Undergraduate Certificate in Paralegal Studies

Overview

The Paralegal Certificate program is for students interested in obtaining the background and skills necessary to assume a growing range of tasks in legal offices. 

Paralegals assist attorneys in drafting legal documents, research, investigation, trial preparation, and office management.

The program provides students with a foundation in legal terminology, research and writing, and legal theory and concepts. 

Note: While paralegals perform many of the same tasks as lawyers, they are prohibited from carrying out duties considered to be the practice of law, such as setting legal fees, giving legal advice, and presenting cases in court.

• Apply legal research methods and techniques that are used in the practice of law.
• Develop skills in legal reasoning, identifying, and effectively using legal resources and writing legal documents.
• Evaluate the importance of secondary sources in legal research.
• Describe the primary rules and sources and roles of each in legal research.
• Distinguish how advice, persuasion, and advocacy enter into legal research.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the nature and function of the law and the application of critical thinking and analytical skills.
• Comprehend and describe what a paralegal is and how one fits into the legal system.

Accreditation

American Public University is part of the American Public University System (APUS), which is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The HLC accredits degree-granting institutions located in a 19-state region, and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).