Program Overview

The Certificate in Paralegal/Legal Assistant at Skyline College is an American Bar Association (ABA) approved program and is intended for students who have already complete an associate or bachelor degree. This program can be completed 100% online.

Per American Bar Association (ABA) guidelines:

  • Students must complete at least nine paralegal course units through synchronous video instruction which includes real time faculty-to-student and student-to-student interaction
  • Students who have successfully completed legal specialty coursework at a regionally accredited college in the United States may submit a Course Substitution Form for the coursework to be evaluated and considered as meeting equivalent coursework at Skyline College. A maximum of six semester units of credit may be transferred to Skyline College. Successful completion if defined as having earned a grade of "C" or higher. Petitions could be found on the Paralegal Program webpage at https://skylinecollege.edu/paralegal/.
  • Students with legal experience gained outside of a traditional classroom setting may demonstrate their prior learning by successfully completing a comprehensive examination for legal specialty courses found in the college catalog. For additional information, visit the college's Credit By Exam (CBE) webpage.
  • A maximum of six semester units of legal specialty coursework may be earned through the Course Substitution process and Credit By Exam.

ADMISSIONS PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS:
Admissions to the Paralegal Certificate program is through special application only. Students are admitted to the program twice a year " Fall and Spring semester. Approximately 35 students are admitted each semester.

To be considered for admissions, students must demonstrate:

  • Completion of an associate degree or bachelor degree from an institutionally accredited college in the United States.
  • Completion of 18 semester units of general equation, or equivalent, taken from at least three disciplines, such as social sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, humanities, foreign language, and English. Most students will have completed these requirements through the completion of an associate or bachelor's degree.

Visit the Skyline College Paralegal Program website for access to the program application and additional information.

Program Requirements

Required Courses Units
LEGL 240 Introduction to Law 3 units
LEGL 245 Paralegal Profession I 3 units
LEGL 250 Legal Research, Writing, and Analysis I 3 units
LEGL 252 Civil Litigation I 3 units
LEGL 430 Law Office Technology 3 units
Select a minimum of at least one of the following legal specialty courses: Units
LEGL 275 Constitutional Law and Supreme Court Jurisprudence 3 units
LEGL 304 Courts and Criminal Law 3 units
OR
ADMJ 104 Courts and Criminal Law 3 units
LEGL 240 Introduction to Law 3 units
Complete a minimum of three units of work-based learning in at least one of the following courses: Units
LEGL 670 Paralegal Work Experience 1 - 3 units
WORK 670 Work Experience 1 - 3 units
Total Required Units: 21