professional advising opportunity and the faculty work with you to help you design a customized career path. The Springfield campus also offers a bachelor of arts in political science. The curriculum is a flexible course of study giving you a foundation in law, politics, public service, research or teaching. The Urbano-Champaign campus offers an online master of social work the guy MSW. This online degree afford students the opportunity to continue to work in their hometown while advancing their education. Many students are able to complete this program and a return to employment field placement allowing them to be employed at their social service agency. This online course prepare students for social work practice as well as research in public and private agencies into concentrations: leadership and social change, and advanced clinical. If you choose advanced clinical you may further choose to specialize in: mental health, healthcare, or children youth and family services. Each student must choose a concentration and complete an internship.

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8. Ohio State University

Ohio state university offers a wide range of degree and certification programs fully online. Ohio State University offers degree programs in their college of nursing at the Fisher College of business at the John Glenn college of public affairs at their college of social work at the college of engineering, at the college of pharmacy at the college of arts and sciences and much more. If you are looking to advance your career or simply head back to school to finish your degree then check out the wide range of online offerings Available through Ohio State university ( OSU ).

Among these online offerings is the master of social work offered through the college of social work. According to the US news and world report the master of social work at the Ohio State university is ranked sixth among public universities. If you have earned a degree an undergraduate degree in social work you are eligible for the ASAP MSW program which is an accelerated path to the degree. If you have completed a bachelors degree in any other discipline you’re eligible for the additional MSW program. This online degree takes four semesters or 2 Years to complete. For more information about their master of science and social work and their myriad other programs head to their website.

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9. Penn State University

Penn State is a huge school that offers a number of fantastic academic opportunities. In recent years, Penn State opened up it’s famous world campus. The world campus at Penn State consists of over 150° and certifications all entirely online. You don’t have to head to Pennsylvania To study at Penn State. Penn State offers bachelors degrees associates degrees undergraduate certificates undergraduate minors masters degrees doctoraldegree graduate certificate and more all online. No matter where you are in your career an online degree from Penn State can help you get where you need to go.

Currently, Penn State offers 22 programs online at their level arts and communications school including their undergraduate certificate in digital arts, the digital journal Lizum and media bachelor of arts, the diversity studies undergraduate certificate, the history bachelors of arts. The undergraduate minor in history, the undergraduate minor and media studies the associate of arts and letters arts and sciences as well as the bachelor of arts and letters arts and sciences, The bachelor of arts in psychology the bachelor of science in psychology the master of professional studies in psychology of leader ship and the undergraduate minor in sociology. As you can see there are a wide range of online degrees related to the social sciences. For more information and to apply head to their website.

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10. University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota offers a number of online degrees and certifications. These degrees are equivalent there on campus degrees and certifications and generally use the same instructors and offer the same programming as well as curriculum. This This is an University of Minnesota degree. The University of Minnesota offers undergraduate certificates, graduate certificates, undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, doctoral degrees as well as licensing programs, and minors as well as partially online programs.

The University of Minnesota offers an online bachelor of applied science in psychology. This is a 120 credit our program that’s offered through the Dallas campus. At the end of this degree you are an undergraduate degree from the college of education and human service professionals. Some of the sample courses of this program include a course in developmental psychology, experimental design and methodology, theories of personality, learning and behavior, and an introduction to industrial/organizational psychology. For more information on the wide variety of online offerings at U of M had to their website.

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11. Arizona State University

Arizona State University is one of the top innovative schools in the world. Over the past few years Arizona State University ASU has offered an increasing number of online degrees and certifications. Currently ASU online offers undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, online certification programs, and non-degree programs. According to the US news and world report ASU is ranked as the 103rd Best school in the nation as well as the number one most innovative school in the world. A large part of their innovation comes through their online degree offerings. One of the benefits of their online programming is that you will get to learn from the same state of the art faculty that they have at their brick-and-mortar location.

ASU offers a number up online degrees related to the social sciences including their community advocacy and social policy bachelors degree their master of arts and social justice and human rights, their master of arts and social technologies, their master of social work as well as their graduate certificate and social entrepreneurship and community development. Their online bachelor of arts and community advocacy and social policy is an online program that focuses on advocacy that compares social services systems. There are two course sequence areas: the diversity/Oppressed populations sequence and these social problems and interventions sequence which focuses on social problems that affect members of oppressed populations. This program offers change strategies. For more information about the myriad programs available online through ASU head to their website.

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12. Rutgers University

Rutgers offers online degrees. According to the US news and world report Rutgers New Brunswick is the number one public university in the state of New Jersey and is the top 25 public universities in the US and top 30 nationally ranked universities. Rutgers online currently offers a number of bachelors degrees and Masters degrees. These online degrees are nationally ranked and use the same faculty and offer the same academic programming as the on-campus programs. Rutgers boasts small classroom sizes as well as a flexible and convenient program that is affordable and outcomes driven. If you are looking to change your careers or simply to begin and complete a degree then try the Rutgers online programming.

Among their many online offerings is the master of social work. In the Masters of social work you’ll complete an online degree with a clinical specialization where in you will learn about and assessment intervention evaluation men and ways to enhance the well-being of others. This 100% online format is flexible and allows you to plan your work according to your own schedule. No GRE is required Or admission to this program. If you have a passion for helping others and are interested in joining the rewarding career of Social Work then this is the degree for you.

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13. Boston University

Boston university is one of the top rated universities in the United States. This infamous university is well known for its award-winning innovative approach to academia. Lately, BU has been offering award winning online learning programs. In fact US news and world report recently ranked their online programming among the best in the nation. There are currently 3200 students enrolled in an online program at BU with over 76 countries represented. BU offers online bachelors masters and doctoral degree programs. You can pursue an online degree in art education, law, management, music education, occupational therapy, Social Work, software development, cyber security, project management, and more.

