• Requirements
• Schedule and Locations
• Course Fees
• Continuing Education Credits
  

An ABA Approved Program 

The evening paralegal certificate program has been a part of the Office of Continuing Studies since 1983. Courses are offered four terms each year.

About the Program

All courses emphasize paralegal skills, forms, documents and procedures, as well as legal principles and theories which are pertinent to the paralegal’s performance on the job. Core courses are designed to help students understand basic legal concepts and develop the decision-making abilities needed by paralegals. Specialty courses focus on high demand areas of employment and help students to develop and apply practical and immediately marketable paralegal skills. Each course will require the student to become well versed with all documents necessary to apply the legal knowledge learned, and be proficient in document preparation. Documents will include pleadings, interrogatories, contracts, corporation articles and by-laws, bankruptcy petitions, petitions for custody and child support, trial briefs and memorandums, deeds, agreements of sale, inheritance tax returns, and many others.

Admission and Application

The basic requirement for admission into the Villanova University Paralegal Education Program is a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. Applicants should submit a completed application form including a writing sample setting forth career goals, a $30.00 application fee, an OFFICIAL transcript, and two (2) recommendation letters attesting to academic ability, work experience or character.

All new students may request a pre-admission interview and counseling session through the Office of Continuing Studies. For more information call (610) 519-4310 or write: Paralegal Education Program, Villanova University, Office of Continuing Studies, Stanford Hall-Ground Floor, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085-1696. The Office of Continuing Studies is open Monday through Friday, 8:00AM to 4:00PM.

In order to to graduate from the program and receive a certificate, students must: complete all courses with a grade of “C” or above; complete an Exit Exam; submit a Portfolio of written work.

Required Core Courses and Seminars

• Basic Legal Principles/Contracts (taken together - graded individually)
• Legal Research
• Litigation
• Computer Courses *
• Ethics Seminar
• * Computer Curriculum - Computer classes are offered on Thursday nights. E-Research 1 must be taken during the same session as Basic Legal Principles. E-Research 2 must be taken during the same session as Legal Research. Legal Information Systems 1 must be taken the same session as Litigation. Legal Information Systems 2 may be taken during any session when a specialty course is taken.

Recommended Business Curriculum

• Business Organizations
• Business Regulations
• Torts
• Employment Law
• Employee Benefits

Recommended General Curriculum

• Business General
• Estates and Trusts
• Family Law
• Real Estate
• Criminal Law

All students must complete: 3 Core Courses; the Computer Courses; the Ethics Seminar; and 5 Elective Courses from either Curriculum.

Back to top

Curriculum

All students are required to take the 3 core courses of Basic Legal Principles/Contracts, Legal Research, Litigation and the Computer Courses, the Ethics Seminar and 5 elective courses recommended by your selection of the Business or General Curriculum. Please note that it is not required to stay within a pre-determined concentration.

In order to complete the program in one calendar year, a student should take the recommended or available courses as listed on the Academic Calendar/Course Schedule. This requires taking 2 courses per term as well as completion of the (1) 10 hour Ethics seminars and the (4) 3 hour required computer segment courses.

Term meeting days may need to be adjusted for instructor scheduling and room availability issues.

*Class Time: Monday through Thursday are:
6:00 to 9:00pm/Seminars times as noted above

Back to top

Costs

The total tuition cost for the paralegal certificate, is $6,600 ($800 per course/$100 Seminar, plus $100 for all 4 Computer Courses.) Books and parking fee are additional. Tuition is payable per course at the beginning of each term.

Continuing Education Units

The Continuing Education Unit (C.E.U.) is a nationally recognized unit of measure standardizing participation in non-degree continuing education courses. A C.E.U. is defined as ten (10) contact hours in an organized program under responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction. Each course provides 3.3 C.E.U.'s (or 33 contact hours), except the Ethics & Computer Seminars which provides 1.0 C.E.U.'s (or 10 contact hours.)

Back to top