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Business and law are closely interlinked. Professionals in the world of business must have a basic understanding of business law as it helps them make better decisions. This is because a large part of laws and regulations apply to businesses.
Laws control the activities of businesses and organizations, allowing them to sue and be sued, enter into contracts, and get liable when they commit crimes.
Many undergraduate degrees in business and legal studies involve the study of business laws. Some business and legal studies programs offer business law as a concentration, although there are available purely business law degree programs, too.
Usually, a business law degree program prepares students to navigate various practice areas, including commercial litigation, business transactions, and nonprofit law, among many others. A considerable part of the program curriculum is focused on litigation practice.
There are instances where a business law degree offers students the option to choose an area of focus. This can help them tailor their learning experience to their needs, interests, and career goals. Some of the business law major areas include corporate law, tax law, and commercial law.
While business law degrees generally open a wealth of job opportunities in the legal field, many undergraduates choose to proceed to law school. This makes it an ideal choice for students who want to practice law. Law students have better chances of enhancing their earning potential.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, lawyers have a median pay of $145,760 per year.
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The Lowdown
A business law degree is more commonly offered on campus. However, some universities in the country make the business law degree available as online programs. Students will also find the business law option being offered as a concentration for bachelor’s in legal studies and business administration programs.
Online students may enjoy a more flexible and convenient schedule as most online business law programs allow students to complete the coursework at their own pace. Many students who have completed a business law major choose to attend law school.
Methodology
A bachelor’s degree that is specifically focused on Business Law is a relatively rare degree, with most universities instead having Business Law as a course included as standard in its business degree curriculums.
We’ve brought together one on-campus and four online programs that take a deeper look into the specifics and major areas of law that relate to major business fields.
The bachelor’s in Business Law/Business Law concentration degree programs that are featured in this list were selected based on the following factors:
- Features a curriculum design that deals with major areas of business and business law, such as contracts, estates, taxation, civil litigation, and more,
- Prepares students for eventual entry into law school, or for a wide range of other related law-related careers that also operate in the business sphere,
- Taught by faculty who have significant industry expertise and experience, which translates to additional crucial real-world insights that students can learn from,
- Online degrees use a variety of methods that let students maximize their online learning experiences, such as a learning management system and asynchronous coursework,
- Offer a variety of options for financial aid, scholarships, grants, or special discounts that students can avail of to reduce the cost of their tuition,
- Offered by universities/institutions that hold the appropriate credentials and approved by colleges and schools commissions and agencies.
Read our Methodology for a detailed look at our college and undergraduate degree ranking process.
The Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Law Programs
Arizona State University
Bachelor of Arts in Business with a Concentration in Business Law
Arizona University offers a Bachelor of Arts in Business with a concentration in business law. This degree program is 100% available online and features a versatile blend of business and legal expertise. It helps students who want to improve their legal knowledge and become more efficient in running a business.
- The program equips students with the necessary skills in using tools that will allow them to succeed in a variety of positions in the fields of law and business. criminal law
- One of the things students will learn is gaining a systematic framework that will help them analyze legal regulation in compliance with Constitutional Law, along with corresponding business risks and liabilities. business schools
- The program boasts of a rigorous curriculum that covers business law skills integral in the workplace, from logic, compliance, and case analysis to critical thinking, negotiation, and problem-solving.
- While the program was not designed for those who want to proceed to law school, students who complete this program are eligible to apply for a law degree.
- Some of the courses included in the program curriculum are Global Supply Operations, Marketing and Business Performance, Principles of Management and Leadership, Introduction to American Legal System and Business Law, and Legal Principles, among others.
What Makes This Program Unique:
The business law concentration ensures students have the knowledge and necessary tools to help them analyze legal issues that businesses face today. This involves covering courses involving the legal system, regulatory agencies, intellectual property, and ethical issues, among others.
Students can also expect to tackle subjects such as justice theory, persuasive writing on public issues, and augmentation.
Did You Know?
Students who did not meet the admission requirement can still be accepted at ASU through the Earned Admission Pathway. They will only need to complete online courses with a 2.75 GPA or higher.
