Online PhD Degrees is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.
The 7 Best Online Schools for Doctorate in Law (Juris Doctor) Degree Programs
Find A Degree
Online PhD Degrees is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.
A Doctorate in Law is an optional academic feat for Law majors who seek advanced learning, specialize in research, and contribute to law literature. Juris Doctor degree holders–students who have completed three years in law school and may practice the profession– are eligible for admission to the Doctorate in Law degree program.
An Online Doctorate Degree in Law is generally research-intensive and usually requires an extensive doctoral thesis. On average, students finish the degree in three to four years. The Online Doctorate in Law degree is designed for adult learners who aim to go beyond the law practice and explore other competencies, including in the areas of scholarly research and publication, as well as teaching in academia.
Best Online Schools for Doctorate in Law (Juris Doctor) Degree Programs
Methodology:
We compiled a list of the 10 Best Online Schools for Doctorate in Law Degree Programs for 2021, listed in no particular order due to each school’s unique degree program and highlights. In exploring these features, we also mention the career opportunities for graduates who have acquired advanced knowledge and skills in the discipline. The following attributes were considered:
Highlights each school’s accreditation details, required credit hours for program completion, admission requirements and retention rates,
Programs designed to relay a better understanding of legal and ethical laws, public policy and legal trends to the working professional,
Includes Dissertation/Doctoral study in Juris Doctor Law,
Options in Concentrations; allowing students opportunities to expand on their current credentials, apply for advancements, or pursue a teaching career at the university level,
100% Online, Blended or Hybrid format options,
Financial Aid options: Scholarships, Grants, Military Aid,
Offers experiential learning through an effective online distance learning format by quality professors outstanding in the field of Doctorate Law (Juris Doctor),
Based on prestigious and notability as an online school according to reputable academic resources.
ONLINE PH.D. IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE WITH A LAW AND PUBLIC POLICY CONCENTRATION
Program Standouts: The Ph.D. in Criminal Justice with a Law and Public Policy concentration at Walden University explores the contemporary practices and theories and national and global issues in the administration of criminal justice.
This online doctorate degree provides the necessary skills and knowledge a student needs to attract exciting new career opportunities, whether they want to pursue leadership roles in the current organization or start a new career in criminal justice. It is ideal for students who are interested in gaining an in-depth knowledge of the law or studying legal concerns in the workplace.
Students need to have 98 credit hours to earn this online doctorate program.
Campus Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Accreditation: Walden University receives accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission
Retention Rate: 33%
Acceptance Rate: 98%
Admission Requirements:
A master’s degree from an accredited college or university
Admission Application
Writing Assessment
Application Essay
Official Transcript of Records
Program Core Components:
The Nature of Crime and Criminology
Policy and Analysis in Criminal Justice Systems
Technological Solutions and 21st–Century Crime
Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis
Leadership: Putting Theory into Practice in Criminal Justice Administration
Degree Outcomes: Graduates of this online doctorate program have the option to pursue career advancement in their current profession. They are able to evaluate the root cause of crime and its specific impact on the practice of law, procedures, and policies.
In addition, it has prepared them for a variety of positions, such as:
private investigator,
professor/instructor,
criminal investigator,
director of emergency management,
and other roles related to the law/criminal justice industry.
Program Standouts: Liberty University has a Ph.D. in Public Policy that provides the ethical background and skills that students or professionals need to mold the local, national, state, and local law in order to pursue peace and instill Christian values in the pursuit of happiness.
This online Ph.D. degree is suitable for individuals seeking to enhance their current credentials, strengthen their skills in policy research or put an emphasis on educating the next generation of law professionals.
It has five specializations, namely:
Education Policy,
Economic Policy,
National Security Policy,
Foreign Policy,
and Social Policy.
Students need to have 60 credit hours to earn this degree in a span of three years, depending on the students’ timeframes of learning.
Campus Location: Lynchburg, Virginia
Accreditation: Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Graduates of this online doctorate program are equipped with essential skills in law and governance. They are built upon their existing expertise in their chosen specialization and hone their craft to help create a better, secure and prosperous future for the nation.
Program Standouts: The Juris Doctor online program of Abraham Lincoln University is designed for individuals who want to practice law or those interested to pursue into one of the many legal fields that a Juris Doctor degree offers.
