Paralegal Studies
Paralegals form an important part of the legal profession. Under the supervision of lawyers, they conduct a variety of legal business, such as drafting documents and doing research.
The Paralegal profession is very diverse; there is no generic paralegal. Paralegals are ages 20 through 70, male/female, people with degrees, changing careers, and many have families. At Columbus State, we strive to set a new national standard for Paralegal education and to provide effective delivery of legal services for the 21st Century.
CSCC Paralegal Program Overview
The ABA-approved Paralegal Studies Program at Columbus State is built around training students to be successful paralegals. Our faculty have decades of real-world experience working as attorneys, paralegals, government officials, and a variety of other legal professionals. Students in the Paralegal Studies department get hands-on, real-world training so that when they leave the classroom they are ready to enter the workforce.
The technical curriculum has been designed to provide students with knowledge and skills required to be a highly-qualified Paralegal. The Columbus State Paralegal curriculum offers courses in areas of: the role of a paralegal, ethical considerations, legal research (including Westlaw® and Lexis®), legal writing, the preparation of legal documents such as motions and complaints, litigation practice and procedure, real estate transactions, family law, administrative law, criminal law, and probate law and practice. Courses that promote critical thinking and communication skills, such as English, Humanities, Social Science and Basic Science are included in the Columbus State Paralegal Studies curriculum.
Columbus State offers both an Associate Degree and Post-Baccalaureate Certificate for those who have their Bachelor's Degree. Both the degree and certificate can be through a blend of traditional and online classes. There is not presently an option to complete the degree entirely online. For both degrees, at least nine (9) semester credits of the paralegal specialty classes must be completed through synchronous (real-time) instruction, whether in a traditional classroom or utilizing an online learning platform.