Associate of Science in Paralegal Studies
Associate of Science in Paralegal Studies
Put your current knowledge and future goals to work for you with a real-world Associate's degree program.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for paralegals and legal assistants is projected to grow much faster than average for all occupations through 2014. Employers are trying to reduce costs and increase the availability and efficiency of legal services by hiring paralegals to perform tasks formerly carried out by lawyers.
Corporations in particular are boosting their in-house legal departments to cut costs. Demand for paralegals also is expected to grow as an expanding population increasingly requires legal services, especially in areas such as intellectual property, health care, international law, elder issues, criminal law and environmental law. Paralegals who specialize in areas such as real estate, bankruptcy, medical malpractice and product liability should have ample employment opportunities.
Job opportunities for paralegals will expand in the public sector as well. Community legal-service programs, which provide assistance to the poor, elderly, minorities and middle-income families, will employ additional paralegals to minimize expenses and serve the most people. Federal, State and local government agencies, consumer organizations and the courts also should continue to hire paralegals in increasing numbers.*
At Colorado tech Online, students can take advantage of this trend by acquiring the real-world knowledge and skills required to offer quality legal assistance to the increasing number of organizations and law firms needing such services.
Real-World Career Opportunities
This industry-current degree program is designed to prepare students with the knowledge, skills and credentials to pursue in-demand positions like:
- Paralegal
- Legal Secretary
- Law Clerk
- Legal Aid
- Legal Assistant
- Court Clerk
- Records Clerk
- Legal Receptionist
- and many other related occupations
Industry-Current Coursework
Some of the required courses in the Associate of Science in Paralegal Studies include:
- Criminal Law
- Introduction to Paralegal Studies and Ethics
- Legal Research and Writing I
- Legal Technology
- Civil Litigation I
- Torts
- Contracts
- Commercial Law
- Property/Real Estate
- Family Law
- Trusts, Wills, & Estates
- Civil Litigation II
* Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, on the Internet at
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos114.htm#outlook (visited November 12, 2007).
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