Paralegal - A.A.S. Degree/Certificate
Start Your Career as a Paralegal at Alvin Community College
Would you like to pursue a career that is both interesting and challenging? If so, a career as a Paralegal may be for you. A Paralegal plays an important role in the legal office. Under the supervision of an attorney, paralegals perform a wide variety of tasks in the legal office.
A successful paralegal must be:
- Detail-oriented
- Computer savvy
- Highly organized
- An effective written and oral communicator
- Good at multi-tasking
- Professional
- A good team player
If you possess these skills and traits along with the desire to learn about the legal system, a career as a paralegal may be right for you.
Career Opportunities
Paralegals are employed in all types of organizations including:
- law firms
- corporations
- banks
- insurance companies
- federal, state, and local governments
- legal aid organizations
Litigation, personal injury, corporate, criminal, and family law practices are just some of the areas where a Paralegal can find employment.
The need for paralegals has expanded greatly with population increases and the growing demand for legal services. According to the U.S. Labor statistics, employment of paralegals and legal assistants is projected to grow 15 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. The average salary for a paralegal in the Houston metro area is over $61,000. See U.S. Dept. of Labor Occupational Outlook for Paralegals.
For more information on paralegal career opportunities, please visit Career Coach where you can explore the local job market, take a career assessment, and build a resumé.
What Will I Study?
By enrolling in ACC’s Paralegal Degree program you will learn legal terminology, how to conduct research and perform investigations, document drafting, litigation, and computer and organizational skills. We focus on providing you with the education and skills that employers are looking for. Alvin Community College offers an excellent education while keeping the tuition costs far less expensive than online schools, for-profit schools, and universities. Our courses are offered online as well as traditional face to face classes.
If you would like to obtain a paralegal education and enter the job market as quickly as possible, our Paralegal Certificate program is the perfect option. It also a great choice if you already have an associate or bachelor's degree, from an accredited college, in a different field of study.
| PARALEGAL ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE (A.A.S.) 60 credit hours (includes an internship program) |
|
| FIRST YEAR - FIRST SEMESTER (FALL) | CREDITS |
|
**BCIS 1305 - Business Computer Applications or |
3 |
|
*ENGL 1301 - Composition I |
3 |
|
**LGLA 1301 - Legal Research & Writing |
3 |
|
**LGLA 1311 - Introduction to Law |
3 |
|
LGLA 2303 - Torts & Personal Injury Law |
3 |
| SECOND SEMESTER (SPRING) | |
|
LGLA 1345 - Civil Litigation |
3 |
|
LGLA 1355 - Family Law |
3 |
|
LGLA 2305 - Interviewing and Investigating |
3 |
|
LGLA 2313 - Criminal Law & Procedure |
3 |
| THIRD SEMESTER (SUMMER) | |
| LGLA 1351 - Contracts Law | 3 |
|
LGLA 1353 - Wills, Trust and Probate Administration |
3 |
|
LGLA 2331 - Advanced Legal Research & Writing |
3 |
| SECOND YEAR - FIRST SEMESTER (FALL) | |
|
+Select from Creative Arts Core Curriculum or |
3 |
|
LGLA 1323 - Employment Law |
3 |
|
*LGLA 1380 - Cooperative Ed I - Paralegal |
3 |
|
+SPCH 1315 - Public Speaking or |
3 |
| SECOND SEMESTER (SPRING) | |
|
LGLA 2311 - Business Organizations |
3 |
| *LGLA 2381 - Cooperative Ed II - Paralegal | 3 |
|
+Select from Life & Physical Sciences Core Curriculum |
3 |
| +Select from Social & Behavioral Sciences Core Curriculum | 3 |
| PARALEGAL (A.A.S.) DEGREE – CREDIT HOURS | 60 |
+Denotes core requirement. Speak with Department Chair or Academic Advisor for proper
course selection.
*Capstone course. If a student registers for a co-op course (internship), the student
must have a co-op site arranged prior to the first day of the semester class.
**Students planning to transfer to a four-year university need to take BCIS-1305
| PARALEGAL CERTIFICATE 45 credit hours (includes an internship program) |
|
| FIRST YEAR - FIRST SEMESTER (FALL) | CREDITS |
|
**BCIS 1305 - Business Computer Applications or |
3 |
|
**LGLA 1301 - Legal Research & Writing |
3 |
|
**LGLA 1311 - Introduction to Law |
3 |
|
LGLA 2303 - Torts & Personal Injury Law |
3 |
| SECOND SEMESTER (SPRING) | |
|
LGLA 1345 - Civil Litigation |
3 |
|
LGLA 1355 - Family Law |
3 |
|
LGLA 2305 - Interviewing and Investigating |
3 |
|
LGLA 2313 - Criminal Law & Procedure |
3 |
| THIRD SEMESTER (SUMMER) | |
|
LGLA 1351 - Contracts Law |
3 |
|
LGLA 1353 - Wills, Trust and Probate Administration |
3 |
|
LGLA 2331 - Advanced Legal Research & Writing |
3 |
| SECOND YEAR - FIRST SEMESTER (FALL) | |
|
LGLA 1323 - Employment Law |
3 |
|
*LGLA 1380 - Cooperative Ed I Paralegal |
3 |
|
SECOND YEAR - SECOND SEMESTER (SPRING) |
|
|
*LGLA 2311 - Business Organizations |
3 |
|
*LGLA 2381 - Cooperative Ed II - Paralegal |
3 |
| PARALEGAL CERTIFICATE – CREDIT HOURS | 45 |
**Students planning to transfer to a four-year university need to take BCIS-1305
Approximate yearly costs for the A.A.S. Degree program are $4,200 for in-district students and $6,969 for those out-of-district. This includes tuition and fees. Additional fees for books and supplies may vary.
Yearly costs for the Certificate program are approximately $3,200 for in-district students and $5,271 for those out-of-district. This includes tuition and fees. Additional fees for books and supplies may vary.
For more information on education costs, payment options, payment plans, deadlines and more, visit our Tuition and Fees section.
Financial assistance is available for those who qualify. For more information, visit our Financial Aid section.
*Alvin Community College may change tuition rates and other fees without notice or when so directed by the Board of Regents.
COLLEGE & CAREER PATHWAYS
Paralegal is part of our Law, Government & Public Service Career Pathway. Click the box below to see other programs that may interest you.