2022 Guide to Short Courses in Law

There’s more than one way to learn about the law. Short courses in law can help busy professionals expand their legal knowledge and skills in a short time frame without committing to a full degree program. By taking law courses online, you can deepen your understanding of legal topics or test out a potential new career path from the comfort of your home.

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Short courses can refer to broad types of short-term courses that can be completed in several weeks to several months. Many legal short courses are delivered online by law schools and may be listed as online law courses. Course topics vary and may cover law specializations such as contract law, data privacy or health care compliance or focus on a practical interdisciplinary topic, such as law and finance in entrepreneurship or digital transformation of legal services. These courses may be taken to supplement or deepen legal knowledge, study for an exam or just to pursue an area of interest. 

Admission requirements for short courses depend on the topic and the structure of the course. While there are some short courses that are designed for lawyers, many are open to applicants without a legal background.

Some schools issue a certificate of completion to students who meet the short course requirements by the end of the program. However, it is important to note that certificates of completion are different from legal certificates, which take longer to complete or count as credits toward a degree program.

Short courses in law may be useful for a number of reasons and benefit both legal and non-legal professionals. Read on to learn about the advantages of taking law courses online.

Online law courses may be more flexible and allow you to more easily fit education into your schedule, studying and doing classwork when it’s convenient for you. Online law courses also eliminate the need to commute to campus, which may be helpful for working professionals, busy adults or people living in areas without access to a traditional college or university. Online law courses also typically take less time to complete than a degree program. In addition, schools may offer the course more than once a year, so busy working professionals can choose the sessions that fit their schedule.

Short courses in law are available in a wide variety of topics, covering everything from taxation and business compliance to intellectual property and strategic negotiations. Online short courses in law may include entry-level courses for those new to the field as well as advanced courses to help professionals deepen their knowledge in key areas. Students or working professionals can choose the topic based on the areas of law they are interested in and the levels that meet their needs.

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Taking online law courses may allow you to explore specific areas of the law before you embark on a career. If you have never worked in the legal field, taking introductory courses and meeting professionals in the industry may give you a better picture of the working environment and potential career paths. This may be a great way to test your interest. Over time, if you want to continue to build your knowledge and skills, you might consider an advanced degree, such as an online master’s in legal studies. 

If you currently work in a legal-related field, specialized short courses may advance your knowledge and skills in key areas, like compliance management or property law. Gaining knowledge in a specialized area may prove useful as you define your career path or meet the evolving challenges of your field. Meanwhile, some interdisciplinary short courses may also provide transferable skills you can apply in future careers, such as leadership in the legal profession or conflict resolution skills. 

Legal short courses offer a range of benefits for students, including opportunities to network with professionals and your peers in your area of interest or specialization. Short courses may also provide the chance to make connections with industry experts who are already working in a legal profession, including your instructors, allowing students to learn what it’s really like to work in the field. 

Many schools allow short courses to be taken by international students. This may allow you to take a deep dive into local law, as well as important local issues, without the expense of relocating or starting a university program before previewing the topics that may be covered. Be sure to check the admission requirements of the school and course you’re interested in for its stance on accepting international applicants.

There is likely no single best short course in law that fills every student’s requirements. Choosing the right course for you depends on your goals, interest level and experience. Once you define your goal in taking a short course, you should compare programs on that basis. When looking at short courses, you will want one that: 

Be sure to consider admission requirements, course length and cost to make sure you find the right course.

If you’re considering a short course in law, you may have some questions about what you can learn and if it’s worth the time and effort. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers:

Last updated August 2021.