Legal Studies (BA and MA)

From law and business to healthcare and government, there is an ever-present need for specialists who understand the legal system and can help navigate through it.

Graduate-Level Study

Coursework for the master's in Legal Studies is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of the legal environment in which individuals, businesses, and the judiciary operate. It's an ideal degree for individuals (such as managers, teachers, government employees, and legal assistants) who would benefit professionally from additional legal knowledge. In fact, Webster University's master's degree in Legal Studies was mentioned in Paralegal Today as one of the few programs in the country for students wishing to further their knowledge of Paralegal Studies. Many Students earning an MA in Legal studies also pursue a certificate in Paralegal Studies concurrently with their degree.

Undergraduate Study

The bachelor's degree in Legal Studies at Webster provides students with the foundational legal knowledge and skills they need in order to move successfully into law-related careers or graduate work. The department is committed to engaging students in critical thinking and analysis, practical applications, substantive understanding and exposing students to technology encountered in the legal arena. Professors act as mentors who take a personal interest in helping students succeed both in school and in their careers. With this guidance, Legal Studies majors know where they're going next before they've even finished their degree.

The Department of Legal Studies also offers a minor in Legal Studies. *Please note that the minor in Legal Studies is not approved by the American Bar Association.

Points of Distinction

• Faculty who are practicing attorneys and judges mentor and enable you to take the most current legal knowledge and apply it at work, and understand the complex relationships among institutions in the United States and international governance.
• As working judges and attorneys, Webster professors are well-versed in the latest trends and expectations in legal professions and tapped into the tight-knit network of internships and job opportunities in the St. Louis legal community.
• Faculty represent every legal background; students learn from judges with the Missouri Court of Appeals and St. Louis Circuit Court, from US attorneys and municipal attorneys, from criminal prosecutors and public defenders, from intellectual property lawyers and corporate attorneys.
• Legal Studies students can take courses in the classroom or online. OnlineMasters.com has selected Webster as one of the Best Master's in Legal Studies Programs for 2019.
• Webster's global network provides unique study abroad opportunities, such as the popular 1- to 4-week summer study programs in Leiden, the Netherlands, which put students near the seat of international law at The Hague.

Legal Studies Academic Programs

To read about specific program requirements, learning outcomes and how to apply, click on a program from the following list:

• Master of Arts in Legal Studies (MA)
• Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies (BA)
• Minor in Legal Studies

Webster University is fully accredited by The Higher Learning Commission. The Legal Studies paralegal programs at Webster University are approved by the American Bar Association. The program is also a member in good standing with the American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE).

NOTE: A legal assistant or paralegal is a person, qualified by education, training, or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible. The terms “legal assistant and “paralegal” are used interchangeably for the purposes of the guidelines. Paralegals are prohibited from practicing law. St. Louis area paralegal programs have been approved by the American Bar Association.