Arkansas State University
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration – Business Law
Students who wish to pursue a career that involves helping organizations deal with legal and ethical issues may want to consider earning the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration – Business Law program offered by Arkansas State University.
This online business law degree concentration is designed for working professionals who want to complete their higher education at their own pace.
- At its core, this business administration program encompasses multiple business sectors, which allows students to gain a deeper understanding of various departments and the way they interconnect.
- Students will get to explore the financial side of business, including business strategy and operations, while developing strong sales and communication skills.
- The business law concentration tackles legal issues involving ownership, leasing, financing, and the development and sale of real estate.
- The program curriculum also includes employment law practices applicable to human resource management along with laws of corporations and partnerships.
What Makes This Program Unique:
To earn this program concentration, students need to complete a total of 120 credit hours of coursework. The business law courses include Government Regulations of Business, Law of Business Organizations, Employment Law, Law and Popular Culture, Real Estate Law, and more.
Did You Know?
The online business law major offers the same low, pay-by-the-course tuition, regardless of residency. Tuition per course is $807 for both in-state and out-of-state students. Financial aid is also available to interested students.
University of Massachusetts Global
Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies – Business Law
The University of Massachusetts Global offers a Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies – Business Law degree program, touted as a program that is ideal preparation for a wide variety of future careers related to business law, which include business transactions, intellectual property matters, and business law as a whole. This degree program is offered online.
- The legal studies degree contains a total of 120 credit hours and contains a comprehensive set of major coursework that includes transactional law, advanced legal technology, civil legal systems, employment law, contracts, criminal justice, white-collar crime, and litigation and trial advocacy.
- The online bachelor in legal studies program is also ideal preparation for a number of law-related careers as paralegals and careers that deal with regulatory compliance.
- The University of Massachusetts Global is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).
What Makes This Program Unique:
This program has a special focus on employment law and transactional law and contains courses that have been developed by industry leaders. Students also experience a significant amount of hands-on, experience-based courses.
Did You Know?
There may be those planning to enroll in this degree program but do not see a career in law as their ultimate goal. University of Massachusetts Global also offers several online MBA programs, including a general MBA in Business Administration and other more specialized MBA programs.
Limestone University
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in Law
Limestone University, accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, offers an online Bachelor of Science in Business Administration – Law concentration degree program, ideal for students who are interested in going on to law school or eventually taking on Political Science- or Law-related careers. This degree program is offered online.
- Students need to complete a total of 120 credit hours, containing general education as well as business & economics courses, on top of business law-related courses. The nominal completion time for the degree is two years and is designed to let students focus on two courses in eight-week long terms.
- Limestone University uses Canvas as its main learning management system. Coursework is also asynchronous, with students communicating directly with professors and instructors for any concerns and discussions.
- Limestone University accepts transfers of credits awarded by other accredited institutions. Limestone also offers financial aid options and has tuition discounts for members of the Military.
What Makes This Program Unique:
At the heart of it, this degree is one in Business Administration, which means that its career preparation is varied enough to also be suitable for non-attorney law-related careers. The program prepares students with crucial analytical skills and develops their mindsets, habits, and values necessary for law-related careers.
Did You Know?
Students can choose to take their Business education further while staying with Limestone University. They also offer several Master of Business administration programs, including the MBA with a Management & Leadership Concentration, which is also 100% online.
Lindenwood University
BA/BS in Business Administration, with Emphasis in Business Law
Lindenwood University offers a choice of either a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree programs, which both have Business Law as their emphasis area. These degrees are offered on-campus, so it will potentially serve a smaller population, but this degree program is a good fit in terms of how key areas of the law apply to major business fields.
- Students earn the emphasis area in law by completing 12 credits out of the required 21-24 major area credits.
- Business Law-related elective courses in the program include employment law, estate planning, sports law, and more.
- The degree program has an included Internship Program, which gives students valuable experience in a range of practical business environments, letting them see firsthand how businesses actually operate in today’s contexts.
