Is a Bachelor’s in Paralegal Studies Right for You? A Comprehensive Guide to Deciding Your Legal Career Path

A Bachelor’s in Paralegal Studies is a great way to begin for those planning to make their career in the legal industry but have no intention of continuing on to law school. Traditionally, paralegals got all their training “on the job,” and learned about their chosen field from hands-on practice.

That’s still a way for legal-minded individuals to proceed, but if you want to be a professional paralegal, it may be more effective to learn how to carry out legal research, write memos, and draft legal briefs first, and give your prospective employer someone with more knowledge than the average legal assistant.

If you’re already working in the legal field, getting your degree now can open additional employment opportunities in supervisory and management positions. Having an advanced degree beyond your on-the-job training makes you considerably more valuable to your company, and in some large corporations, they may help with your educational bills.

As a four-year degree, you can expect to take two years of general education classes (“Gen Ed”) and two years of paralegal coursework. General education may include history, biology, English, and earth science. What you take will depend on your college.

The paralegal studies curriculum will also vary from college to college, but in general will include:

• Contract Law

• Criminal Law

• Constitutional Law/American Jurisprudence

• Legal Writing and Research

• Legal Analysis

• Legal Ethics

You’ll also need to do at least one internship and one or more electives. The electives will be needed to bring your semester total to 120 units, and, ideally should be taken in your preferred practice area. For example, at Loyola, you have 26 units of paralegal requirements and 12 units of practice area requirements in litigation studies. Elective units can come from the paralegal studies curriculum or related courses outside the unit.

The college should help with finding and requesting internships. You must apply for these internships just as you would for any employment. Your internship should also be related to your eventual practice area.

Online paralegal studies programs are an outstanding choice for working professionals and parents of small children who can’t attend in-person classes all day. It can also be less expensive to take courses at home on your own time versus traveling to school and sitting in class.

Thanks to the 24/7 nature of the internet, many online classes are asynchronous, meaning they don’t have a set start or end period. The courses start and finish with the semester, but there isn’t a set “class time” when you must be at your computer watching the professor. Hybrid paralegal programs offer in-class sessions for labs and meetings.

The downside of online programs is the need for self-motivation and self-control. Nobody will notice if you don’t study or attend class regularly. If you are easily distracted and can’t make yourself sit in your office with the door shut for an hour a day, you may not do well in an online program.

You must also have a dedicated high-speed internet connection that is reliable whenever you log on. If your service provider is subject to losing bandwidth during the times when you’re going to need it most, you may need a separate line for your classes.

Having your bachelor’s degree gives you an edge over people just starting out in the legal field. There are a number of voluntary organizations who provide certifications for those who want to advance their careers in the paralegal field.

NALA and NFPA maintain membership rosters and require their members to maintain continuing legal education (CLE) to stay current. They also have member-only job boards and regular workshops and conferences where members can network and exchange job opportunities.

NALA has advanced paralegal certification exams which give the paralegal additional credentials in specialized practice areas:

Discovery and e-Discovery

• Personal Injury

• Family Law, including Adoption, Child Custody and Support, and Property Division

• Trial Practice and Criminal Litigation

With your bachelor’s and advanced certifications, your resume will stand out when you apply for paralegal jobs at law firms, and in other career areas such as:

• Regulatory compliance

• Legal research analysis

• Legal education

• Real estate and title insurance

• Bankruptcy and accounting

Other associations and organizations that can help:

• National Association for Legal Support Professionals (NALS)

• American Alliance of Paralegals (AAPI)

• American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE)

Deciding whether to get a four-year degree over a two-year associate’s degree or a certificate can be difficult in these cash-strapped times. They say that you’ll make more money with a bachelor’s degree, but is that true?

Some of the benefits of a bachelor’s degree, despite the extra time in school and the higher costs, include:

• Increased access to job opportunities. More job opportunities requiring advanced degrees are posted online, so you have a better chance of finding them

• Increased earning potential. The Department of Labor reports that the starting salary of someone with a bachelor’s degree is about $10,000 higher than one without

• Better economic stability. Even during the mass layoffs in 2020, people with an advanced degree (bachelor’s and higher) have a better chance of keeping their jobs than those who do not have them

• Better return on investment. Overall, the money and time you spend on getting your degree pays off in job satisfaction, opportunity, and salary during the course of your career.

With all this in mind, what should you consider when choosing a bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies? Ask yourself some of these questions:

• Do you have the time to commit to a four-year degree program?

• Do you want to work in the legal field?

• Were you planning to stay out of litigation? (an important question)

• Are you currently working in the legal profession?

• Would you prefer an online or in-person course

• Can you handle a full-time course load, or will you need to attend classes part-time?

If you’re currently working, you should discuss your plans with your employer or human resources department. Some companies have education programs that can help with financial assistance. If you’re considering moving up or making a lateral move, your human resources department can give you advice on what courses you should think about taking.

If you’re just starting out in school, visit the career counselors and go over your school plans and career goals. Discuss financial aid and part-time versus full-time course loads with them. Remember that even if you take online classes, you’ll still be taking 120 units.

If you’re considering a bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies, you should discuss it carefully with everyone involved. You’ll be dedicating four years of your life or more to advancing your career. The benefits will be worth it, but make no mistake, it will be a long process.

If you think a degree is what you want, contact the colleges and paralegal programs and get information about the paralegal degrees offered. Remember that paralegal bachelor’s degrees are only one possible route. You can also ask about associate’s degrees and certificates if you’re not sure you’re ready for a four year degree.