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Deciding which college to attend can be a daunting task. For many, it will be the most important decision that they make in their lives. To make an informed decision, you have to consider a lot of variables, such as cost of attendance, financial aid, student/teacher ratio, academics, student life, and more. These factors will either positively or negatively impact the quality of education that you receive.
Do you want to acquire a bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies, but don’t know what institution you should attend? Well, if you are as ambitious as I was in my late teens, then you want to attend a top school, instead of an average or mediocre one. Fortunately, we have already done the legwork for you. To help you find the right school for your interests and goals, we’ve compiled a list of 2022’s best bachelor’s in paralegal studies programs.
What institution did we forget? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
Keiser University has a bachelor of arts in legal studies intended for learners seeking immediate entry into law and related fields directly after graduation and also for learners who are interested in pursuing a law degree. Upon graduation, learners will be ready for careers in the legal field or for the legal aspects of other professional fields, such as business, government, and criminal justice.
Learners in Keiser’s degree program benefit from a holistic array of classes in the field, including but not limited to the following:
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Evidence
- Advanced Civil Litigation
- Advanced Torts
- Law Office Technology
- Immigration Law
- Constitutional Law
The objectives of this degree program include developing learners’ written and verbal skills, promoting critical thinking via analytical and technical expertise, and helping learners form a sound comprehension of US law.
Liberty University has a bachelor of science in paralegal studies, which is offered on campus and online. This degree program was developed to meet the rising need for paralegal professionals by delivering training in strong professional skills, a firm foundation in ethics, and advanced skills in government, politics, and law. Liberty’s BS in paralegal studies requires 120 total hours to finish. A maximum of 90 hours can be transferred in, and 30 hours must be taken at Liberty. Graduates of Liberty’s degree program typically find careers as paralegals, legal assistants, claims adjusters, and law clerks. Classes are taught by practicing lawyers, which ensures that each class readies learners in real-life skills they will utilize on the job.
New York City College of Technology’s Bachelor’s in paralegal studies was the first to be offered by any public college in the state of New York. The program was developed to meet an increasing need for legal professionals to be knowledgeable in complex legal matters. A bachelor’s degree became a necessity, and NYCCT’s degree program was developed in response. It is also an outstanding degree for people intending to apply to law school upon graduation.
Upper-level classes introduce learners to more focused areas of law and communication and computer skills. Examples of classes learners can expect consist of:
- Law Office Management
- Bankruptcy
- Immigration
- Administrative Law
- Trademark, Copyright, Patent
- Forensic Science and the Legal Process
Graduates typically work in higher-level jobs in government and prominent law companies or go on to enroll in postgraduate studies such as law school, graduate school, or social work. Objectives of the degree program include teaching learners to apply time management skills, prioritize tasks/assignments, manage information using computer databases/software programs, and access and assess legal and non-legal data.
East Central University’s bachelor of science in legal studies is “endorsed” by the American Bar Association (ABA) and offers learners the necessary academic skills for entry-level employment as paralegals with law companies, private enterprises, and governmental agencies. Graduates will be ready for highly focused tasks mandatory for practicing attorneys and permitted by law; graduates demonstrate superior intellectual abilities and professional competence.
Classes in East Central’s degree program is real-life and stresses training in the hard skills graduates will need in real-world situations. Some classes consist of:
- The Legal Environment of Business
- Legal Research and Writing I
- Legal Research and Writing II
- Legal Systems
- Civil Procedure and Litigation
- Legal Ethics, Professional Responsibility, and Advanced Litigation
ECU’s degree program will be beneficial for people who want to work as paralegals or in a law-related field, and it is also an outstanding foundation for law school. The degree program offers learners a liberal arts degree emphasizing analytical and communication skills applicable to any law-related field. Also, the program exposes learners to a broad spectrum of the law, including its hypothetical, procedural, and real-life aspects. Legal studies graduates work in legal-related areas of corporations, banks, governmental agencies, and institutions.
Auburn University at Montgomery has a bachelor’s degree in legal studies via its Department of Criminal Justice intended for learners seeking to develop knowledge regarding careers in law and legal fields. The Auburn Montgomery Criminal Justice Department offers a paralegal education degree program, which has been endorsed by American Bar Association (ABA) for nearly twenty years. Auburn University at Montgomery has several clear objectives:
- To prepare learners for an array of careers and improve their prospects for employment and promotion by delivering them with functional law-related knowledge
- To deliver learners with hypothetical and real-life education to fulfill the duties of a paralegal in the private and public sectors
- To prepare learners for the Certified Legal Assistant or Registered Paralegal examination.