What Makes This Program Unique:
Despite being an on-campus-only offering, the concentration in Business law nevertheless serves as a good preparation for a range of careers outside the law profession, including human resource management, healthcare management, real estate, entrepreneurship, and more.
Did You Know?
It’s not all on-campus with Lindenwood University. They also offer a wide range of online degree programs, and while Business Law remains an on-campus offering, Lindenwood does offer an Online Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a good choice of concentration areas to choose from.
The Most Common Courses in Business Law Degrees
Advanced Corporate Law
This business law course emphasizes contemporary and perennial issues when it comes to corporate governance. It is part of their learning to examine important and timely policy issues that have to do with the functions of corporations and how they obtain efficient management.
Students also learn advanced legal research skills and strategies that can be applied to both private and public company transactions.
Tax Law
Tax laws are integral in the field of business. This is where students are introduced to key income tax concepts that are applicable not only to individuals but also to organizations. This course will also address the federal income taxation of businesses. Students can also expect to cover estate and gift taxation.
Commercial Law
Unlike corporate law, commercial law tackles transactions among businesses. It focuses on finance and debt-creditor relations. There is also an emphasis on individual debtors that include the discharge of debts and the relationship between debtors and creditors in times of distress.
International Law
This course deals with the study of the legal environment for international commercial transactions. This includes analyzing major and non-Western legal traditions along with the supranational law of the European Community.
It covers the methods of regulating global competition and the protection of business property rights when it comes to international transactions.
Students will also learn all about the negotiation, formation, enforcement, and financing of international sales contracts.
Business Law and Ethics
It is important for business law students to study ethics and values that encompass business environments. This is where they will get to examine the ethical issues that many organizations face within the context of values and law.
Students are expected to recognize ethical issues, identify bias, and explore the roles of ethics in the workplace.
Intellectual Property Law
This course deals with the study of the law of patents, copyrights, trade secrets, trademarks, and other forms of intellectual property protection. Students will need to consider the nature of intellectual property rights and the scope of protection for different subject matters.
They will also get to explore the different methods of enforcing intellectual property rights and the various remedies for infringement.
Real Estate Law
Students in this course will tackle the legal and business aspects of real property acquisition and ownership. This includes examining the nature of property ownership, from acquiring titles, leases and contracts, and easements to community property, tenancy in common, and brokerage and land-use regulation.
Labor and Employment Law
This course studies the development of labor law in the US, covering the early common law to the current legislation. Students will examine the existing federal statutes integral to the regulation of labor unions and labor relations.
They will also tackle the topics in US employment laws, including family leave, wrongful discharge, equal pay, employee defamation, discrimination based on race, sex, religion, and others.
Marketing Law
Exploring the legal aspects of marketing strategy, this course covers product ownership, distribution and competition, and the liability aspects of particular business practices. This is where students examine the laws related to consumer protection, antitrust, and trade secrets, among many others.
Some Crucial Skills for Success in Business Law
Needless to say, getting a degree is not a walk in the park if you’re enrolled in reputable, accredited universities and other institutions. Aside from coursework requirements, there are a set of qualities and characteristics students should have and develop:
Critical Thinking & Analytical Skills
It is almost a given that critical thinking skills are important to any degree, and this is especially true in business law and in the field of business as a whole. Careers in this field involve a lot of decision-making, which has to be properly thought through.
Attention to Detail
This is especially important in degrees related to business law. Law is, in a way, an exercise in detail, and this skill, along with critical thinking skills, plays a lot into being able to properly make sense of and work within the bounds of the law.
Integrity & a sense of morals
Earning a degree is founded on a student’s academic honesty, and this forms part of the set of values and principles that students should always live by as they move forward with their business and business law-related careers.
Time Management
A student’s time management habit becomes even more important when taking an online degree. Designed largely for convenience, it’s a safe bet that most students enrolled in online degrees are also working.
Some universities may have remote assistants and student coaches, but at the end of the day, a lot more still rides on student’s ability to self-check and keep on top of balancing their coursework with their other commitments.
