Degree Overview: Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) Degree in Legal Studies
Majors Overview March 2, 2015Get information about a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree program in Legal Studies and its coursework, career choices, wage outlook, and continuing education choices.
Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) Degree Programs in Legal Studies
Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree programs in Legal Studies introduce enrolled students to specific areas of law and concepts related to general business operation practices, including small business ownership, compliance issues, risk management, human relations, and marketing.
A strong core of general business coursework is the foundation on which most schools build these four-year programs. Programs also help students develop skills in the areas of ethical decision-making, problem-solving, research practices, and effective marketing communications.
Admission criteria typically require incoming students to hold a GED certificate or a high school diploma.
Coursework
The program also includes core foundational business and math coursework, such as operational management, information management, marketing, economics, statistics, and accounting.
Typically, coursework covers current developments in business technologies, such as digital information management and ecommerce as pertinent to current law. Depending on the program, additional legal studies may include topic areas such as:
•Anti-trust law
•Principles of real estate law
•Environmental law
•Information technology and the law
•International business law
•Legal research
•Business law
•Law and society
•Contract law
•Intellectual property law
•Employment law
Career Choices
Those who complete the program may seek entry-level career opportunities within corporate departments, such as business and finance operations, although some positions could require additional training or education. Those that graduate from the program may also seek law-related employment options in the government sector, including the court system, and state level criminal justice agencies. They may choose from job titles such as the following:
•Escrow officer
•Government or nonprofit agency manager
•Risk management officer
•Human resources specialist
•Title examiner
•Law clerk
Wage Outlook
In 2012, human resources specialists brought home an average annual wage of $55,640, while financial managers including risk managers, law clerks, and title examiners banked $123,260, $52,610, and $46,310 respectively on average during that year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Escrow officers earned an annual income ranging between $30,726 and $74,278 with an average of about $45,733.
Continuing Education Choices
Those who graduate from the program may pursue continuing education by earning a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree with or without a concentration in legal studies. It usually takes an additional two to four years to complete these degree programs.
These students may also pursue law schools. It takes three years to complete a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree, whereby students may qualify to take the bar exam in their state and gain licensure to practice law in the state as an attorney. A joint JD/MBA program is also available in some schools.