- To ensure that learners comprehend the standards of legal ethics and restrictions on the practice of law by paralegals and other laypersons
The degree program is particularly well suited for people planning for careers as paralegals or legal assistants and related careers.
Utah Valley University has several options for learners interested in legal studies, including the Certificate of Proficiency, AAS, AS, and bachelor of science degrees in legal studies. UVU’s degree program focuses heavily on the applied and technical aspects of the legal profession. All of UVU’s programs are authorized by the American Bar Association (ABA). UVU has a holistic battery of classwork, including but not limited to, the following:
- Civil Litigation
- Legal Research and Writing
- Technology in Law Practice
- Criminal Law and Procedure
- Family Law
- Business Law
The degree program is offered via UVU’s Department of Organizational Leadership, which is part of the Woodbury School of Business. Graduates of the degree program have pursued careers as law clerks, paralegals, legal assistants, litigation specialists, court clerks, and more. Along with conventional law companies, business and government entities hire UVU grads as do banks, insurance companies, title companies, mortgage companies, law libraries, courts, legal service/legal aid offices, legal clinics, and law departments of special interest groups or associations.
Florida National University’s bachelor of arts in legal studies tries to expand learners’ critical and analytical thinking skills; advance their capacity to communicate complex verbal and written data; and prepare them for higher-level positions within the legal profession or to gain admission to law school. The degree program also has an associate’s degree for learners whose career path does not require a bachelor’s degree in the field or who already possess one in another field.
Learners at Florida National will benefit from exposure to classwork in criminal and civil training via classes such as the following:
- Criminal Law
- Legal Research & Writing
- Civil Litigation
- Criminal Procedure
- Tort Law
- Constitutional Law
- Business Communication
- The Law of Contracts
- Property Law
Along with classes that survey the American legal system, learners also obtain training in communication, humanities, behavioral science, mathematics, natural science, and computers. Graduates of the degree program have pursued careers in a variety of professions in the field.
Hodges University’s bachelor of science in legal studies prepares learners who are interested in either pursuing law school upon graduation or entering the workforce in business, legal, or management settings. Graduates will be prepared to assist attorneys and other legal professionals with legal research, evidence collection, communications, preparation of documentation and litigation, and the general duties of the daily practice of law.
Hodges’s classwork provides training in a variety of civil and criminal jurisprudence along with relevant areas of technology. Classes consist of
- Civil Procedure
- Torts
- Contracts
- Property
- Criminal Law & Procedure
- Legal Reasoning
- Data Privacy & Social Media
Technological issues are of increasing concern for legal professionals, and Hodges’s degree program proactively incorporates training in this area into its coursework. The degree program prepares learners to fill the urgent need for legal professionals with expertise in this area by learning real-life methods for managing information security on behalf of clients and law offices.
Macomb Community College has an associate of applied science in legal studies. Although it is not technically a bachelor’s degree in the field, the program offers exceptional preparation for people interested in a legal profession, and credits from Macomb are transferable. It is particularly well suited for learners who are interested in a career as a legal assistant. Learners will obtain training in the ethical and professional responsibilities involved in being a member of the legal services delivery team along with learning the purpose and function of discovery and legal pleadings.
Learners in Macomb’s degree program will learn how to carry out legal research, prepare legal forms and documents, and carry out and summarize investigations. Learners are exposed to family, criminal, and real estate; the degree program is endorsed by the American Bar Association (ABA). Classes are available on campus or online, and the degree program also has free tutoring. Learners in Macomb’s degree program have transferred to bachelor’s programs at colleges and institutions across the state of Michigan.
St. Petersburg College has an adaptable bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies that will appeal to the working legal professional. St. Petersburg College has rotating and evening classes and grants admission to learners three times per year. SPC’s classes are all taught by community practicing attorneys and judges, and it features the only public bachelor’s degree program in the state of Florida that is endorsed by the American Bar Association (ABA).
St. Petersburg places a lot of importance on real-life education that will prepare learners for real-life situations. Examples of classes in the degree program consist of:
- United States Constitutional Law
- Legal Writing Seminar
- Logic and the Law
- Comparative Legal Systems
- Seminar in Professional Responsibility
- Computers and the Law Office
Assignments in the degree program will replicate real-life situations to strengthen critical thinking, oral and written communication skills, and real-life, ethical comprehension. Learners will be ready to take the Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) examination offered via the National Association of Legal Assistants after graduation.