It is ideal for working professionals and provides students with increased flexibility without sacrificing their quality of education. They are able to learn the advanced analytical skills necessary to create legal documents, perform legal research, and investigate legal issues and concerns. The Juris Doctor of ALU requires 140 quarter units to earn this degree.
The university prides itself on the establishment of a rigorous, online law degree that provides competence in the educational goals of their law students.
Campus Location: Los Angeles, California
Accreditation: Abraham Lincoln University has received accreditation from the Distance Education Accrediting Commission.
Retention Rate: 73%
Acceptance Rate: 100%
Admission Requirements:
Completed Online Application
$50 Non-Refundable Application Fee
Completed Online Assessment Test
Current government-issued photo ID
500-1000 Word Personal Statement describing the professional and personal goals and explanation on pursuing a Juris Doctor degree
Official Transcript of Records
Program Core Components:
Criminal Law
Contracts A and B
Constitutional Law
Criminal Procedure
Advanced Legal Research & Writing
Degree Outcomes:
Abraham Lincoln University’s law school graduates of the Juris Doctor program have the eligibility to become full members of the State Bar of California and are eligible to practice in California. They are able to understand the principles and theories of law, their relationships with others, and their limitations.
Graduates are prepared for a rewarding career as well as prepared for the California First Year Law Students’ Examination and California General Bar Examination.
Program Standouts: The Juris Doctor program offered by the Emory Law of the Emory University provides empowerment to discern students’ legal path right from the beginning of their legal studies. The faculty handling the Emory Law are experts in their respective law careers and dynamic teachers in the learning environment.
The freshman year of studies immerses students in the language of the law, sophomore students have the opportunity in a one-week immersion in advocacy and a summer internship program, and the third-year students of this online doctorate program puts an emphasis on mentorship programs under the supervision of a dedicated 3L Career Center adviser.
Students will need 90 credit hours to earn this degree.
Campus Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Accreditation: Emory University has earned accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Retention Rate: 95%
Acceptance Rate: 13%
Admission Requirements:
Admission Application
$80 Non-refundable Application Fee
LSAT Score
Official Transcript of Records
Two Letters of Recommendation
Resume
Personal Statement
Program Core Components:
Civil Procedure
Introduction to Legal Advocacy, Research, and Communications I and II
Criminal Law
Legislation and Regulation
Constitutional Law
Degree Outcomes:
Juris Doctor graduates of Emory University have demonstrated an understanding and knowledge of procedural American Law and they are equipped with professional skills that are needed for ethical participation and competence as members of the legal professions.
In addition, they demonstrate competence in reasoning, problem-solving in a legal context, legal analysis, and legal research. A rewarding career awaits them in the private and government sectors that need legal expertise across different issues and concerns of the society.
Program Standouts: Florida State University offers a Juris Doctor program through its College of Law. This doctorate degree is completed in an average of three years depending on the students’ timeframe of learning. It is specially formatted in traditional courses and develops to include the latest in interdisciplinary and theoretical analyses.
The university offers several learning opportunities for experiential learning and courses that enable students to be competitive and highly-skilled entrants into the business, law, and government sectors. Additionally, students have the option to enroll in any FSU’s joint-degree programs namely:
Urban and Regional Planning and Law,
Oceanography: Aquatic Environmental Science and Law,
Sport Management and Law,
Business and Law,
Social Work and Law,
Information and Law,
Public Administration and Law,
Information Technology and Law,
or International Affairs and Law.
Campus Location: Tallahassee, Florida
Accreditation: Florida State University receives accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Retention Rate: 96%
Acceptance Rate: 37%
Admission Requirements:
Online Application Form
$30 Non-refundable Application Fee
Law School Admission Test or GRE
LSAC Report
Personal Statement
Residency Form
Resume
Optional but preferable requirements such as Academic Addendum, Diversity Statement, and Letter of Recommendation
TOEFL and IELTS Requirement (For international students only)
Program Specializations:
International Law
Environmental, Energy, and Land Use Law
Business and Tax Law
Degree Outcomes: Graduates of this Juris Doctor program have a strong wealth of knowledge through FSU’s extensive and hands-on learning program. The hands-on learning experience in the Mock Trial and Moot Court programs equipped their graduates to be appellate and trial advocates.
