Paralegals are in high demand right now, which means that there is no better time for you to learn how to become a paralegal. To do this, you will need to get a college education related to criminal justice or business administration. Traditional degree programs are available on college campuses, but a lot of students are now making their way onto the internet. Web-based courses are more convenient than standard courses, and they are also more affordable. That makes them a win-win solution all the way around.
Here is a look at how you might go about selecting paralegal studies classes to take online so you can set yourself up for success.
Different Types of Paralegal Degree Programs
In order to choose the right courses for your degree, you need to first have a degree program picked out. There are several options that will work for a career as a paralegal, so it is important to know what training program you are going to go through. Then you can choose classes online that reflect the overall goal of your education. Possible degrees to consider include:
- Associate’s Degree Programs
- Paralegal/Legal Assistant Certificate
- Associate of Science in Paralegal Studies
- Bachelor’s Degree Programs
- Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
- Bachelor of Arts in Paralegal Studies
- Bachelor of Arts in History
- Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
- Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
- Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies
- Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies
- Bachelor of Science in Political Science
Graduate Degree Programs
- Master of Business Administration
- Master of Criminal Justice
- Juris Doctorate
- Specializations for Paralegal Degrees
Knowing which degree you are taking is not good enough. You also need to know if you are going to have some sort of specialty. There are several concentrations to choose from, and they all require certain courses for specialized training. Select your focus early on so you can decide what paralegal courses you want to take online. Possible specialties include:
- Civil litigation
- Divorce
- Healthcare
- Insurance
- Legal services
- Real estate
Common Courses for Paralegal Degree Programs Online
With all of the factors above in place, you can finally choose your paralegal degree classes online. Every school is a bit different in terms of what it has to offer, so you may have to check with your school of choice to find out what your options are. Common courses to consider include:
- Administration of Criminal Justice
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- American Jurisprudence
- Applied Statistics in Criminal Justice
- Business Entities and Bankruptcy
- Business Law
- Civil Litigation
- Contracts
- Criminal Justice Management
- Criminal Law and Procedures
- Ethics
- Ethics and Criminal Justice
- Family Law
- Introduction to the American Court System
- Legal Research and Writing
- Real Estate Law
- Real Property
- Rules of Civil Procedure
- Torts and Personal Injury
- Wills, Trusts and Estates
Think about all of this and more as you go about your course selection, and you’ll choose the right classes every time.
