ObjectivesBusinesses and organizations of all sizes are reducing legal costs by handling routine legal processes in-house. As a result, the demand for paralegal and legal assistant is higher than ever, and this trend is projected to continue for over the next several years. The U.S. Department of Labor projects the number of employment opportunities for paralegals and legal assistants to grow 22 percent over the decade ending in 2016, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.* That is a promising statistic if you are interested in entering the legal profession or want to advance your current career.
Course description Program Highlights
The online Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies program at Kaplan University is designed to provide you with academic knowledge and practical skills you need to attain the position you want. Comprehensive study in areas such as civil litigation, contracts, legal research, and criminal law may prepare you for diverse career opportunities in the field. Enjoy the convenience and flexibility of our Web-based curriculum while you:
* Study to develop the ability to communicate effectively and make ethical decisions within the legal environment
* Focus on specialized legal practice areas, such as real estate, corporate, family, social security, and employment law
* Explore how to conduct legal research and analyze and summarize statutes and other legal documents
* Study word processing, document assembly, case management, time tracking, and billing using common technology tools and applications found in law firms
* Demonstrate your ability to apply the concepts learned through your online coursework by completing a capstone project
What Are the Career Opportunities?
This associate's degree program is designed to prepare you for career opportunities in a variety of legal environments, in areas such as litigation, real estate, intellectual property, health care, international law, elder issues, criminal law, and environmental law. Study to qualify for employment as a paralegal in organizations that provide specialized legal services, such as private law firms, corporate legal departments, insurance companies, real estate and title insurance firms, banks, and government agencies. When you are ready to further your education, credits earned in fulfillment of this certificate may be transferred to other Kaplan University degree programs.