They are provided the opportunity to hone their research and writing skills that are essentially useful when they navigate in different sectors of the society through promising legal professions.
ONLINE LAW DEGREES: JURIS DOCTOR (JD) DEGREE PROGRAM
Program Standouts: California Southern University’s Juris Doctor program is suitable for individuals who prefer the convenience and flexibility without compromising their busy, working professions.
This online JD program is a rigorous and challenging program that puts an emphasis on ethical responsibility and analytical thinking capabilities. The rigorous program has the same case books and materials that many of the country’s most prominent law schools use.
Students will become part of a community that provides overall support and tools essential to the study of law and business. CalSouthern’s JD program requires 88 credits for degree completion. Students can earn this degree in as quick as 2 years depending on their pace of learning.
Campus Location: Costa Mesa, California
Accreditation: California Southern University received accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission.
Retention Rate: 67%
Acceptance Rate: 13%
Admission Requirements:
Online Enrollment Application
$75 Application Fee
Official Transcript of Records of Undergraduate Coursework
JD Assessment Questionnaire Completion
Signed Enrollment Agreements
Personal Statement
Program Core Components:
Contracts I and II
Legal Writing I and II
Constitutional Law I and II
Professional Responsibility
Legal Research
Degree Outcomes:
Graduates of CalSouthern’s online JD program acquire an advanced set of knowledge of the traditional fields of law.
They are integrated with skills that are helpful in understanding and applying legal procedures, to comprehend legal principles, limitations of the law, and excel in the State Bar of California examinations. They have the eligibility to sit for the California Bar Exam.
Program Standouts: The Juris Doctor program of Loyola University Chicago is a rigorous program combined with practical experience students need to rise above the competition.
Students will work closely with world-class faculty to learn the foundations of the American legal system. The set of coursework under this program helps students learn to effectively apply the study of law to real-world challenging scenarios.
Students must complete 86 credit hours to earn a JD degree in Loyola. Experiential learning that is comprised of 6 credit hours is required to demonstrate the applied knowledge and skills of the students all throughout the program.
All online courses are offered through the university’s highly interactive and collaborative online learning platform – Sakai.
Campus Location: Chicago, Illinois
Accreditation: Loyola University Chicago is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
Retention Rate: 86%
Acceptance Rate: 77%
Admission Requirements:
Completed Online Application Form
LSAT Scores
One Letter of Recommendation
Official Transcript of Records
Law School Admission Test Exam
Character and Fitness Questions
Qualification for Bar Exam Admissions
Resume
Personal Statement
Program Core Components:
Civil Procedure
Legal Writing I and II
Professional Responsibility
Constitutional Law
Administrative Law
Degree Outcomes:
Students who complete the JD program will earn the same rewarding opportunity to gain benefits from quality, world-class legal education at Loyola. They have achieved unwavering success in serving different sectors of society through promising career pathways in the government and private sectors.
Why should I earn a Doctorate in Law (Juris Doctor) Degree?
Earning a Juris Doctor (JD) degree is an excellent option for anyone interested in learning more about the legal field and pursuing a career as an attorney. A JD degree provides the necessary skills and knowledge to practice law and a deeper understanding of the legal system.
The degree also offers a variety of opportunities for specialization and career advancement. Those with a Juris Doctor degree can also look forward to higher salaries, increased job security, and more job opportunities.
What can I do with a Doctorate in Law (Juris Doctor) Degree?
A Doctorate in Law (Juris Doctor) Degree is the highest degree in law and is typically required to practice law in the United States. With a Juris Doctor, you could pursue a career in legal practice by becoming a lawyer, a judge, or a law professor.
Additionally, a Juris Doctor can open up policy-making, advocacy, and legal consulting opportunities. You could also apply your degree to a career in government, business, or nonprofit organizations.
Do I need a Doctorate in Law (Juris Doctor) Degree to become a lawyer?
Yes, in most states in the United States, you must have a Juris Doctor (JD) degree in order to become a licensed lawyer.
What is the average salary for an Attorney?
The average salary for an attorney in the United States is approximately $135,740 per year to upwards of $239,200 annually, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This figure can vary depending on geographic location, experience, and other factors.