Interest in current affairs
The fields of law and business are never static. They are always changing and are partly influenced by events, both local and international, in terms of how regulation adapts and how businesses have to make their operations cope.
It is thus important that students keep on top of current events. These days, there is a wealth of information sources available to everyone, and students and professionals are better served by making use of as many sources as they can, from mainstream news to independent analysis and even well-researched blogs.
Dedication & Drive
As said before, coursework can become tiresome, and this is just as true for online degrees, especially programs that are mostly asynchronous and/or self-paced, where some students may end up struggling, as some of their coursework can start to feel lonely battles.
Successful students are those who are able to maintain a consistent level of effort and dedication to their coursework and who don’t forget that there are always resources and help that they can turn to as they move through their online degree.
Communication & Writing Skills
In the field of business and law, communication is key. Students and business professionals have to be able to put their ideas forward with clarity and brevity, whether speaking or putting things into writing.
Students don’t have to be born with it, though; Legal writing and communication skills can be developed both naturally through repetition and practice and by mindfully improving one’s outputs, making changes wherever needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Business Law, and why is it important?
Businesses and individuals engaging in commerce, merchandising, trade, and sales are governed by laws that cover their rights, relationships, and behavior. It is important for organizations to understand business laws in order to succeed in the market.
Not only do they need to grasp business laws to avoid legal issues. They also need to have a good understanding of business laws to develop effective policies while considering the market and how it can be affected by the rules and regulations of the government.
Business laws have huge implications for drafting legal agreements and contracts, running the organization within legal means, and developing business strategies. Knowing the laws governing businesses can also assist organizations in managing compensation concerns and protect shareholder rights.
Students who wish to study business law can prepare for a successful and lucrative career in business.
Is prior knowledge needed to get admitted into the Business Law program?
Generally, students are not required to have prior knowledge of business law, legal studies, or business administration in order to get admitted into the online program.
The curriculum is often designed to build students’ knowledge of the law on all aspects of business management and ownership. The focus is on legal ethics, contracts, consumer law, tax law, international law, and so much more.
Students who do have relevant credits may take advantage of many universities’ generous transfer policies. This will significantly reduce the time it takes for them to earn the degree program.
Are there available financial aid options for online students?
Students enrolled online can generally enjoy the same benefits as traditional students. This means they can also take advantage of available financial aid options, including student loans, scholarships, and grants.
To be sure, however, interested students must check with the university’s financial aid office about the available financial aid options available to them.
Is a degree in Business Law only good for those who want to become lawyers?
No. With the word Law in the name, it can indeed be misleading.
Business Law does make for a good preparatory foundation for eventually entering law school, especially for those who are interested in focusing their legal practice in the field of business, such as becoming corporate lawyers or specializing in business contracts and/or contract law and/or intellectual property law, for example.
As a specialized deep dive, a bachelor’s degree in business law teaches students the necessary skill sets, giving them a taste of actual legal practice. This makes this online bachelor’s degree a good pre-law studies program.
However, there is also a case to be made for those who do not plan to become attorneys at all. The field of business is heavily intertwined with and operates within the bounds of the law, and successful businesses have an army of professionals who have deep familiarity with specific laws that govern and regulate them, both on the federal, state, and local levels.
Most, if not all, crucial careers in major business fields require good familiarity with the law, and business law-related degrees and/or concentrations develop this familiarity. Students who studied business law can work in law firms, but not necessarily as lawyers who are members of the American Bar Association.
They can prepare legal documents and do advanced legal writing. There are others who provide academic advising services in law schools and legal services for private institutions.
Summary Points
Business law sits at the intersection of the law profession and the major fields of the business world, and degree programs that focus on Business Law provide the relevant fundamentals as well as key processes and skill sets that are crucial in its practice.
These Business Law online bachelor’s degrees can be a good preparation for students who plan to enter law school and eventually specialize in the business world,
Business Law is a course that is included as standard in typical business-related bachelor’s degree programs; however, universities that offer degree programs/concentration areas dedicated to business law are relatively uncommon, and there aren’t many of these degree programs offered online.
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