Boston university offers an online master of social work from the Boston university school of social work. This is a program that has three tracks and as a part time masters degree. This program features a major in either clinical or macro Social Work in offer is a convenient online format. The part-time format is great for individuals who need to work while studying. This program affords you the flexibility to complete one or two field internships within your own community. The curriculum is holistic and helps you assist of diverse group of at risk populations.

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14. George Washington University

George Washington University Is an excellent university and now an excellent online learning university. George WGW online offersdegree programs in the Liberal arts, Business, education, medicine, nursing and pre-professional disciplines. According to US news and world report George Washington University ranks is the 66th best school in the nation and is also the 38th Beth school for veterans. If you’re looking for a high-quality education that is also high value then certainly check out the academic offerings at GWU.

Are you looking to pursue a certification or a degree in politics and public policy then certainly check out the various online offerings that GW you. Do you WU offers a master of international policy and practice which is a 27 credit our masters program for individuals with eight or more years of professional experience. This program may be completed full-time in one year and also has part-time options available. Are you a Spanish student? And you may be interested in the master of professional studies and political communications and governance. This program is offered entirely in Spanish to students in Latin America and Spain on trains leaders from all fields and how to develop a professional approach to secure Alex direct office. If you are interested in American politics then try the master of professional studies and political management.

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15. University of Georgia

The University of Georgia is one of the top 50 schools in the United States. Additionally according to the US news and world report the University of Georgia ranks as the 15th top public school in the nation the 23rd best college for veterans and the 35th best school for study abroad programming among many other accolades. Recently, the University of Georgia has turned to online learning. If you’re looking to pursue an online program you can follow a course online a degree program and a professional certification. When it comes to online degrees the University of Georgia offers undergraduate degrees graduate degrees and more. Additionally, the University of Georgia offers a number of professional certifications specifically those two enhance the career of teachers as well as graduate speech and language pathology professionals and more.

If you are interested in the social sciences and check out their online master of social work. This program features a curriculum with micro specialization’s in a wide variety of areas. Upon completion of this degree you’ll have the opportunity to work with families, individuals, groups, organizations and anywhere that social services are required in your community. The program is taught in a cohort model and requires 60 credit hours to be completed 44 of those credit hours are coming from online coursework while 16 credit hours come from field education that may be completed directly in your community. The program takes three years to complete. Do University of Georgia online also offers a Masters of education and educational psychology, gifted and creative education. This is a fully online MED program that requires a minimum of 37 credit hours as well as a final written comprehensive examination. Among the many courses this program includes characteristics of gifted children and youth, methods and materials for the gifted, a seminar and gifted education, and programming and curriculum for the gifted. For more information and to apply had to their website.

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16. University of Pittsburgh

Do University of Pittsburg Pittsburgh campus is ranked as the 58 best university in the nation. Additionally according to the US news and world report the University of Pittsburgh ranks highly for innovation, veterans, undergraduate engineering, and as one of the top public schools. In recent years, the University of Pittsburgh has added a number of online offerings. In fact you can find online programs through pit online in one of these schools: the graduate school of public in international affairs, the school of education, the school of law, the school of nursing, the University Center for Social and Herb and research, and their massive open online courses program. Additionally put online partners up with Swanson school of engineer ring, the Joseph M cats graduate school of business, The school of health and rehabilitation sciences, the college of general studies, in the college of computing and information.

Among their many online options is the master of public policy in management MP p.m. Disagrees office of the graduate school of public and international affairs and provides midcareer professionals with an opportunity to expand and develop in their careers. This is a 30 credit our program that is design with advanced career professionals in mind. As an online student you enroll in six credits per term meeting you’ll be able to complete the 30 credit our degree and just five terms. By taking courses in the spring summer and fall you are in your degree in 19 months. However you may Choose to complete your degree at a slower pace taking just one course at a time. This flexible opportunity is perfect for the working professional. For more information or to apply to their DNP program head to their website.

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17. University of Virginia

Do University of Virginia is one of the top public schools in the world. in fact, the University of Virginia is ranked as the 26th best school in the nation. Additionally, University of Virginia is the number for top public school the seventh bus school for business and the 10th best college for veterans among other very high accolades. Online learning at UVA offers online courses certifications and degrees. You can find online degree programming in the arts and humanities, business, education and human development, engineering and science, and medicine and health sciences. Or or you may choose to select a single course.

If you are interested in learning about the social foundations of psychology and how they apply to education then try the online master of education education psychology social foundations program. Social foundations are often called the humanities of education. In this online degree you will study courses like history of education, philosophy of education, Anthropologie of education, sociology of education, and comparative education. You may complete this program full-time or part-time yeah and you may simultaneously works for is an ad on endorsement and gifted education or English language learners education. All of the corn elective courses are taking online. If you are interested in a policy related career and schools in the school system for employment in various governmental agencies then you may want to look into further graduate training and Social foundations.

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18. University of Florida

The University of Florida ranks as one of the top universities in the nation. Currently in the university affordable strands has the sixth top public school in the nation as well as one of the top public schools for value, undergraduate teaching, business, undergraduate engineering and more. In recent years the University of Florida office UF online. UF online of Ford’s you the opportunity to pursue the major that you want on your terms through an accessible online portal. UF online offers degrees in the following areas: business and leadership, technology, communication, earth science, social sciences, public safety, health and life.

You have online offers a number of bachelors degrees in the social sciences all entirely online. You can pursue a bachelor of arts and anthropology, a bachelor of arts in criminology, bachelor of arts and education sciences, a bachelor of arts and psychology, a bachelor of arts and public relations, a bachelor of arts and sociology, and a bachelor of science and telecommunication: media and society. If you’re looking to pursue an online graduate degree such as a masters degree or a doctorate degree you may wish to investigate the online master In mass communication with a specialization and social media what design, public relations, political communication, global strategic communications, public relations and communication management, and more. No matter how you wish to connect with society the University of Florida has a degree program for you. For more information and to apply head to their website.

