PARALEGAL PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
Part time, full time, online & on campus options!
Apply by December 21st for Spring 2024 Online Part-Time Program
and
January 15th for the Spring 2024 Full-Time Day Program
A career as a paralegal is ideal for professionals who are excited about the legal field and passionate about helping others.
Villanova's Paralegal Certificate Program is an ABA approved program educating paralegals for more than 30 years. Offered in both a full-time day (in person) and part-time evening (online) format, the Paralegal Certificate Program is designed to train qualified individuals in the theory and philosophy of the law and the ethics of legal practice. Students gain the necessary practical skills to enable them to effectively assist lawyers and executives in providing a full range of legal services to corporations, governmental agencies, law firms, and businesses.
Courses are taught by highly experienced lawyers and paralegals, and cover topics such as legal writing, legal research, contract law, family law, business organizations, ethics, and intellectual property law. A full curriculum and list of courses can be found below.
To further prepare our graduates for success after program completion, we have built professional development opportunities into the program and encourage students to utilize all of the resources of the Villanova University Career Center. Students enrolling in the Paralegal Professional Certificate program may be interested in becoming licensed. Each state/jurisdiction has unique educational and prerequisite requirements that candidates must meet in order to obtain licensure. The Provost's website provides additional information on whether this program meets the educational requirements in each state/jurisdiction."
IMPORTANT: Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public except as permitted by law.
PROGRAM DETAILS
The following items must be submitted as part of the application process:
- Official transcript(s) showing proof of Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution
- Essay: Writing sample of career goals. Download essay guidelines.
- Resume
- $50.00 application fee
Applications for the Paralegal Program are reviewed on a rolling basis.
For the Spring 2024 Full-Time Day cohort, we welcome applicants who have earned an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science to apply to the program. This only pertains to the Full-Time Day cohort.
For the Part-Time Online cohort, all applicants must have earned a Bachelor’s degree.
Deadlines: Application and materials are due
- December 21st for the Spring 2024-Summer 2024 Online Part-Time Program
- January 15th for the Spring 2024 Full-Time Day Program
- April 19th for the Summer 2024-Fall 2024 Online Part-Time Program
Transfer Courses:
Students may petition for Villanova to accept a transfer course from another ABA Approved Paralegal program. All policies related to the transfer of courses are found in the Non-Credit Professional Programs Supplement.
In addition to the above requirements, international Paralegal Program applicants must also submit:
- Official English translation of transcripts by WES or NACES-approved agency
- TOEFL or IELTS for non-native English speakers
- Completed Certification of Finances form along with bank statement (dated no later than three months prior to the submission of your application) showing the ability to meet tuition and living expenses. If the bank statement is not in the applicant's name, then a letter of support must accompany the bank statement of the account holder stating he/she will financially support the application while he/she is attending Villanova.
All international CPS students must secure their own housing.
Students complete the following courses:
- Civil Procedure & Litigation
- Business Organizations
- Contract Law
- Criminal Law
- Employment Law
- Estates & Trusts
- Ethics
- Family Law
- Intellectual Property Law
- Introduction to Paralegal Profession & Principles
- Legal Research
- Legal Writing
- Paralegal Office Coordination
- Real Estate Law
- Torts and Personal Injury Law
To earn a Villanova University certificate of completion, students must earn a grade of ‘C’ or higher in each class, complete a program exit exam, and submit a portfolio of class assignments.
Tuition
$9,225 for online evening cohort ($615 per course)
$8,625 for in-person daytime cohort ($575 per course)
Books and parking are additional.
Payment Plans
CPS students enrolling in the Paralegal Program may participate in a payment plan. Payment plans are offered through Nelnet Campus Commerce, and students are encouraged to reach out to Nelnet directly through the NCC website.
Please note:
- Payments must be made over the course of three months.
- There is an additional $45 payment plan fee for each semester.
- To initiate the use of a payment plan for an upcoming course, contact Lisa Weber for a specific code to submit with the application.
Financial Aid
While federal financial aid is not available for the Paralegal program, there are private loan opportunities available! Set an appointment with a member of our financial assistance team.
- Last Name A-M: Book Now with Financial Counselor, Nathan Walch
- Last Name N-Z: Book Now with Financial Counselor, Alycia DiNardo
For additional financial information, including cancellation policies, billing and payments, visit Admissions & Enrollment.
Windows PC with Microsoft Office 2010 or Later
- Operating System: Windows 10 (32 bit or 64 bit)
- Processor: Pentium 4 - 2.8 GHz (or faster)
- Memory (RAM): 8 GB
- Office Suite: MS Office 2013 or Office 365 Please remember that as a student, you have free and full access to Microsoft Office 365, the cloud-based version of the Office Desktop. Your Office 365 username is [youruserid]@villanova.edu.
- Internet Browser: Firefox (Latest version) or Chrome (Latest version)
- Internet Service: DSL, Cable, or Satellite
Other Required Components:
- Headset with microphone
- Webcam
- Current version of Flash player
- Adobe Reader
- Browser configuration must support Javascript, allow cookies, and popup blockers must be turned off
Students enrolled in the Paralegal Certificate Program can connect with a network of more than 72 law firms and 260+ active alumni. Additionally, the College of Professional Studies (CPS) has cultivated relationships with law firms in the region and has a history of providing competent paralegals to these firms. For this reason, our graduates are routinely recruited and hired. CPS is regularly sent job opportunities by alumni and partners and shares them through Handshake, Villanova's job bank.
In addition to program specific resources offered through CPS, students enrolled in the Paralegal program have access to the Villanova University Career Center which includes:
- Programming that assists students with defining academic and career goals and planning a successful job search
- Access to the Villanova job bank: HandShake
- Career Center resources to help you move forward
Nova Network is a professional networking platform that allows you to network with Villanovans in your industry or city and obtain career advice from fellow alumni.
A career as a paralegal is ideal for professionals who are excited about the legal field and passionate about helping others. A paralegal holds a critical role within a law firm.
“The constant feedback we’re heard from attorneys and law firms is that the office does not run without paralegals." - Liz Remelius, the Assistant Director of Professional Education in CPS.
Additional information is available about the paralegal profession, it's place in the legal field and the job opportunities available to paralegals:
View a Paralegal Program
Information Session
Important Notices for Distance Education Students
The
following includes important information for students participating in
online courses, online programs and/or on-ground clinicals or practicums
while physically located outside of Pennsylvania.
VALUE OF A PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM:
Enhance your resume.
Professional education classes enable you to add new skills, expertise, or credentials to your resume and make you even more valuable to your employer.
Expand your professional network.
Communicating and building relationships with your classmates and instructors can open new doors in your career.
Learn from industry experts.
All programs are taught by instructors who have worked or who are currently working in the field, and who are able to share practical applications and real world examples of topics in the course.
