Aba approved paralegals programs

Total enrollment is close to 20,, and the Mike Cottrell College of Business enrolls 20 percent of the total incoming students. The curriculum requires a total of 74 credit hours, with 46 core curriculum hours, including 12 in Christian Literacy and 9 in Cultural Heritage Literacy.

Coursework includes a paralegal portfolio, evidence for paralegals, tort law, and civil procedure, with electives like business organizations, family law, directed study, and legal studies internship. With class sizes averaging ten to 15 students, with a faculty-to-student ratio of one to 15, close collaboration is the name of the game. Faulkner University is a private Christian university established in Tuition is well below average for private universities, and Faulkner offers generous financial aid to 96 percent of its students.

All undergrad students complete hours of volunteer service — perfect for building a paralegal career. DeAnza College is a top community college for a paralegal program with a thorough orientation to California law, or to transfer on to continue for a higher degree.

It was one of the first schools to provide paralegal studies approved by the State of California in and was the first community college paralegal program to receive approval from the American Bar Association in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The program has continued to provide quality educational courses for basic legal instruction and practical training that paralegal students need. It is one of the largest private, not-for-profit colleges in Illinois with ABA approved paralegal programs. Although universities usually have higher graduation rates, a paralegal program from a university is not always better than a program from a community college. Two-year schools with paralegal programs often provide a high-quality education that provides students with all of the information and training they need to become skilled paralegals.

However, due to the perceived superiority of larger universities, students who complete paralegal programs at community colleges may find that they are offered lower salaries than their peers who attend four-year colleges and universities. For example, depending on your circumstances, you may have to attend a more expensive school or one that is further away from home if you choose an ABA approved program.

These include the potential for a higher salary of graduation, which is a pretty big benefit. The ABA accreditation process is rigorous and takes at least three years. Schools must have qualified administrators and faculty and adhere to specific program requirements.

The accreditation process ensures that the program meets the minimum standards for paralegal programs set for them by the American Bar Association. This is because the American Bar Association does not accredit online programs. Even if you attend the online program offered by an accredited school that is essentially a clone of their regular non-distance program, it will not be considered accredited. Other courses encouraged include business classes, computer technology courses, and field experiences in the form of internships.

Internships offered through ABA-approved programs must meet clearly defined requirements and must ensure ongoing communication between the student and the field experience supervisor. As part of an ABA-approved program, you will also be guaranteed comprehensive student services, including counseling and advisement. Some of the services that must be offered as part of an ABA-approved program include:.

This is because some employers in larger metropolitan areas require paralegals to possess a degree from an ABA-approved program, while in other parts of the country there is little mention of ABA approval. You will also find that some state paralegal associations go as far as to recommend that employers give preference to paralegal candidates who hold a degree or certificate from an ABA-approved program.

The ABA does not approve undergraduate certificate programs and online paralegal programs, though these programs certainly have their place. For example, in certain parts of the country, an undergraduate paralegal certificate may be the standard credential for entry-level employment, so it might not make much sense to pursue a longer and possibly more expensive course of education. Many respected institutions offer quality paralegal programs via interactive, online platforms, allowing working students like you to study on your own time.

A number of online programs in paralegal studies are also self-paced, allowing you to complete the course requirements as your schedule permits. You may also reside in a part of the country where there are no paralegal programs—ABA-approved or otherwise.

An online paralegal program may be the only viable option for you, allowing you to pursue the profession regardless of your geographic location. Institutional accreditation through one of these regional accrediting agencies is the long-held standard for determining the quality of a school:.

If a school has been accredited, you can be confident that it has met high standards in terms of faculty, curriculum, and the programs it offers.

ABA-approval, on the other hand, applies only to the paralegal program , rather than being a school-wide accreditation. Since ABA-approved programs will inevitably be housed in quality schools that hold regional accreditation, you can think of ABA-approval as a second layer of assurance. There are a few characteristics that are constant among quality paralegal programs, whether or not they hold ABA approval:.

Does it offer a flexible curriculum, with opportunities for practical, on-the-job experiences? Does it offer the online, accelerated, or hybrid format you need? Pelfrey Telephone: Ronald Ron E. Frazier Telephone: Knudsen Telephone Waters Telephone Hauert Telephone: Marks, MCC Telephone: Telephone: Telephone: Fax: www. Greenberg Telephone: Barnes Telephone: Ellis Telephone: Additional Location: Wilshire Blvd.

Tardiff Telephone: Vargas Telephone: Darrel Harrison Telephone: Ramey Telephone: Hance, Esq Telephone: www. Carol D. Kellogg Telephone: Richard Manzano Telephone: Zielina Telephone: Richards Telephone: Dunlap Telephone: Stewart Telephone: Slonka Telephone: Great Path, P.

Holland Telephone: Jackson Telephone: Martin Telephone: Graziani, Esq. Jack F. Ballenger, Esq. Sutton, JD Telephone: Toscano Telephone: Virgil Costley, Jr. Cantor Telephone: Mack Telephone: Marler Telephone: Fairbank Telephone: Miller and Lori Ambrose Scott Telephone: Haske Telephone: Weghorst Telephone: McClure Telephone: Although graduating from an ABA-approved paralegal program shows that you are highly competent as a paralegal, there are other paths to becoming a paralegal.

Though there are many ABA-approved paralegal programs in the US, slightly less than , many students may not live near an ABA-accredited legal school. This is why there are three different ways to satisfy the education requirements for becoming a paralegal.

Not every paralegal program or legal school is ABA-approved. Some employers will look specifically for an ABA-approved degree, and some will not. If you do not live near an educational institution that offers an ABA-approved paralegal program, it does not mean that you will not be able to find work as a paralegal. However, graduating from an ABA-approved paralegal program means that your training curriculum has met industry guidelines for legal education.

Many certificate programs have varying degrees of quality and curriculum oversight. Choosing an ABA-approved degree program means you can have confidence that you are adequately prepared to begin a career as a paralegal. Though it is not required by all employers, an ABA-approved paralegal degree is something that some employers look for. Some state bars and paralegal associations, such as in Nevada and Colorado, encourage candidates to graduate from ABA-approved paralegal programs.

Graduating from a ABA-approved paralegal degree program can also prepare you for specialized career paths, such as in banking, real estate, and insurance. Look at paralegal job listings in your area or state, and decide whether opting for a ABA-accredited paralegal program is right for your career. Holding a paralegal certificate , and becoming a certified paralegal seems like a subtle distinction, but they are two completely different things.

Most certificate programs take somewhere between six months and two years to complete. Some employers look specifically for candidates that have completed a ABA-approved paralegal degree program. Paralegals with jobs in government, finance, or insurance tended to have an even higher median annual salary , based on statistics.

Note: The data provided above are from a source unaffiliated with MTI College, are for informational purposes only and represent the employment field as a whole. They are not solely specific to MTI graduates and, by providing the above information, MTI makes no representation, direct or implied, or opinion regarding employability. Our admissions team will help you find the perfect program to meet your goals.