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19. Northeastern University

Northeastern university ransom on the top of the schools in the nation and is the number one school for co-ops and internships according to US news the 12th top school for a senior capstone project the alarm at the most innovative school and the 102nd best value of school. Northeastern is known for myriad of academic programming as well as their study abroad opportunities and their undergraduate research opportunities especially in the fields of computer science, grad engineering, and business. Recently, northeastern university offers bachelors degree programming completely online among these online degrees are the online bachelors in analytics, the online bachelors in healthcare administration and the online bachelors in project management.

If you are interested in social sciences he may want to pursue the online bachelors degree in psychology. As part of this program you will explore psychological development and behavior and much more. This online bachelors degree in psychology covers a wide range of topics which may be applied to various careers. The curriculum features experiential learning opportunities as well as general education classes and core courses. Some of the core courses include those in the behavioral and cognition Sciences such as their ethical issues and health care course, their introduction to behavioral health science professions and the chorus on stress and stress management. The major includes course material and abnormal psychology, social psychology, human behavior in the social environment, and Physio logical psychology. You will have the opportunity to purchase paid in clinical practice and engage in world-class research. For more information and to apply to this program head to their website.

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20. University of Denver

The University of Denver ranks among the top schools in the nation. According to the US news and world report, do University of Denver ranks highly for value undergraduate teaching in for veterans. In recent years the University of Denver has offered an online learning opportunity. You will have the option to study completely online through a hybrid program or using their HY flex program which affords me the opportunity to head to campus or to login from HONNE and pursue your degree online. These flexible online learning opportunities include masters degrees bachelors degrees and graduate certifications. Among the many masters programs since me engage with their online arts and culture management program their nonprofit leadership program their geographic information systems degree and their health informatics it’s a great program.

If I you are interested in the social sciences you may wish to pursue the online master’s in global community engagement. This program does not require a GRE or GMAT for admission and may be pursued either online or in the evenings. As part of this online degree you may pursue a concentration in culture and diversity, global issues, global community engagement. The global community engagement masters degree teaches you how to optimize organizational effectiveness and engage effectively with communities who have been impacted by global struggles. This is a 48 credit hour degree with five core courses, four concentration courses and three elective courses. Among the many elective courses include working internationally, communication and cultural memory, gender and social justice : Sex and power and global perspective, contemporary racial and ethnic relations, topics in global community engagement, and many more. You may complete this online degree in 24 months or 36 months depending on your pace. The University of Denver also offers their students the opportunity to take a course before they apply for the entire degree. If you are looking to pursue further education in the field of social science then head to their website for more information.

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For Further Reading:

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What Degree Do You Need to Be a Speech Therapist?

What Degree Do I Need to Be a Holistic Counselor?

Top 10 Highest Paying Social Science Jobs

The post The 20 Best Online Degree Offering Schools For Social Sciences appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

The trouble is that, in most jobs for lawyers – at least, the ones you’ve probably heard of – you’re stuck in the unappealing environment of a law firm for most of your career.

Don’t let yourself get discouraged from pursuing a law degree and a role in the legal profession without exploring the best alternative careers available to law school graduates.

Can You Be Anything Other Than a Lawyer With a Law Degree?

Legal work, like work in many other industries, is more nuanced than it appears from the outside. Your law degree can put you on many different paths, ranging from those that are only loosely connected with the legal services industry to non-lawyer legal profession roles and even lawyer jobs outside of conventional law offices. Some of these career paths with a law degree require a passing score on the bar exam and a license, while others do not.

RELATED: What is the Difference in Legal Studies and a Law Degree?

The Benefits of a Law Degree for Non-Legal Careers

The Juris Doctor (JD) degree awarded by law schools is mandatory for becoming a licensed attorney, but a law degree provides value beyond direct preparation for legal careers. As you undertake a law school curriculum, you will spend a great deal of time reading, researching, writing and learning to craft strong, evidence-backed arguments.

RELATED: What Degree Do You Need to Be a Lawyer?

Law students have the opportunity to develop their problem-solving skills, critical-thinking skills, analytical skills and legal writing skills. As you pursue a Juris Doctor degree, you become able to understand information expressed in dense “legalese” language that others find too hard to figure out, as well as to unravel complex matters of cause and effect.

All of these abilities have applications beyond simply providing legal representation and professional legal advice as an attorney. The industries and occupational fields in which you could utilize these skills are almost endless. Besides the specific skills you learn in law school, you will benefit in any of these careers from having strong interpersonal skills, time management skills and communication skills in general.

Jobs With a Law Degree – Not Lawyer Roles

In order from the least to most “lawyerly,” here are the 10 best non-legal jobs you could use your law school degree to pursue.

1. Entrepreneur

Who says you can’t launch your own business with a legal education instead of a business degree? An entrepreneur carves their own path. The abilities you develop through law school, including the ability to read and write legal contracts and to understand and comply with legal requirements, count as business skills just as much as your skills polished in an MBA program would.

When it comes to choosing your business structure and following the legal requirements to set up your business, your legal education will give you an advantage over an aspiring entrepreneur with no legal knowledge. If you hire employees, your familiarity with employment law will keep you from being blindsided by the responsibilities and expenses associated with being an employer.

Some industries, like pharmaceutical companies and medical practices, are more heavily regulated than others. Having a basic grasp of these regulations helps you avoid missteps in which you might face allegations or charges of false advertising, breach of contract, employment discrimination or other issues.

On a day-to-day basis, the skills you develop in research while seeking a Juris Doctor degree can help you plan your business moves, from performing market research that informs new products, services and pricing to identifying opportunities for growth and improved profitability. Your skills in critical thinking can help you analyze problems and potential solutions. Your writing skills will help you communicate well with workers, vendors, customers and everyone else involved in your business.

2. Writer, Journalist or Novelist

So much of practicing law – and, by extension, earning a law degree – revolves around writing. Legal documents accompany just about every phase of the legal process, and law schools make a strong effort to help students develop their skills in legal writing and drafting. One application for your strong writing abilities is in a professional writing role.

