The Types of Paralegal Training Available

The kinds of paralegal programs available in the market can generally be categorized as Certificate Programs, Associate Degree Programs, Bachelor’s Degree Programs, and Master’s Degree Programs. Most of these programs are now available either on-campus, or through correspondence, online, or distance-learning programs. There are also some other advanced professional training available for paralegals from professional associations.

Certificate Programs


Among all the choices of programs, there is the greatest variety within certificate programs.

Many times, these programs are offered by proprietary colleges-that is, they are private, for-profit institutions. Some of these schools are called, or, used to be called, business schools. In most cases, the length of these certificate programs range from 3 to 24 months.

These programs may only require a high school diploma for admission; however, many certificate programs are intended for students who already have an associate or bachelor's degree. In some cases, students who have significant exposure to the law, such as working as a clerk or secretary in a law office, may attend a certificate program even without a degree.
Another type of certificate program is the post-bachelor's certificate, offered at a four-year college or university. These certificates are offered by the continuing education or extension divisions. The courses may or may not bestow college credits and are intended for someone who has completed a bachelor's degree and needs only paralegal-specific training. Many of these programs can be completed in a year or less.

Associate Degree Programs

The associate degree is received after a student completes a two-year program at a community college, proprietary college, or a few four-year colleges and universities. One-quarter to one-half of the classes are law courses, and the remainder are general education classes in, among others, English, math, science, and the humanities. Most students will have the opportunity to choose as many as two classes per semester; most of the curriculum is predetermined, however.

The City College of San Francisco offers a two-year program in paralegal studies; upon completion, graduates receive the associate in arts degree, with an Award of Achievement in Legal Assistant/Paralegal.

Bachelor's Degree Programs

Bachelor s degrees are conferred by four-year colleges and universities. A student is expected to complete about 120 semester hours of work; from 18 to 45 of those hours will be in paralegal studies, depending on whether the program is a major or a minor in paralegal studies.

A bachelor s program usually combines general education, business, and legal courses. If you are just finishing high school, a four-year liberal arts program allows you time to mature and provides skills that are necessary for the workplace.
However, for some people, four years is simply too great an investment in time and money. If that describes you, it might still benefit you to get some information on any four-year programs in your area. In the long run, the more education you acquire, the greater your chance for career advancement will be.

Even if you start out with an associate degree, you may someday decide to go on for your bachelor's. Often the credits you received during your associate program may be transferred to a bachelor s. Here is an example of a bachelor's curriculum, from the legal studies program at Illinois State University, which offers a minor in legal studies.

Some students "major" in legal studies by declaring a general studies major and using legal studies courses as a second major.

Master's Degree Programs

Master's degree programs are not the same as post-bachelor s certificate programs. Both, of course, require a bachelor's degree for admission.

A master's program, however, may also require completion of a graduate school admissions test, such as the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) or even the LSAT (Law School Admission Test). Upon completion of the program, you will be granted a master of arts or science degree (different universities use different designations).

Master's programs usually take a minimum of two years to complete and frequently require completion of a thesis or similar project for graduation. If you can afford the time and money to obtain your master's degree, it may enhance your employability.

Because the phenomenal growth of the legal assistant field translates into more training programs that are graduating more paralegals, setting yourself apart from other paralegals may help you in your future employment. On the other hand, in some markets you may be considered "overeducated" when employers have the option of hiring paralegals with an associate degree.

One caveat about master's degree programs: Some of these programs are intended to provide top-notch training to paralegals. On the other hand, they may be intended to give legal training to people who are already successful in another profession-in other words, people who are not intending to seek a career as a paralegal but feel their current position would be enhanced with legal training. Programs are usually quite clear about which type of student they were created for.
The curriculum of a master's program is similar to an undergraduate curriculum, except that the core courses (in English, science, math, and the humanities) are not included, just the legal courses. For example, in Montclair State University in Upper Montclair, New Jersey, students may obtain a master of arts in legal studies, specializing in general legal studies, dispute resolution, or law office management and technology. Students must complete 36 credit hours of graduate-level courses. They also are required to complete a master's thesis on an approved topic.

Distance Education

Distance education-which used to be called correspondence school-is also an option for paralegal training. There is a certain amount of variety among these programs. Some rely very heavily on the computer, providing interactive lessons. Others allow you to read texts and take exams at your own pace; these may also be supplemented with videotapes.
You need to be very organized and dedicated to succeed in distance education, and some people shy away from it for those same reasons. I must admit that knowing I was required to attend classes and complete assignments at a certain time was more effective for me.

On the other hand, the skills you learn to be successful as a distance education student are the exact skills you need to be an effective paralegal. Organization, self-reliance, motivation, the desire to learn, the will to succeed, and the ability to solve problems and make decisions are all a part of the distance education and paralegal processes.

Success as a self-directed student demonstrates to your employer that you are goal-oriented and have the ability to work independently. Employer surveys taken over the last ten years have indicated overwhelming satisfaction with graduates of accredited paralegal distance education training programs.

By its very nature, distance learning provides a greater possibility for fraud than a school that is established in a particular place, but that is no reason to avoid distance learning; many schools are quite well respected.

If home study seems like the best option for you, just be careful in choosing a program. Find out as much as you can about the faculty and how available they will be to answer your questions. Ask for the names of former students whom you can contact for information about their experiences with the school.

Get complete information on the course of study, and compare it with the curricula of schools you know to be reputable. Make sure that the distance education school you choose is accredited by an organization such as the National Home Study Council or the Distance Education and Training Council. The U.S. Department of Education can tell you about other accrediting agencies. Finally, check with the Chamber of Commerce, the Better Business Bureau, or the attorney general's office in the state where the school is headquartered to see if the school has had complaints lodged against it.