Paralegal - Advanced Paralegal Certificate

Program Requirements  Elective Legal Courses  Certificate Outcomes

See program requirement sheet.

The Paralegal Program is an American Bar Association approved program designed to train students for careers as paralegals (legal assistants) in law firms, governmental agencies, public service organizations and corporate legal departments. Paralegals work under the supervision of attorneys to provide non-clerical professional support in the delivery of legal services to clients and the community. Paralegals are not licensed to practice law.

The Advanced Paralegal Certificate is designed to provide quality paralegal education to students who already have, or who will earn a Bachelor Degree while enrolled in this certificate program. These students will graduate with a certificate that recognizes that they also have achieved a Bachelor Degree. The course work for this certificate is equivalent to course work required for the ATA Paralegal Degree  and is not advanced training. This certificate offers a reduced legal elective credit requirement and is considered equivalent to the ATA Paralegal Degree . This program expressly meets the needs of that portion of the legal community that requires both a Bachelor’s Degree and a paralegal certificate.

Computer Skills and Traditional/On-Campus Course Requirement To graduate from the program, all students are required to obtain and demonstrate certain minimum computer skills and take 15 paralegal credits in traditional, on campus (face-to-face) courses. Students must have the Paralegal Program Computer Skills and Traditional/On-Campus Course(s) Verification Form signed by their adviser and submitted to the Enrollment Services prior to or at the time of applying for graduation.

Transfer of Credits A Bachelor’s Degree is required for graduation. Up to 10 paralegal credits can be transferred into this certificate program with faculty approval. Transfer of legal credits will be allowed only from other ABA-approved paralegal programs. Any paralegal course transfer approval must be in writing and signed by your Paralegal Program faculty adviser.

Credit/Grade Requirements This Certificate requires successful completion of a minimum of 35 credits and evidence of the completion of a Bachelor Degree. A minimum of 15 legal credits must be taken in traditional, on campus classroom instruction. Students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 in all college-level courses and must have a minimum 2.0 grade in LEGAL 200 , 205 , 210  and LEGAL 240 .

Graduation Application A completed Graduation Application form must be submitted to Enrollment Services by the 10th day of the quarter in which the student expects to graduate. Forms are available online or at Enrollment Services located in Lynnwood Hall.

Students are advised to:

• Plan their schedule several quarters in advance in order to accommodate courses that are offered only once or twice a year,
• Review the college catalog for required course prerequisites and include these in schedule planning, and
• Communicate with a faculty adviser.

Note: This requirement planning sheet is not a substitute for meeting with an academic adviser. Meeting the requirements to graduate with an Edmonds Community College degree or certificate is ultimately the responsibility of the student.

PGM Code – 586C
Effective summer 2011 | Rev: 02/11