If you enjoy the writing aspect of your legal education, there’s a lot you can do in this area. Working as a print, digital or broadcast journalist allows you to put your writing abilities to work covering news stories – while also making use of the research skills you develop in law school.

Professional writers create all kinds of content for companies, from marketing content to technical guides to internal corporate communications. In some areas of professional writing, your law degree may help you avoid common problems that can arise in advertising and in corporate communications.

Some law school graduates, like bestselling author John Ray Grisham Jr., go on to write novels and other creative works, often in the genre of legal thriller. If your goal is to become a bestselling novelist, you’ll need a backup plan – at least until you get your debut novel published.

Legal writing, while valuable, is a distinct skill from the kinds of writing used in marketing, the development of technical instructions and fiction writing. It’s important to be able to tailor your voice to your audience and purpose, because no one wants to read a blog post or a novel written fully in the stuffy “legalese” style of a complaint or an affidavit.

3. Budget Analyst or Management Analyst

If it’s not writing you’re enamored by but instead the aspects of problem-solving, consider putting your law degree to work in a business-related analyst role. Two common types of analysts in the business world are budget analysts and management analysts. Your skills in research and in thinking analytically about both big-picture matters and small details can help you succeed in these roles.

Budget analysts are concerned with planning the details of a company’s budgets, spending and finances in general, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). They analyze the numbers, keep colleagues and departments in compliance with spending limits and protocols and perform cost-benefit analyses and other research to identify ways to save money and increase the value the company receives.

RELATED: How Many Jobs Are Available in Finance?

Management analysts look at the bigger picture of an organization’s efficiency. Rather than zeroing in on the budget planning and compliance, a management analyst might look at spending patterns more broadly as well as identify redundancies and wasteful processes throughout the organization’s operations. Management analysts look for solutions to known problems and explore potential opportunities for improvements, even where a defined “problem” doesn’t exist.

4. Marketing or Public Relations Manager

The chances are good that you’ve seen attorney billboards and heard the commercials that begin with “If you or a loved one…” Today’s lawyers are so obsessed with marketing that there are entire agencies out there dedicated solely to marketing for attorneys.

Advertising in the attorney space presents unique challenges ranging from regulatory guidelines – what you’re allowed, and not allowed, to say – to the difficulty of attracting attention from and winning over your audience. After all, in most situations, people don’t want to hire a lawyer, and they probably won’t get excited about doing so.

Succeeding in attorney advertising requires you to navigate these difficulties. Although a Juris Doctor degree isn’t required for a marketing job search, marketers and marketing managers who come from legal backgrounds have invaluable insights that allow them to strike the perfect balance between creating the campaigns that get results while abiding by strict advertising regulations.

Of course, law students turned marketers aren’t limited to marketing opportunities for the legal field. Talented marketers are in demand in virtually all industries. Having a background in legal studies in combination with your marketing skills and your track record of marketing results, however, will help you appeal particularly to clients who work in highly technical or heavily regulated industries.

Although there’s some overlap between marketing and public relations, these fields are distinct. The goal of PR is to generate publicity through press releases and media contacts and to create a positive or favorable public image for the company, while the goal of marketing is to generate publicity and public interest generally for the purpose of making sales. As a manager of either marketing or PR, you can expect to supervise other marketing personnel and guide big-picture strategies and campaigns.

5. Recruiter or Human Resources Manager

If you’re interested in employment law, you could put your legal knowledge to work in a business capacity with a role like recruiter or human resources manager. When your job is to hire workers or help job applicants get hired, any potential pitfall in the hiring process or in contract negotiations and administration could put you on the wrong side of the law. Having a legal background helps you understand the intricacies of applicable laws, including what interview questions could be deemed discriminatory and what terms and language to include in employment contracts and offers.

RELATED: What Qualifications Do I Need to Become an HR Manager? 

A recruiter may work for a recruiting or staffing agency, connecting interested candidates with companies that are hiring. HR managers typically work in-house, overseeing a company’s human resources department.

Which role you choose will affect your day-to-day job duties, since human resources personnel are involved with workers not only during the hiring process but throughout their tenure with the company. HR specialists often play a part in professional development and training, performance evaluations, the managing of employment records and paperwork, administration of benefits and payroll and strategic planning for the company’s workforce.

6. Lobbyist

Political changes, like new legislation, affect industries and individual companies. Lobbyists are paid advocates working for a company, organization or industry. The goal of a lobbyist is typically to attempt to influence people in power – generally, political figures, like legislators – to make choices that favorably affect their company or industry.

Law school graduates are well-suited to working as lobbyists because they are able to interpret what a proposed piece of legislation is likely to mean for their organization or industry. Additionally, lobbyists must be sure that they keep their efforts to gain favor for their employer or industry from crossing the line into illegal acts, like bribery (in which favor is bought by money, property or another form of payment). Having a law school background can help lobbyists better understand what actions are and are not permitted in their efforts to influence politicians for the good of their organization.

7. Legislative Analyst

A career that involves laws and lawmaking but without the influence component is legislative analyst. Legislative analysts work for a variety of employers, from government agencies and individual politicians to think tanks, nonprofit organizations and private companies. A legislative analyst’s role is to provide an educated analysis and interpretation of laws that have been proposed, passed or implemented.

Legislative analysts aren’t necessarily objective, although some may strive to be. The legislative analysts employed by a politician might be concerned with the optics of sponsoring or voting a certain way on a piece of legislation, especially as they pertain to supporting a particular political party. Private companies and nonprofit organizations that employ legislative analysts are more concerned with the particulars of how the laws and regulations would affect their industry or organization specifically than with all effects of legislation.

Law school graduates may have an easier time reading and making meaning of the text of a bill or law than those without a legal background. Legislative analysts need to understand not only what the legislation could do in an abstract way but also the context of how it would likely be applied in real-world situations. For this work, the study of case law that you undertook in law school and your solid understanding of constitutional law are valuable assets.