Texas Woman’s University has a bachelor of science or bachelor of arts in government with an emphasis in legal studies. The objective of the major in government is to equip learners with a solid foundation in critical thinking, research, and writing skills to help them achieve their objectives. The major is excellent preparation for learners seeking admission to law school. Classes in TWU’s degree program readies learners for as many aspects of the legal profession as possible via classes such as the following:
- Legal Environment
- The American Legislative Process
- Law for Women
- Senior Seminar
- Constitutional Rights and Criminal Justice
- Seminar in Public Policy
Learners will have ample chance to develop their critical thinking, writing, speaking, and problem-solving skills for the legal environment through a broad range of electives dealing with the law-making process, public policy, and the history of the US legal system. The degree program provide opportunities for internships with law companies, corporate legal departments, government agencies, and nonprofit public interest groups. The emphasis entails 30 credit hours.
Hampton University features a bachelor of arts in paralegal studies intended to prepare learners for the paralegal field and also to allow practicing paralegal professionals to improve their career credentials. Learners who concentrate in paralegal studies will be ready to participate as efficient and active members of legal teams. The degree program is coupled with focused legal training with a strong foundation in the liberal arts.
Graduates of Hampton’s degree program have taken positions in a wide variety of contexts, including but not limited to:
- law firms
- government agencies
- legal services offices
- corporations,
- professional and trade associations
- banks
- real estate organizations
Hampton’s degree program readies paralegal and prospective law school learners for the roles they will play in the legal field by reinforcing the basic principles of verbal and written communication, the methods of scholarly research, and teaching a system of critical and analytical thinking. The degree program stresses real-life learning and preparation for real-world scenarios so that graduates will be well-ready for their next steps.
Texas A&M University-Commerce has a bachelor of arts (BA) and a bachelor of science (BS) with a paralegal emphasis. A&M Commerce’s degree program is explicitly oriented toward the paralegal career and the unusual responsibilities involved in supporting practicing attorneys. The degree program stresses the fundamentals of legal research, family law, probate, civil procedure, business organizations, law office management, real estate law, and constitutional law. Examples of Commerce’s highly specific classwork for future paralegals consist of classes such as the following:
- Bankruptcy for Paralegals
- Probate
- Business Law for Paralegals
- Criminal Law and Procedure
- Family Law
- Real Estate Law for Paralegals
- Trial and Appellate Litigation and Procedure
Along with the focused training offered in the degree program, learners at Commerce will also obtain a thorough foundation in the liberal arts. Graduates of the degree program enjoy an outstanding track record of placement with practicing attorneys in private practices, conventional companies, in-house counsel, and more.
Clayton State University has a legal studies degree program and a paralegal degree program within their bachelor of science degree. CSU is endorsed by the American Bar Association (ABA), which ensures that learners obtain the highest possible standard of education along with the resources and supports necessary to succeed in their degree program. Instructors in the degree program are all attorneys who are currently practicing or have practiced full time. Learners in the degree program will develop facility in several necessary skills for the legal profession, including the abilities to:
- perform manual and computerized legal research
- examine rules of legal ethics and substantive and procedural law
- identify and discuss real-life and hypothetical legal issues and prepare legal documents
- to utilize technology to prepare legal documents
Along with the bachelor of science, learners also have the choice of pursuing a Paralegal Certificate, AAS degree in paralegal studies, or a minor in pre-Law. Regardless of the specific degree program, learners will be well equipped with the skills necessary to perform the highly accurate and demanding legal work required by today’s attorneys.
SUNY Canton has a bachelor of science in legal studies for learners who are interested in either pursuing a legal services career or planning for law school. The degree program is intended for all types of learners, including recent high school graduates, paralegal studies transfer learners, criminal justice transfer learners, and working adults seeking to further their legal careers. Learners will be exposed to an array of concepts necessary to thrive in the legal services field, including:
- Business Law
- Civil Litigation
- Constitutional Law
- Criminal Practice
- Negligence and Intentional Torts
- Real Property Law
- Wills, Trusts, and Estates
Learners in SUNY Canton’s degree program will also benefit from an internship choice, which enables them to experience the workplace during their degree program. This helps learners not only begin their careers but also make job connections while still in college. The legal studies degree program also incorporates classes that expose learners to the business aspects of the practice of law. Instructors in Canton’s degree program have a wide variety of real-world experience, including attorneys who are practicing or have practiced law.
