Degree Options For Becoming A Paralegal

Written by admin on May 7th, 2011

Firms and businesses are always seeking to cut costs, and the best way to do this is to hire a paralegal to take on a large portion of a lawyer’s job. Even so, paralegals make excellent money and are highly respected in their professions. To become a paralegal, you have a few possible options.

The least amount of education for paralegal studies is the certificate program. It is easily found at vocational schools and community colleges. While providing only a certificate, some of these programs can take 24 months to complete, especially for those with no education or legal experience. Shorter programs can be only three months long, and are best for those with a Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree. It is important to consider, though, before entering this type of program, whether it is enough education to enter the career you want.

You can get an Associate’s degree in Paralegal Studies, which will provide you a good amount of education and training in the subject matter and will allow you to enter most positions. You will find this degree option at technical schools, community colleges, and business schools. You may have to take many liberal arts classes, though, to round out your education.

There are actually many online programs available from reputable sources. These are perfect for students who have kids at home or unreliable schedules preventing them from attending regular classes. Students will have their own time frame to complete it, and will be provided with an excellent variety of skills that will benefit them in a career as a paralegal. These are often only certificate programs, however, and may not provide the same amount of instruction that can be received from a degree program.

If available, you can go for a Bachelor’s in Paralegal Studies. Many colleges do not have this major yet, probably because it is not necessary to enter the field. However, it can provide additional liberal arts studies and a better understanding of the important concepts. You can major in criminal justice if there is no paralegal studies major available at your college, and it will provide you with a similar quality of education.

A Master’s degree is a possibility for paralegal professionals looking to advance their careers. There are a few programs in paralegal studies, but in many cases you can also choose legal administration, law studies, and criminal justice. This degree will take you an additional two years to get through, but may provide you with many additional profitable abilities.

When you are ready to enter the field, you may find a good position fairly quickly at a law firm or company, or even in the government. You may be paid no less than ,000 in the beginning, and can advance to being paid much more as your experience and length of service grows. Also, you can expect to enjoy behaving as a respected lawyer in most considerations, acting on the same tasks and types of cases.

If you choose a certificate or an online degree as your proper path due to time constraints and other obligations, do not worry. You can always continue your education through paralegal studies online in the future if you would like, yet you may not need to. A two year degree is all you really need to participate in this field to the fullest.

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