8. Politician

Perhaps you’re more interested in the front-and-center political job of a politician. In their various roles in government – legislative and executive branches at local, state and federal levels – politicians create the laws and policies that affect companies, organizations and individuals.

Having a law degree is good preparation for becoming a politician because, again, you’re able to understand the complex language used in legislation. Whether you’re writing an original piece of legislation or reading an existing bill and deciding how to vote on that bill or whether to sign it into law, having this understanding not only of what the bill aims to do but also what its language actually means is critical.

RELATED: Exciting Jobs: The Top 15 Jobs for Adrenaline Seekers

As of 2020, more than a third of politicians serving in the U.S. House of Representatives and more than half of U.S. Senators had a law degree, according to the Congressional Research Service.

9. Compliance Officer

Attorney isn’t the only role in which you need to be a stickler for knowing and following the rules – not to mention making sure everyone else is following them, too. A compliance officer makes a career out of insisting on their organization’s compliance with all local, state and federal regulations that apply. This role necessitates understanding the rules and regulations to which organizations are subjected as well as the full procedures required to be in compliance.

Compliance officers often work in areas like business, finance and insurance, and they may oversee the compliance of financial advisors, investment bankers, loan officers, insurance claims adjusters (and the insurance company as a whole). However, a compliance officer may also find opportunities in other industries, including health care, pharmaceutical manufacturing, science and technology, telecommunications, human resources departments and more.

Some compliance officers work for the government. Others are the in-house employees at organizations that are required to comply with regulations whose primary job is to ensure that compliance happens.

10. Law Professor

If you’re tired of practicing law or have just realized that you’re not interested in a traditional lawyer job, you might find more fulfillment in a role in academia. Law professors do the important work of educating the next generations of attorneys. In addition to the teaching duties they perform at law schools, law professors often contribute to scholarly research and publish articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Providing a legal education means instructing law school students in all areas of legal studies, including legal reasoning and analysis, concepts and skills in legal practice, criminal law, civil procedure, contract law and tort law. Legal professors plan and teach lessons and grade assignments. The goal of law professors is to not only teach students to memorize concepts and theories but also help them develop legal skills, practical skills in conflict resolution and the ability to apply their knowledge to real-life legal situations.

You typically don’t need a state license or a voluntary professional certification to work as a law professor, as you would need to teach in a K-12 school. However, you probably will need at least a few years of previous experience practicing law to get hired as a law professor.

Alternative Careers in the Legal System

The legal industry is large and more varied than many people – even many law school graduates – realize. With your legal background, you can work in a non-lawyer role in a law firm or another area in the legal system. Here are 5 alternative careers in legal work.

11. Legal Consultant

A lawyer represents their clients in legal proceedings, including in the courtroom. If you enjoy the work of legal analysis and research but not the representation aspect of the work, you might consider a career in legal consulting. Legal consultants basically make a career out of providing personalized, professional legal advice to paying clients.

A legal consultant may focus on specific areas of law, such as medical law, corporate law or employment law. Organizations generally hire legal consultants when they need advice only, rather than legal representation – perhaps to avoid running into legal issues in the first place. As such, working as a legal consultant is a great option if you would rather help organizations take proactive steps to prevent problems than attempt to help clean up an existing legal mess once it makes its way to to the legal system.

12. Legal Operations Manager

Law offices and legal departments, like all organizations, require capable management to reach their full potential. Law graduates who tend to gravitate toward these management functions may find a career as a legal operations manager to be the perfect fit. Legal operations managers are responsible for overseeing the administrative tasks involved in the day-to-day running of the department or firm, including staffing, budgets and project management.

If you’re interested in this role, you should look for an opportunity with a large law firm. Solo practice law firms and other small firms are less likely than large law firms to have a dedicated legal operations manager, instead splitting these job duties between office managers and legal assistants.

13. Mediator

Parties involved in a legal dispute often turn to a neutral third party called a mediator to help them resolve a case without going all the way to trial. A role as a mediator is perfect for law students who have outstanding conflict resolution skills and an interest in working in the legal services industry (but not a lawyer’s office).

Although having a law degree isn’t a strict requirement for becoming a mediator, the knowledge of legal matters and legal practice you acquired by going to law school will help you in this role.

RELATED: What Degree Do I Need to Be a Mediator?

14. Law Librarian

As legal careers go, law librarian is an often forgotten yet important job. Even the most knowledgeable lawyer can’t memorize every detail about all legal cases in history. Academic, government and private law libraries store the legal records and documents attorneys – not to mention judges, law clerks and law students – use to research statutes, court decisions, established case law and more.

If you decide to go for a law librarian career, you may need to earn a master’s degree in library or information science.

15. Judicial Clerk

One of the few law degree jobs exclusively for recent law graduates is judicial clerk. Judicial clerkship opportunities typically last only a year or two and allow new law school graduates to experience firsthand the role of the judge in the legal profession and, more generally, the practice of law within and outside the courtroom.

Judicial clerks serve as assistants to judges in any type or level of court. They attend court proceedings and read legal briefs, which are written arguments, to learn about a case. The work that a judicial clerk performs may include conducting legal research, summarizing and analyzing the arguments made in the case into bench memos for the judge to review in forming their opinions and helping draft and proofread the opinions of the judge.

Law School Jobs Outside Law Firms

Just because you don’t want to work in a law firm doesn’t mean you don’t want to be a lawyer. After all, you went to law school for a reason. There are plenty of jobs for lawyers that won’t keep you trapped in a cubicle in a traditional law firm. If you’re interested in practicing law, just not in a law firm, one of these alternative careers for lawyers outside of the law firm setting could be just what you’re looking for in your vocation.

It’s true that practicing law in certain areas – like family law, personal injury law and general practice law – will likely land you in a traditional law office setting. However, a practicing attorney in other areas of law can enjoy working in a greater variety of environments. Below are 5 alternative careers practicing law.

16. Corporate Lawyer

Not all lawyers enjoy courtroom showdowns. In many areas of law, including corporate law, doing your job well means avoiding a trial instead of starring in one.

