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Professor of legal studies education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a professor of legal studies. Professors of legal studies usually study law, political science, or legal studies. 51% of professors of legal studies hold a bachelor's degree, and 29% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 91 real professor of legal studies resumes to see exactly what professor of legal studies education sections show.

The most common colleges for professors of legal studies are the University of Miami and the University of Miami.

There are also many online professor of legal studies courses to help get the education required to be a professor of legal studies.

What education do you need to become a professor of legal studies?

What degree do you need to be a professor of legal studies?

The most common degree for professors of legal studies is bachelor's degree, with 51% of professors of legal studies earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 29% and doctoral degree degree at 15%.
  • Bachelor's, 51%
  • Doctorate, 29%
  • Master's, 15%
  • Associate, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 1%

What should I major in to become a professor of legal studies?

You should major in law to become a professor of legal studies. 37% of professors of legal studies major in law. Other common majors for a professor of legal studies include political science and legal studies.

Most common colleges for professors of legal studies

Professors of legal studies often get their degrees at University of Miami, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Villanova University. Here are the most common colleges for professors of legal studies in the US based on their resumes.
Professor of legal studies common collegePercentages
University of Miami18.52%
University of Massachusetts Amherst7.41%
Villanova University7.41%
Howard University7.41%
Harvard University3.70%

Best majors for professors of legal studies

Best colleges for professors of legal studies

The best colleges for professors of legal studies are Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, and Northeastern University.

A professor of legal studies with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for professors of legal studies. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become professors of legal studies.

1. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

2. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

3. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,830

Enrollment

29,474

4. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

5. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$50,226

Enrollment

10,873

6. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Enrollment

41,777

9. American University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$48,459

Enrollment

7,485

10. University of Denver

Denver, CO • Private

In-state tuition

$50,556

Enrollment

5,791

20 best online courses for professors of legal studies

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1. European Business Law: Understanding the Fundamentals

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The European Union is one of the world’s largest and most important economies. This six week course is the first in a series of three that will provide students with an insight into European Business Law. The series ranges from considering the basic structures and principles of the European Union to focusing on various specialized areas of law. Each course will give the students an understanding of the laws and policies that regulate the internal market of European Union, as well as relevant...

2. Legal Tech and the Digital Transformation of Law

coursera

The digital revolution changed the way we communicate and trade. Now, it is coming into the world of law. This program will give you a broad overview of the main trends that are affecting the legal industry: - The birth of the legal tech market and the application of technology in law. - The role of artificial intelligence in the automation of the work of lawyers. - Blockchain technology and its impact on the way we sign and execute contracts. - Initiatives to ensure access to justice through...

3. Effective Legal Office Administration

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4.5
(1,067)

Effective Legal Office Administration...

4. Legal English

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4.5
(1,299)

Legal language and communication skills...

5. American Contract Law II

coursera

Course description: Contracts I & II provides a comprehensive overview of contract law in the United States. The course covers most of the key concepts found in a first year law school class. Each lecture is based on one or more common-law cases, integrating legal doctrines with policy discussions. The course also covers key sections from the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), which governs the sale of goods. By the end of the course, the learner should be able to understand: Formation defenses:...

6. Legal Aspects of Entrepreneurship

coursera

By its nature, the law touches on many aspects of entrepreneurship, making it an applicable and versatile topic of study. For aspiring entrepreneurs, it's important to understand how to form the business, work with the initial customers, and hire. For active entrepreneurs, there are critical considerations on employment law, operating policies, and managing contracts. For everyone, the role that the law plays in managing the company, and its associated risks, must be properly understood to...

7. English for Business and Law - Contract Law

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4.5
(552)

An English language course for business and law...

8. Law of Contracts in 60 Minutes: A Fast Track Course

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4
(619)

A 60 minute fast track summary of the Law of Contracts, targeting all common law LL.B examinations!...

9. Cloud Computing Law

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This Specialization is intended for anyone interested in understanding the legal rights and obligations of providers and customers of cloud services. Our three Courses cover the key legal and regulatory issues for cloud services, including cloud contracts, data protection law, law enforcement access, and much more! You will learn to describe cloud providers’ and customers’ legal rights, to identify and assess legal risks, and to suggest possible legal and technological solutions...

10. An Introduction to American Law

coursera

This course will give you a glimpse into six different areas of American law: Tort Law, Contract Law, Property, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, and Civil Procedure. You will gain insight into the complexities and dilemmas that arise from the application of law in different settings, and what is distinctive about American approaches...

11. Intro to Business Law for Entrepreneurs (+Free Book!)

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4.5
(356)

How do I Protect My Family? What Type of Company to Register. Dealing with Investors. Patents. IPO. Ethics and More...

12. Company Law: A Comprehensive Summary

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4.6
(250)

An in-depth summary of Company Law, targeting all common law LL.B examinations...

13. A Law Student's Toolkit

coursera

Whether you are an advanced law student looking to review the basics, or an aspiring law student looking for head start, this course will help you build the foundation you will need to succeed in law school and beyond. This course will introduce you to terminology, concepts, and tools lawyers and legal academics use to make their arguments. It will help you follow these arguments—and make arguments of your own. This course consists of a series of short lectures and assignments. A reading list...

14. Healthcare Law

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This Specialization is designed to help you navigate the complex legal framework that governs modern health systems. You will learn the fundamentals of American health law, then explore how privacy law shapes the relationship between healthcare providers and their patients. You will also learn how intellectual property law influences everything from the pharmaceutical industry, to medical research, to cutting-edge ethical issues involved in emerging technologies such as DNA-testing. Finally,...

15. Criminal Law in 120 Minutes: A Fast Track Course

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4.6
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A 2 hour fast track summary of Criminal Law, targeting all common law LL.B examinations!...

16. Legal Writing Master Class

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4.5
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Learn with lawyers by learning the correct use of prepositions and articles, drafting contracts and writing letters...

17. Employment Law Compliance Made Easy

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4.7
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A comprehensive course for management to understand key employment law issues in the workplace...

18. Corporate and Business Law

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4.3
(266)

The need to know course for everything relating to Corporate and Business Law...

19. The Legal Implications of Social Media in the Workplace

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4.4
(1,475)

Regulatory and Case Law Considerations for Employers' Social Media Policy Development...

20. Law of Attraction: Law of Attraction and your Perfect Life

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4.8
(336)

Take control - Law of Attraction - NLP coach teaches the Mastery of the LOA in one of the top law of attraction courses...

Top 10 most affordable universities for professors of legal studies

The most affordable schools for professors of legal studies are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and florida international university.

If the best universities for professors of legal studies are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for professors of legal studies.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

4. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

5. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

6. John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,270

Cost of attendance

14,177

7. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

8. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

9. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

10. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for professors of legal studies

The hardest universities for professors of legal studies to get into are Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, and Northeastern University.

Some great schools for professors of legal studies are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for professors of legal studies based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

3. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

4. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

5. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,517

6. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,448

7. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

8. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

Admissions rate

32%

SAT average

1,365

9. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

10. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for professors of legal studies

The easiest schools for professors of legal studies to get into are Barry University, wayland baptist university, and university of north texas at dallas.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a professor of legal studies without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for professors of legal studies.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

3. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

4. The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,046

5. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

6. Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,099

7. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

8. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

9. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

10. William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

994

Average professor of legal studies salary by education level

According to our data, professors of legal studies with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $87,162 annually. Professors of legal studies with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $64,727.
Professor of legal studies education levelProfessor of legal studies salary
Master's Degree$64,727
Doctorate Degree$87,162

Professor of legal studies education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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