Paralegal Home Study: How to Earn A Paralegal Degree Online

If you are ready to start your paralegal education but don't know how to fit schooling into your overloaded schedule, you aren't alone. Many students looking to get their education while fulfilling job and family responsibilities are getting their degrees online through paralegal home study programs.

Over the past five years, online learning has proven to be hugely successful, and with an increasing number of schools adding paralegal home study programs to their offerings, online degrees are rapidly gaining widespread acceptance among employers.

Benefits of Getting Your Online Paralegal Degree

Here are some of the top benefits of studying to become a paralegal online:

• Study when it's convenient—Most online paralegal schools map out deadlines for assignment and exam completion, but you decide how to best fit the course work into your daily or weekly schedule.
• Learn from almost anywhere—As long as you have an internet connection, you can attend class. You can take your studies with you while you travel, complete coursework over your lunch hour, or simply curl up on the couch at home.
• Acquire the knowledge as you would in a live classroom—Don't worry that you'll be presented with a scaled-down curriculum. Most online classes cover exactly the same material as campus-based classes, just in a different format.
• Interact with instructors and fellow students—Many students enrolled in online paralegal degree programs find they communicate more with instructors and classmates than in a traditional classroom setting. Participating in class discussions via message boards or live chat sessions is often required, and exchanging emails with instructors is a given.
• Choose from a wide variety schools—Many schools offer online paralegal training programs. For you, this means choosing a school that seems best for you rather than choosing between just one or two schools that are close by.

How Online Paralegal Courses Work

While the exact format of online paralegal classes varies somewhat from school to school, most paralegal courses will include the following elements:

• Reading, listening to, or viewing lectures—Instructors either post written lecture materials to the class website, or provide audio or videotaped lectures that you can listen to or view online.
• Participating in class discussions—You'll communicate regularly with your instructors and fellow classmates via message boards or live chat sessions. In many cases, participation is required.
• Completing assignments and exams—Most online paralegal courses require you to complete several written assignments, which you'll email to your instructor upon completion. You might log into your class website to complete tests, or you may take proctored exams at a local library or college campus.

Typical Courses in an Online Paralegal Training Program

Paralegals (sometimes called legal assistants) assist attorneys in almost every aspect of representing their clients. Generally, they research the law, prepare documents, conduct investigations, keep track of the status of client' cases, and interview clients and witnesses. In other words, paralegals do almost anything a lawyer does except actually give legal advice or represent clients in court.

In order to prepare for these responsibilities, the courses you'll take in an online paralegal degree program might include:

• Legal research and writing
• Civil litigation
• Family law
• Real estate law
• Business law
• Torts and personal injury
• Alternative dispute resolution
• Employment law
• Bankruptcy law
• Estates and trusts
• Ethics

Evaluating Online Paralegal Degree Programs

Many online programs are well respected by employers and given the same weight as traditional programs during the job interview process. However, some are more reputable than others.

To make an informed choice, evaluate online paralegal schools just as you would traditional training programs. Give special importance to the availability of faculty, the course curriculum as it compares to reputable campus programs, and whether the program is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council or another organization. Also ask whether the program will fulfill the educational requirements for you to receive paralegal certification.

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