Top Online Paralegal Certificate Programs

Choosing the best paralegal certificate can be somewhat difficult; we understand this and that is why we have curated a list of the top online paralegal certificate programs. Detecting quality when it comes to legal courses is harder than in other programs.

Paralegals perform the same tasks as lawyers, they help lawyers perform their tasks more effectively. Paralegals and legal assistants provide services to clients who require lower-skilled services. Paralegals do not need a certificate to work in law firms but it has been discovered that paralegals who hold paralegal certificates tend to earn more.

A lot of community colleges, junior colleges, and university extension programs offer a paralegal certificate that students can complete entirely online. Some other colleges even provide free online paralegal courses that can get you started on your path to becoming a paralegal. Top Online Paralegal Certificate Programs

Let us take a look at the list of top online paralegal certificate programs.

Top Online Paralegal Certificate Programs

1. Miami University

Miami University was founded in 1809 by a congressional act signed by George Washington. The purpose of founding this university was to have a postsecondary institution Northwest of the Ohio River in the Miami Valley. Today, this college has become a comprehensive public research institution of higher learning.

The campus is located in the town of Oxford, Ohio about 45 minutes North of Cincinnati, the college is part of the University System of Ohio system.

Approximately 25,000 students are enrolled in the entire system at any given time. Miami is reputed as a Tier One research institution, they have been classified by the Carnegie Foundation, which means that they are known for the high level of research they conduct.

Miami University is one of many best colleges that offer accredited online paralegal certificate programs. This particular program trains students in a range of skills in order to help them gain employment as a paralegal in many industries successfully.

Miami University teaches students how to apply ethical practices in legal environments, use legal technology, draft legal documents, increase competency in rules regarding compliance and case management, and gain specific career-ready skill sets.

Applicants are required to have a high school diploma, and the course of study takes about six months to complete.

2. Liberty University

Liberty University was founded in 1971 as Lynchburg Baptist College by Jerry Falwell, a well-known conservative pastor. Liberty is one of the most prominent Christian institutes of higher learning in the country.

The majority of the 90,000 student population participates in classes online. All of the courses offered at Liberty University are based on a Christian foundation, as it is infused in all of their subjects.

Liberty University offers one of the top accredited online paralegal certificate programs that are designed specifically to suit students who are interested in fast-tracking into the legal field. The program is run  100% online, this program optimizes flexible learning and enables students with busy lives to pursue a degree.

The courses take a period of eight weeks in length, and the entire program can be completed in one year (on average). The whole course of study adds up to 18 credit hours. Students will learn from faculty who have extensive experience in the professional and legal fields.

3. University of California – UC Berkeley

The University of California – UC Berkeley is part of the University of California System and has been operating extension programs for over a century. The goal of this university is to educate adult learners.

They offer a wide variety of online classes, they also have three academic centers that provide courses in San Francisco, Belmont, and Downtown Berkeley. UC Berkeley Extension is one of the top colleges offering an accredited online Paralegal certificate program.

The online format used in delivering this program was designed to provide convenience and flexibility. Students of paralegal studies in this college start out with the classes in Essential Paralegal Studies I, and a chosen elective. Students are required to take three required courses and three electives, which total eight-semester units.

Students are allowed to choose between criminal law or family law and this program can be completed in 6 months – 1 year.

4. Widener University

Widener University was originally established in 1821 as a preparatory school for boys in Wilmington, Delaware. But in 1862, the campus was moved from Wilmington to West Chester, Pennsylvania.

The school later became Chester County Military Academy, it has since then been renamed Widener University in 1972.

The School of Law was acquired in 1975 and in 2015, it was split to become two separate law schools one on the university’s Delaware campus and another in Harrisburg, PA. This college operates four campuses that offer over 80 programs of study.

The Delaware School of Law is the only law school in Pennsylvania state.  Delaware Law School places primary emphasis on the unique legal culture of the state of Delaware which is based on respect and civility within the bar and bench.

Students benefit from pro bono externships, experiences, clerkships, and permanent employment after graduation upon graduation.

Delawae’s top-quality bankruptcy, corporate law, and intellectual property and the Law School’s influential presence in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, give students ample opportunities for externships, clerkships, pro bono experiences, and permanent employment after graduation. T

5. Texas Christian University 

Texas Christian University was established in 1873 by two brothers; Addison and Randolph Clark, both of whom were a part of the Christian Restoration Movement.

Before the establishment of Texas Christian University, they first founded what was known as the Male and Female Seminary of Fort Worth. Texas Christian University has been ranked among the top 100 National Universities in the country.

Texas Christian University collaborates with The Center for Legal Studies to offer an online paralegal certificate program. This college and the paralegal program hold regional accreditation, however, this program itself is a non-credit course, which means that it does not contribute to the process of earning a larger degree.

Texas Christian University offers Paralegal and Advanced Paralegal Training courses that are specifically designed for legal workers who are both beginners and advanced learners. The online paralegal certificate program takes about 14 weeks to complete and it is broken down into seven weeks per section.

This school allows students to take part in classes from anywhere in the world, as the online program is offered 100% online.