A role as a corporate lawyer typically involves serving as in-house counsel for a company or organization. Large companies of all kinds hire in-house corporate lawyers. Corporate lawyers tend to serve as transactional lawyers, who work on contracts and negotiations, rather than litigators who routinely file lawsuits and take matters to court.

17. Estate Planning Attorney

Law grads who go into estate planning focus on a specific area of property law – that which involves the client’s estate, or all of their property, assets and real estate properties. Although people often associate estate planning with the preparation of wills to be executed upon the client’s death, estate planning can include the management of property during the client’s life, as well.

Estate planning lawyers actively work to avoid the need for legal matters that progress to court proceedings by drafting clear and binding legal documents like wills.

18. Real Estate Attorney

Matters involving real estate law may go to trial, but real estate attorneys often serve in non-litigator capacities. Their work includes reviewing the contracts under which people buy and sell homes, commercial properties and other real estate properties.

Real estate attorneys may work in law firms, but they often work in-house in banks and mortgage lending institutions, title companies or real estate development companies.

19. Government Attorney

The government is often involved in legal concerns, which range from prosecuting criminal law cases against those accused of a crime to suing companies in civil proceedings. Government attorney work can include any career in which the lawyer represents or advises a government agency or its employees.

Government attorneys work in all levels of government and in various branches and agencies, including the Department of Justice and public defenders offices.

RELATED: Is the Study of Government Helpful for Me If I Want to Be a Lawyer?

20. Employment Lawyer

Legal issues, or at least the potential for legal issues, often arise in matters involving work. Employment attorneys help address these issues, often long before they turn into matters of litigation. Employment lawyers may review employment contracts, handbooks and documents as well as mediate workplace disputes that arise in employer-employee relations.

Employment lawyers may work in traditional law offices, but they may also work in-house in companies or for public interest organizations.

Legal Education and Beyond for Alternative Careers for Lawyers

Keep in mind that working in any attorney job roles – even unconventional ones – will require you to pass the bar exam administered by the American Bar Association and to earn and maintain in good standing your law license. If you’re looking for alternative career options because you’re struggling to pass the bar exam, steer clear of any roles that require you to be a licensed attorney (or get help studying through a highly rated bar review course).

Additionally, you may need further education for some roles. Many law degree paths expect candidates to have practiced law for at least a few years before they change careers.

Conclusion

A career with a law degree isn’t as one-dimensional as you may fear. Your career path can be as direct as earning a law degree, passing the bar exam, getting a law license and jumping right into work at a law office, but it doesn’t have to be. Many law school graduates use their law degrees and legal skills to pursue alternative career paths they find more fulfilling.

Related Resources:

What Jobs, Other Than Being a Lawyer, Will Having a Law Degree Help Me?

Why Does It Seem So Many People With a Degree in Political Science Go on to Get a Law Degree?

Is a Law Degree Helpful for a Career in Sports Management?

Do I Need a Law Degree to Work in Forensic Social Work?

What Degree Do I Need to Be a Crime Analyst?

For Further Reading: 

What Are the 5 Best Careers in Environmental Science?

How Much Can I Make With a Degree in Digital Marketing?

The post 20 Non-Law Firm Jobs With a Law Degree appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

What is America? It’s a nation like so many others, sure, but it’s one with such a complicated and unique history, culture, and personality that you could truly spend a lifetime trying to define and understand it. As a matter of fact, some people do!

American Studies is an entire academic discipline devoted to deeply understanding the remarkable, troubled, and unique thing that is the United States of America, from its folklore and to its urban idioms and ideals, to its place in the modern world. Most of all, this field asks what American culture is all about and what it means to be an American. This interdisciplinary and big-picture thinking makes American Studies a truly broad and fascinating field. And it’s one in which no question is too wild to ask. Scholars in American studies pose questions like “what would society be like if we had lost World War I?” or “How has fast food changed the way American families operate?” or even “What do zombie moves and shows tell us about American political fears?”

If you’re a critical thinker who loves exploring narratives, perspectives, experiences, and histories from America’s past and present, you may be considering a degree in American Studies. And like any American Studies scholar, you’re probably considering the big picture- in this case, by asking, “what can I do with a degree in American Studies?” After all, this is not a degree with a clear-cut career path, or even a straightforward curriculum. Before you jump in, you’ll want to answer questions like, “what jobs can I get with a degree in American Studies?” “What classes will I take for an American Studies Degree?” and “Can I earn a degree in American Studies Online?”

Our comprehensive guide to What Can I Do with an American Studies Degree? has answers to these and other relevant questions, all backed by the latest reports and statistics on the field. Read on to get oriented to one of the most unique and fascinating humanities fields out there.

Jump To:

• What is American Studies?
• How is American Studies Different from American History or Sociology?
• What Degrees in American Studies are There?
• What is American Studies?
• What Will I Learn with an American Studies Degree?
• What Can I do with an Associate’s in American Studies?
• What Can I do with a Bachelor’s in American Studies?
• What Can I do with a Master’s in American Studies?
• What Can I do with a PhD in American Studies?
• Can I Earn a Degree in American Studies Online?
• What Jobs Can I Get with a Degree in American Studies?

What is American Studies?

American Studies is often defined as an interdisciplinary field of scholarship which covers topics in American history, culture, and society. Scholarship in this area draws on the study of American history, literature, society, and critical theory, along with other research methods. American Studies concerns itself with questions of American identity, mythology, and values, both past and present. It views all of these through different lenses, including gender, ethnicity, politics, and class. As an interdisciplinary field, it incorporates studies in English, history, film history, music/art history, sociology, anthropology, and political science.

