Bachelor's Degree

• To be accepted into law school, students must first obtain a bachelor's degree. There is no particular degree focus required, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics says a multi-disciplinary background is recommended. This includes classes in English, foreign language, history, political science, philosophy, public speaking and math.
  
  

Law School

• The LSAT is a half-day standardized test that includes reading comprehension questions and logical and analytical reasoning questions. Upon passing the test and being accepted into law school, students explore constitutional law, torts, contracts, legal writing, property law and civil procedure. They also participate in legal clinics. A basic law degree is known as a degree of Juris Doctor.
  
  

Advanced Degrees

• Some lawyers who want to specialize take other degree programs in tandem with their law degrees, such as an MBA or environmental science. Because a joint degree program requires extra coursework, students may need an extra semester or year before graduation, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Lawyers who want to go into research or teaching may seek advanced degrees. These include degrees such as doctor of judicial science, doctor of comparative law and doctor of philosophy. Some schools require additional coursework; others require research and completion of a dissertation.
  
  

The Bar

• In order to practice law, candidates must be licensed, or admitted to the bar, in the state in which they intend to practice. There is no national bar, but most states use the six-hour Multistate Bar Examination as part of their bar exam. The MBE is a six-hour, 200-question multiple-choice test covering areas such as torts, criminal law and property law. Also often used are other multistate tests, such as the Multistate Essay Examination and the Multistate Professional Examination, which is a 60-question, two-hour test. The testing components vary by state.