Paralegal Studies
Our fully online format allows us to be accessible to students all over the country and world. Courses are taught both synchronously and asynchronously by faculty with extensive professional backgrounds and real-life experiences working in the legal field.
ABA-Approved Certificate
If you are ready to be a paralegal this certificate program is for you. It's offered full time over the summer or part time in the evenings during fall, winter and spring terms. Classes are delivered in a fully online format using both synchronous and asynchronous learning.
Career Outlook
Employment of paralegals and legal assistants is projected to continue to grow by 12 percent through 2030, faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Statistics Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook. Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public except as permitted by law.
Degree
Certificate
Duration
1.5 years (part-time) or 11 weeks (full-time)
Required Credit Hours
33
More in this Program
Preparing for Your Future
Upon graduation, you'll have acquired the ability to:
- Understand the fundamentals of the legal system, its processes and alternatives
- Be capable of considering complex and varying legal issues
- Understand the rules of professional conduct governing lawyers and their application to paralegals in all employment settings
- Demonstrate analytical and judgment abilities
- Be familiar with legal and factual research using both traditional and emerging technology tools
- Apply knowledge and understanding of substantive law and legal principles in one or more areas of practice
- Demonstrate sound legal writing skills
- Apply knowledge management and organizational skills
Application Process
Letter of Interest
Write a letter of interest that describes your background and educational/career goals.
Complete and Submit Application
Complete and submit the application. Upload a letter of interest describing your academic and professional goals and
discussing why you wish to enroll in the Certificate in Paralegal Studies.
Request Transcripts
Request your official* college or university transcript be mailed to:
Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University
Paralegal Institute
600 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15282
*Note: transcripts marked 'Issued to Student' are not official.
Schedule an Interview
Schedule an admissions interview with the program director. Call (412) 396-6313 or email%20paralegalFREEDUQUESNE.
Core Course Descriptions
Students must successfully complete ten (10) courses to earn their Paralegal Certificate. Seven (7) of those courses are required, core courses.
This introductory course will provide students with an understanding of the language
of the law, important legal concepts, the workings of the American legal system and
most significantly, the role of the paralegal in this system. Students will be introduced
to the major substantive areas of the law as well as the procedural aspects of the
practice of law and professional ethics. Although students will receive a national
perspective on the law, there will be coverage of Pennsylvania practice.
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the ethical dimensions of paralegal
practice: the rules by which lawyers practice law and the standards of conduct for
non-lawyer personnel working in the legal profession. The course will also examine
law office management principles so that students will understand the context in which
their skills will be applied. This course provides a forum in which paralegal skills
will be combined with the organizational, administrative and professional skills essential
to paralegal success.
Students will learn the basic aspects of civil litigation, which include jurisdiction,
venue, identification of local courts, initiation of civil proceedings, motions practice,
e-discovery and discovery procedures, trial procedures, and basic evidentiary problems.
The course emphasizes those areas in which a paralegal may assist counsel in preparation
for litigation, such as identification of factual and legal issues, drafting pleadings,
interviewing witnesses, preparation of witnesses for trial, obtaining evidence through
discovery, organizing documentary evidence, and the use of demonstrative evidence.
References will be made to administrative law and appellate procedures.
This advanced-level course regarding civil litigation in federal and state courts
focuses on e-discovery which has become a substantial component of most civil suits
filed in the United States. Students will learn how the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
and analogous state rules address the discover of electronically store information
(ESI), and will examine a number of key court decisions relate to e-discovery. Students
will also study analyses prepared by the Sedona Conference, the leading organization
studying the escalating effects of e-discovery on civil litigation. The course will
provide practical instruction about the administrative and mechanical aspects of obtaining
and providing e-discovery in litigation, as well as common issues related to using
ESI as evidence at trial.
This course is an introduction to computer technology and its applications. Knowledge
of Microsoft Office is assumed. The primary objective is to provide students with
practical computer skills as applied to the law office and other legal entities based
on evidentiary, ethical and substantive considerations. Technology and legal principles
are explained as students gain hands on instruction in several software programs.
Upon completion, students will be able to utilize various applications commonly used
in the legal environment, such as calendaring and communication systems, time and
document management software, and litigation support systems and trial presentation
software. It is recommended students take the (510) Civil Litigation course before
or in conjunction with this course.
This course will provide an introduction to legal research methods utilizing print,
online databases (i.e., WestlawNext and LexisNexis), and fee and free Internet sites.
The course will cover primary sources (constitutions, statutes, regulations and case
law) and secondary sources (encyclopedias, periodicals, ALR, treatises, etc.).
Using real-world fact scenarios, this course teaches students the skills needed to
understand legal fact patterns, analyze the law as it applies to those fact patterns,
and write the various legal documents that often are generated when law firms are
presented with similar situations. The course will emphasize the process model of
writing where the students will work closely with their peers and instructor on creating
numerous drafts of a document before producing an end product. Students will learn
to think and write using the conventions of the legal profession.
Elective Course Descriptions
Students may choose to take any three (3) electives.
This course provides a student an overview of the business and legal issues within
the areas of professional and amateur sports. Specifically, but not limited to, the
following: professional clubs, professional leagues, sports marketing contracts, negotiation
techniques, television, sponsorship, insurance and athletic associations. All such
issues covered shall have a relationship to basic principles of law: contract, antitrust,
tort, corporate, and other areas.
