Career Requirements
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Paralegal Career Requirements

While attending law school takes years and can cost you upwards of one hundred thousand dollars, there are easier ways of getting involved in the intricacies and drama of legal work. For many people, becoming a paralegal is one such attractive option.

Paralegal career requirements usually include an associate's degree in a paralegal program or a bachelor's degree and a certificate in paralegal studies. Associate's degrees usually take two years to complete and are offered by most community colleges. There are about 260 paralegal programs that are approved by the American Bar Association. These programs typically take a few months to complete. Their admission requirements vary, but most often include a bachelor's degree and an interview.

To meet the paralegal career requirements for an entry position sometimes only requires a bachelor's degree or related experience. In these cases, employers provide on-the-job training. If you're looking to boost your job prospects, you might consider obtaining a voluntary certification from a professional society. The National Association of Legal Assistants, the American Alliance of Paralegals, and the National Federation of Paralegal Association all offer different certification programs, which require a mix of testing and documented training.

The ability to interpret and present findings about legal texts is an important career requirement for paralegals. In order to continue fulfilling their duties, most paralegals find it necessary to pursue continued education about evolving legal issues. In fact, if you are employed as a paralegal in California, you will be required to attend four hours of continuing education each year in some area of the law.


Featured online career colleges:
  DeVry University

DeVry University offers flexible scheduling and the convenience to study at any of 80+ locations, online or a combination of both. Earn a respected associate degree, bachelor's degree or master's degree from an accredited university. A career-oriented education from DeVry University will put you in a great place to begin or advance in the workplace when you graduate.

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  American InterContinental University Online

Earn your degree online, fast. AIU Online offers degree programs in Business Administration, Information Technology, Criminal Justice, Visual Communications, and Education. Bachelor's degrees can be earned quickly and conveniently, while Master's degrees can be earned in as little as 10 months. AIU Online's degree programs are designed for maximum flexibility—study at the times and places that work best for you.

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  University of Phoenix

With convenient class locations as well as online learning, University of Phoenix makes quality higher education highly accessible. Whether you're seeking an associate's, bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree, we can help you reach your goal while you work—and much sooner than you might expect. In fact, University of Phoenix has helped thousands of students achieve the higher education they need to achieve higher success. We can help you too.

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  Kaplan University

Earn your degree, advance your career, and achieve your goals with an online degree or certificate from Kaplan University. And do it all without missing a day of work. Kaplan University offers accredited online degree programs in Business, Criminal Justice, Technology and Design, and Paralegal Studies. Kaplan also offers Continuing Education, allowing working professionals to earn certificates in Forensic Nursing, Legal Nurse Consulting, Life Care Planning, and Financial Planning.

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  Independence University

Advance your healthcare career 24/7 at Independence University. Our online programs in Allied Health, Respiratory Therapy, Health Services, and Nursing are specially designed to provide you with the cutting-edge skills you need to thrive in your new career. Earn your certificate, associate, bachelor's or master's degree. Independence University makes it easy for you to succeed.

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