Paralegal Associates Degree

The Associates Degree is the lowest level graduate program in paralegal studies. A full-time course usually lasts 2 years. Academically, it is more advanced than the Certificate program which may only take a few months to complete. It is sometimes used a stepping stone to the Bachelors Degree which, studied from scratch, would take 4 years.

A qualification is not obligatory for anyone working as a paralegal, so the choice of course is largely a matter of weighing up cost and time against ambition. A student should aim to shine but not to dazzle, since the danger of being overqualified for jobs, particularly away from big cities, does exist. A further option is offered by the wide availability of online study, but it is essential that any course is accredited by a body which is recognized by the US Department of Education.

The Paralegal Associates Degree aims to prepare students for jobs at entry level in the paralegal profession or maybe a little higher. It examines how the legal process works through theory as well as some practical training. Its core of compulsory subjects covers, generally speaking, such fundamental areas as torts and personal injury law; contract law; legal research and civil litigation; and professional responsibility and ethics.

The rest of the course consists of optional subjects such as, for example, Environmental Law, Immigration Law, or Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights. To complete the program there are general education courses which deal with areas like Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Comparative Politics.