This course will give students a comprehensive practical health law text relevant
to students seeking the basic management skills required to work in health care organizations,
as well as student currently working in health care organizations. This text is also
relevant to those general health care consumers who are simply attempting to navigate
the complex American health care system. Every attempt is made within the text to
support health law and management theory with practical applications to current issues.
Health Care Law involves many facets of U.S. law, including torts, contracts, antitrust,
and insurance.
Students will be introduced to the various forms of ownership of property. Students
will also learn about the distinction between probate and non-probate assets, the
difference between the probate estate and taxable estate, Pennsylvania law of intestate
succession and formal requirements for drafting Wills and Trusts. Students will learn
how to complete all forms required by the Register of Wills. The importance of establishing
tickler dates for various date-driven tasks will be emphasized. Students will also
take part in the preparation of Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax and Federal Estate Tax
Returns. Practicing paralegals may provide presentations.
Students will be introduced to family law, its court system and procedures. The areas
discussed will range from requirements for a valid marriage to dissolution of marriage,
via annulment and divorce. In addition, spousal and child support, alimony, alimony
pendence lite, paternity, custody, adoption and the very volatile area of domestic
violence will be explored.
This course will be a survey of the language, concepts and transactions used in that
area of the law called “real estate” or “real property.” The objective of this course
- is to provide the paralegal with the skills necessary to comprehend the documents,
follow the procedure, and understand the theory necessary when a law office is retained
to represent buyers, sellers, mortgage lenders, builders, developers, landlords, tenants,
or any other interested parties to a real estate matter.
Students will be introduced to criminal law, definitions, penalties, realities of
criminal practice, and federal, state and local rules of procedure. The student will
learn about search and seizure, bail hearings, pretrial discovery, indictment, arraignment,
pleas, and trial procedures. Motions and other related documents may be prepared.
Students will be introduced to the substantive law of torts. Students will learn the
basic elements of negligence/medical malpractice claims, intentional torts, claims
of strict and products liability, defamation and related privacy torts as well as
automobile insurance claims. Students will learn all viable defenses to each tort.
The course will also examine issues surrounding the legal concepts of causation, damages,
remedies and vicarious liability. Students will learn how to analyze facts and recognize
a potential tort/personal injury cause of action, as well as how to assist in the
preparation and adjudication of a tort/ personal injury trial.
Students may be placed in a paralegal position with a private law firm, government
agency, court office, corporation, insurance company, bank, real estate company, community
service agency, health care facility or other appropriate office. The term of the
internship is 16 hours per week for 10 weeks. Internships are offered during daytime
hours. There will be an additional classroom component and projects and assignments
due. The student will learn the practical daily operation of the assigned office.
Supervised by a licensed, practicing attorney and usually by a practicing paralegal,
the student will be both an observer and a participant in the operation of the assigned
office. Normally the student receives no salary or compensation for his/her service.
An internship at a student’s place of employment will be allowed only under restricted
circumstances. (Prerequisites: 501, 505, 550, 551)
Students will be introduced to corporate and business law concepts. There will be
a general discussion of various types of business organizations such as sole proprietorships,
general partnerships and limited partnerships. The emphasis of this course, however,
will be centered on various types of corporations such as nonprofit, professional,
close and business corporations. Regulation of public companies will also be reviewed.
Students will learn how to prepare minutes and resolutions of shareholder’s and director’s
meetings and other related documents.
The Immigration Nationality Act of 1952, as amended, is examined and emphasis will
be placed on the most commonly used non-immigrant working visas, permanent residency
(both family and employment related) and alien labor certifications. This is a hands-on
course in which students learn how to prepare various applications and petitions particular
to this field.
Intellectual property (patents, trademarks, and copyrights) is a rapidly increasing
area of law wherein paralegals are an integral part. This course will focus on the
law of the procurement and protection of intellectual property rights. Emphasis will
be placed on the application of intellectual property law principles and preparation
of the commonly used forms and submissions in practice. Students will gain a basic
understanding of intellectual property law and a strong understanding of the application
of the law. In-class projects, assignments and computer research will provide hands-on
experience with finding the answers often posed to intellectual property paralegals.
This course will enhance the legal research skills that students developed in their
introductory legal research course. It will cover the use of primary and secondary
legal resources, developing an appropriate research strategy, and advanced searching
skills. Students will learn how to gather information through effective and efficient
research strategies and will apply information effectively to resolve a specific issue
or need. This course will build on what was learned in the Legal Research Methods
class to gain a more in-depth understanding of both primary and secondary legal research
materials. (Prerequisite: 550 Legal Research Methods)
Students will be asked to build upon the skills learned in 551 Legal Writing and Case
Analysis I and taught to research, draft and edit complex legal documents. Emphasis
will be placed on the writer’s audience and critical legal analysis skills to translate
pertinent ideas into cogent and successful legal documents using, where appropriate,
classical rhetorical devices to dispute, explain, and convince an audience of the
legal merits of their argument. (Prerequisite: 551 Legal Writing I)
Constitutional law is a body of law based on a ratified constitution or similar formative
charter dealing with the fundamental principles by which a government exercises its
authority. These principles typically define the roles and powers of the various
branches of the government and basic rights of the people.
