Earn your Paralegal Certificate and play an integral role in assisting lawyers and their clients with a variety of tasks. From conducting research and preparing legal documents for hearings, trials or corporate meetings to being involved in courts, law firms and government agencies, you will become part of an important, fast-paced team within the legal system. At the conclusion of this online Paralegal Certificate program, you will have the necessary knowledge to take the National Certified Legal Assistant/Paralegal (CLA/CP) Exam.
Train to become a certified paralegal through paralegal courses online that are rooted in real-world situations, leveraging legal-specific databases and software that cover modern legal issues such as intellectual property, as well as emerging technologies such as blockchain and cryptocurrency.
Our Paralegal Certificate online courses are designed for people who have already earned an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree, our Paralegal Certificate online courses are designed to give you the core legal knowledge and skills you need to start your paralegal career in as few as 8 months.1
Take me to:
What Will This Paralegal Certificate Prepare Me to Do?
Strive for Industry Certification
Our advanced online Paralegal Associate's degree curriculum is designed to academically prepare you to sit for the National Certified Legal Assistant/Paralegal (CLA/CP) Examination.2
Launch Your Paralegal Career
Upon graduation and passing of your CLA/CP Examination, you can start showcasing your knowledge and transferable skills to employers and begin a stable career in today’s fast-paced legal environment.
Pursue Potential Job Growth
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the projected job growth potential between 2020 and 2030 for Paralegals and Legal Assistants is 12%.3 An online Paralegal Certificate program from Rasmussen University can help set you up for success in this growing field.
Take the Next Step—Talk to Us!
What Skills Will I Gain?
Legal Analysis and Insight
In this online Paralegal Associate's degree program, develop your ability to draft legal documents, manage case files, synthesize data, properly cite legal authorities and identify relevant information sources for legal problems.
Navigate Legal Research Tools
Utilize and navigate extensive legal research tools such as Clio, Lexis Advance® and Fastcase and how such databases are used in the legal research process.4
Advanced Writing Skills
Understand and apply the principles of legal research and writing. Develop strong writing, information and financial literacy, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
Managing Legal Relationships
Value the ability to effectively communicate in a variety of situations. Utilize practical approach to the law of contracts and effectively work with contracts, breach of contracts and the remedies provided for a breach of contract.
Transferable Skills
You’ll also develop the soft skills you will transfer into your role. Core paralegal classes develop your skills in critical thinking, communication, digital fluency, information literacy, diversity, equity and inclusion, and ethics and professional responsibility. Learn more about transferable skills.
What Types of Paralegal Classes Will I Take?
-
Introduction to Law and the Legal System
- PLA 1013
- Online
- 4 Credits
Examines the American legal system from a variety of perspectives. Surveys topics including essential history, the working structure of government, issues of court procedure and specific legal concepts. Investigates the role of the paralegal in the legal system and the impact of legal ethics on the paralegal.
-
Introduction to Legal Research
- PLA 1108
- Online
- 3 Credits
Introduces the legal research process for paralegals. Develop information literacy skills specific to the paralegal field by working with primary sources, like state and federal enacted law and secondary sources. Students will learn the meaning of, and practice, shepardizing.
-
Paralegal Capstone
- PLA 2820
- Online
- 4 Credits
Prepares students for entry into the legal community through a simulated and meaningful law office experience in an online environment. Students learn through advanced analysis, research and writing projects, then demonstrate their mastery of the content of their core curriculum and apply specialized theory, skills and concepts. Students will engage in practical work experience in the day-to-day operations of a law office work environment and will handle simulated client cases.
9 Courses to Complete
33 Credit Hours
Estimate Your Tuition
Rasmussen University is committed to making education more affordable for all students. Our tuition estimating tool can help you visualize the cost of your degree and see what savings opportunities are available to help you achieve it.
Tuition Estimator
Rasmussen University believes in helping you make your education as affordable as possible.
Our interactive tuition estimator is designed to help you discover how much you could save on a degree from Rasmussen University.
Simply enter your ZIP code, select the program and credential you're interested in, and click “next”.
Right away, you can see the total estimated cost of your selected degree.
As you engage with the tool, you may see this number start to go down.
You also have the option to see how attending full-time or part-time could impact your tuition—and what your tuition estimate looks like, broken down by quarter.
The tuition estimator walks you through a number of ways you could reduce your overall tuition.
Click the tabs or the “back” and “next” buttons to move through the tool.
Within each tab, answer the question shown as accurately as you can, by interacting with the slider, select menu or radio buttons shown.
You might not feel totally confident in all of your answers. That's okay. This tool is just generating an estimate of how much your degree might cost.
The last tab of the tool shows you your results, including how much you could potentially save on your Rasmussen degree.
Remember, the numbers shown here are just estimates, and the true cost of your degree will vary.
Talk with an admissions advisor for more information about how to make your Rasmussen degree as affordable as possible.
What Should I Know Before I Enroll?
Entrance Requirements
Entrance requirements at the Rasmussen University School of Justice Studies vary depending on the program. We do not require enrolling students to submit standardized test scores; however, every entrant must have at least an Associate’s degree or more. No background check is required for this program, but pre-employment screenings, like background checks, may be required for future job opportunities.5
Transfer Student
We believe in giving credit where it’s due. You can get an estimate of your transfer credits without an official transcript in one business day (on average). Talk to an admissions advisor today, or explore our Transfer Policy page for our seamless credit policies designed to maximize credits, potentially save money and expedite graduation.
Help Paying for College
Higher education should be a manageable investment. Talk to an admissions advisor and learn how these programs can make it more affordable with self-directed assessments, credit for prior learning, loans and grants, scholarship opportunities, corporate grants and military discounts for those who qualify.
Where Can I Find an Online Paralegal Program Near Me?
At Rasmussen University, we want our courses to be available on your schedule, not the other way around. Select programs are available for enrollment through a specific campus and nationally online, but students complete the courses online and are able to utilize online and on-campus support and resources. See below to find out where you can find an online Paralegal Certificate program near you.
- Online
-
Florida
Florida Campuses
This is an online program, but students can enroll at one of these campuses.
-
Illinois*
Illinois Campuses
*This program is offered online in Illinois.
-
Kansas
Kansas Campuses
This is an online program, but students can enroll at one of these campuses.
-
Minnesota
Minnesota Campuses
This is an online program, but students can enroll at one of these campuses.
-
North Dakota
North Dakota Campuses
This is an online program, but students can enroll at one of these campuses.
-
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Campuses
This is an online program, but students can enroll at one of these campuses.