This discipline is one of the newest major fields in the humanities; the field of American Studies dates back less than 100 years. Vernon Louis Parrington is generally considered to have been the founder of American studies, with the publication of “Main Currents in American Thought.” This large, three-volume treatise combined the methodologies of literary criticism and historical research and won him the 1928 Pulitzer Prize. His work inspired Henry Nash Smith to earn a Ph.D. through the interdisciplinary program at Harvard in “History and American Civilization,” the first of its kind, in 1940. This set a precedent for the modern American Studies program, and thus, Nash and Parrington are considered to be the co-founders of Americans Studies as a discipline.

The field has evolved quite a bit since its (fairly recent) beginnings. Early scholars were focused on the recurring symbols in American literature, culture, and art that seemed to suggest a unique form of myth and imagination in the American experience. Later scholars moved away from this idea of “American Exceptionalism,” or the idea that American occupies a special place in the world that is fundamentally different from other nations. Today’s American Studies scholars are more interested in topics like the impact of race, gender and sexuality, and international and transnational concerns on the American experience and popular culture.

How is American Studies Different from American History or Sociology?

If you’re interested in America and American culture, you may be wondering how American Studies differs from related academic disciplines. This is a common question with interdisciplinary fields, which draw on several areas at once to create a blended program.

The fields most closely related to American Studies are American History and Sociology. American History, of course, looks back at the events that led to the nation’s founding, and what has occurred between then and now. American history also asks about how past events have shaped the present day America and what the future may hold. Sociology is the study of society, including the behavior of communities, the impact of society on the individual, and the forces that shape the values and behaviors of groups. American Studies is focused on American culture, which, naturally, is shaped by the course of history and forces of American society.

American Studies can be seen as occupying the overlap between American History and sociology in America. But this field is more than a blend of these two disciplines- American Studies also draws on English, film/music/art history, anthropology, and political science. Within and related to the larger field of American Studies, there are also more specific areas like African-American Studies, Asian American Studies, Native American Studies, etc., that look more closely at the experiences of specific groups.

What Degrees in American Studies are There?

Over 300 US colleges and universities offer American Studies programs. As with most disciplines, you can earn a degree in American Studies at the associate’s, bachelor’s master’s or PhD level. And, like a degree in Liberal Arts, an American Studies degree is blended and flexible, leading to careers like lawyer, librarian, business exec, journalist, researcher, curator, archivist, professor, and politician.

Needless to say, the degree level you choose to pursue will depend on your own priorities, resources, and goals. A higher degree will take more time and work to earn, and is a great fit if you’re interested in work in academia. An undergraduate degree can be a step on your path to a graduate degree, or you can earn an undergraduate degree in American Studies as a way to enter the workforce with a well-rounded set of critical thinking and communication skills.

Quite a few notable public figures and celebrities have earned a degree in American Studies, from a bachelor’s (Janeane Garofalo) to a PhD (Tom Wolf). The diversity of their high-profile careers goes to show just how flexible this degree can be. A few highlights include:

• Janeane Garofalo (comedian and actress)
• Maria Owings Shriver (activist and journalist)
• Bill Ayers (theorist and activist)
• Tom Pettit (news correspondent)
• Maya Angelou (author and poet)
• Tom Wolfe (author and critic)
• Jennifer Beals (actress)
• Katie Couric (news anchor)
• Kay Hagen (US Senator)
• Mary Chapin Carpenter (singer, songwriter)
• John Sandford (mystery novelist)

What Classes Will I take for a Degree in American Studies?

Plenty of academic disciplines out there have their share of interesting classes. But it’s truly hard to beat the selection of unusual, stimulating and just plain cool course titles you’ll encounter in an American Studies Degree Program. That’s because American Studies is all about looking at American Culture- from past to present, from refined to crass- through an academic lens. In an American Studies course catalog, you’ll find many topics covering critical examination of ethnicity, pop culture, and everyday life in America. Of course, with such diverse and unique offerings, that means a lot of variety in classes exists between colleges, and new ones crop up frequently to address emerging issues.

A few noteworthy Americans Studies classes offered at US colleges include:

• Race, Class & American Film
• Spoken Word & Slam Poetry
• Queer Activism
• The Zombie Films of George Romero
• Black Public Intellectuals
• Conspiracy Theories
• Native Americans in Film
• Disney in America
• Black Popular Music
• The American Vacation
• American Political Humor
• Sport and Inequality
• Gothic America
• The Civil Rights Movement
• Drugs and Popular Culture
• Baseball in America

What Will I Learn with an American Studies Degree?

With all these diverse, fascinating, and sometimes fun classes, you may be wondering what you’ll actually learn with a degree in American Studies. Don’t worry- you won’t just walk away from an American Studies degree program with a ton of trivia and facts about America. As a recent article in The Guardian noted, an American Studies degree program actually trains students in skills that have real-world and workplace relevance.

In an American Studies degree, you’ll gain:

• Critical thinking skills
• Mastery of research methodology
• Experience in solving complex problems
• The ability to perceive the “big picture”
• Clear communication

What Can I do with an Associate’s in American Studies?

An associate’s degree is best thought of as the starting point for an American Studies bachelor’s degree. This two-year program provides a foundation in the basics of American Studies, with introductions to the fundamental theories and historical background of American Culture. An associate’s degree is a stand-alone degree, but the credits earned in an associate’s program can also be applied towards a bachelor’s degree.

In fact, this is how most associate’s degree students in the liberal arts and humanities (which includes American studies) choose to approach their educational path. Unlike an associate’s in a professional field, such as dental hygiene, an associates in the humanities doesn’t provide training in specific hard job skills. And while soft skills like communication and problem-solving have real workplace value, most employers are looking to hire job candidates with these skills for higher-level roles (such as management), and tend to prefer those with a bachelor’s degree.

One reason to start your degree path with an associate’s is to save money. You can earn an associate’s degree at an affordable local community college, then transfer credits to a state or private university to complete a bachelors. Many community colleges even hold articulation agreements with local universities, which makes transferring credits relatively seamless.

What Can I do with a Bachelor’s in American Studies?

