Paralegal Studies Program

College of Humanities and Social Sciences - Montclair State University

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Presentation

The Paralegal Studies Program offers the student a balanced and varied background in theoretical and practical aspects of law which are necessary for work as a legal assistant. Paralegals — sometimes referred to as legal assistants or legal analysts — work under the supervision of an attorney, in a variety of areas ranging from real estate, litigation and family law to patent, trademark and estate practice. The program develops intellectual and analytical skills, educates students for direct employment opportunities in the legal assistant field, and provides additional career possibilities in combination with a student’s major.

The Montclair State University Paralegal Studies Program is the first and only program at a New Jersey state college or university to receive American Bar Association approval. A Certificate of Completion is awarded to all students who meet program standards, fulfill the 24 credit hours required in the Program, and complete a Bachelor’s Degree. For undergraduate students, this is an academic minor or a concentration within the Justice Studies major. For Post Baccalaureate students, it is a certificate program.

By advisement, students may select optional areas of emphasis. These are informal groupings of courses clustered in accordance with student interests and career goals. A student is not required to take them and they are not formally recorded on transcripts. In Paralegal Studies, optional areas of emphasis are Hispanic Perspectives, Legal Information and Technology, and Patent, Trademark, and Copyright Law.