Paralegal Masters Degree

The Paralegal Masters Degree follows on from the Bachelors Degree, which must have been achieved at a high level in order for the student to be accepted onto this much more intellectually rigorous course. The Masters takes 2 years although, if it is studied online through one of the rare programs available, the duration can be flexible.

A Masters Degree in paralegal studies is more-or-less interchangeable with a Masters Degree in legal studies: it would seem that an institution’s choice of title for their individual program is fairly arbitrary. Both qualifications can be used as a stepping stone to law school, perhaps providing needed credentials.

A student would normally have a specific reason for advancing as far as a Masters Degree in their paralegal career. It might be that they are in a big city where competition for jobs is particularly fierce and a qualification which indicates their academic prowess will make them stand out. This would be especially relevant if they are trying to enter a niche area such as Trademark Law.

As well as core courses and options, the Masters Degree program includes an independent research project and a supervised work placement. The professors who conduct the classes tend to be well known in their field and students explore in depth the theory, philosophy and history of law as well as its application including analysis, ethics and legal technology. Corporate law, litigation and legal research are comprehensively covered, and also government law, international law and intellectual property law.