A bachelor of arts (BA) in American Studies provides a well-rounded general education, with an emphasis on American Studies. A bachelor of arts is a degree designed to produce well-rounded graduates who are knowledgeable about the world, and who are capable of strong communication, critical analysis, ethical decision-making, and collaboration. This degree includes a robust general education component- required classes in math, science, history, and language, along with classes selected from within the American Studies major.

To earn a bachelor’s in American Studies, you’ll generally need to complete 120 semester hour credits, which works out to around 40 college courses. This typically takes a total of four years (or two if you have already completed an associate’s in American Studies). This pace will be slower if you’re enrolled on a part-time basis, and may be faster if you’re enrolled in an accelerated bachelor’s program.

With a bachelor’s in American Studies, you’ll have the well-rounded knowledge base and soft skills required to excel in positions in media, marketing, political administration, and publishing. You’ll also have the basis in communication, problem-solving, and collaboration required for positions in management.

What Can I do with a Master’s in American Studies?

As The Guardian has noted, some 8% of American Studies graduates went on to pursue higher education degrees in 2009. Of these, the majority chose to study full time, while 2% opted for a teaching qualification and 6.5% combined paid working with studying. A master’s degree in American Studies is an excellent choice for those who want to refine their knowledge, specialize in a particular topic, or eventually move into academia.

To earn a master’s degree in American Studies, you’ll need to hold a bachelors degree, though it need not be in the field of American Studies, and a related bachelor’s like humanities, communication, or history would be perfectly fine. It typically takes two years to earn a master’s degree on a full-time basis. For a master’s in American Studies, you’ll have no general education requirements, and will focus solely on topics in the discipline. You’ll be required to complete a research-based thesis and may have the option to specialize in a particular area of emphasis, such as African American Music or Appalachian folklore.

With a master’s degree in American Studies, you’ll be well-qualified for higher-level positions within fields like publishing, broadcasting, advertising, banking, and librarianship. A master’s degree will also allow you to teach at the elementary, secondary, or post-secondary level as an associate professor.

What Can I do with a PhD in American Studies?

If you ask most people “what can I do with a degree in American Studies?” their answer will be “Teach American Studies!” As we’ve shown, there’s a lot more to the field than that, but there’s a nugget of truth in this punch line as well. Plenty of people do earn an American Studies degree because they want to teach in this field. To teach American Studies at the college level, you’ll really want to earn an American Studies PhD.

A PhD is a terminal degree- you can’t earn anything higher. This degree is required for positions in research and academic, and is the standard for tenure-track positions as an Ameri can Studies professor. This is a rarefied field, of course- there simply aren’t a lot of job openings for university-level American Studies instructors, and you may have to wait around a while for one to open up. In the meantime, you can teach as an associate professor, or in an “alternative academic” career, such as administration, museums, non-profits, and government positions, and sites such as The Versatile PhD offer graduates in this position resources for alternative academic careers.

Can I Earn a Degree in American Studies Online?

It’s possible, and practical, to earn an American Studies degree through online classes. Most students who choose to follow this degree path opt for a bachelor’s in American Studies, and earn theirs while working part-time or full-time. An online American Studies degree is an excellent choice for those with work or family obligations who are looking to avoid spending their limited time on commuting and who would like to complete their courses on a flexible schedule. Most online degrees offer course content through asynchronous (on-demand_ course models like recorded lectures, along with some scheduled components like video conferences, live chats, and group collaborations.

Another common reason to opt for an online American Studies degree is simply availability. Unlike say, English or Nursing, not every school offers American Studies, or has a strong American Studies Department. If you are interested majoring in the subject but live an area where the local school doesn’t offer American Studies, you’ll need to choose between selecting a different major, relocating, or selecting an online American Studies Degree.

What Jobs Can I Get with a Degree in American Studies?

In a professional degree program, it’s easy to tell what you’ll be doing once you graduate. You may gain a certification or licensure that makes your skills easy to market, or even get a job through a school internship. But a degree in American Studies is less about providing students with job-ready skills and more about preparing them to be well-rounded thinkers and problem solvers. Fortunately, there are plenty of jobs that require those abilities, and these span a broad spectrum.

Jobs associated with an American Studies degree include:

• lawyer
• librarian
• business executive
• journalist
• researcher
• curator
• archivist
• fundraiser
• teacher
• college professor
• nonprofit
• entrepreneur
• activist
• diplomat
• politician

In fact, the majority of those with an American Studies degree work in a related area like journalism, law or publishing, rather than in the American Studies field itself. This is the case for most liberal arts degrees, which are flexible by design. If you’re curious about current openings in the field that are specific to American Studies, The American Studies Association maintains a resource page for opportunities and jobs with a degree in American studies.

With this degree, changing between fields may also be easier than if you’ve earned a more technical degree, since your highly-developed soft skills like communication and critical thinking have broader applications. With this degree, you can find work in settings as diverse as:

• university
• library
• museum
• news journal or network
• publishing entity
• private business
• non-profit organization
• government agency

In short, an American Studies Degree offers a broad range of options, but no clear-cut career path. And you may find that you’ll need to help connect the dots for potential employers, helping them to understand how your American Studies degree program has taught you workplace-relevant skills. Depending on your perspective and how much structure you want from your degree, this open-ended quality can be a serious drawback, or a liberating and attractive feature of an American Studies degree.

Further Reading:

• What Can I do with a Liberal Arts Degree?
• Top 15 Liberal Arts Schools in America
• 50 Best Online Associate’s Degrees 2019
• 25 Fastest Online Associate’s Degrees
• 15 Affordable Degrees in Dental Hygiene (Associate’s and Beyond)
• 20 Best Degree Programs for Undergraduates
• 23 Fastest Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs
• Top 50 Affordable Online MBA Degree Programs for 2019
• Top 10 Highest Paying Social Science Jobs
• What Degree Do I Need to Be a Curator?
• Top 25 Fastest Online Doctorate Degrees
• 50 Best Online Degrees for 201
• What Degree Do You Need to Be a Lawyer?
• 20 Non-Law Firm Jobs with a Law Degree

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