College of Law launches first online undergraduate degree program

An online bachelor's degree that will offer students the practical theory and skills-based knowledge necessary to succeed in today's expanding legal market will be introduced this fall by the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University.

The Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies (BSLS), available only to first-time freshman at ASU, is the first such program to be developed and delivered by a law school in the United States. The program is well-suited for individuals seeking a rigorous course of study outside the traditional classroom that will train them as paralegals, legal assistants, and for other careers in the dynamic field of law.

"As part of the College of Law's drive to develop a new model of public legal education for the 21st century, we are transforming the school into a multifaceted legal studies center that educates a wider cross section of the public, not just those who intend to become lawyers," said Dean Paul Schiff Berman of the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law. "This online bachelor's degree will make us the only law school in the country with a comprehensive program designed to train the next generation of legal and paralegal staff around the country."

The College specifically designed the BSLS curriculum to teach students to research legal issues, utilize legal resources and technology, and understand the legal process from the perspective of law firms, courts, administrative agencies and businesses. The BSLS is not a Juris Doctor, or law degree, and is not intended as preparation for law school.

Courses to be offered include The Structure/Methodology of the American Legal System, Legal Research, Legal Writing, Technology and Legal Practice, Legal Ethics, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Negotiation Skills, Torts/Personal Injury Practice, Human Resource and Employment Law, Law Office Management and Accounting, Administrative Law and Process, Business and Corporate Practice, and Litigation Practice.

The BSLS will prepare students for careers in the public and private sectors, at home and abroad, and in a diversity of fields ranging from legislative assistant and social worker to court representative and law-firm administrator.

For more information about the degree program or to apply, go to http://asuonline.asu.edu/programs.

Janie Magruder, Jane.Magruder@asu.edu
(480) 727-9052
Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law