If you know you want to pursue a career working as a paralegal in the criminal justice field, it’s smart to investigate requirements and options. When you start researching paralegal education programs, you’ll find there are an astonishing number of associate and bachelor’s degree programs as well as paralegal certificate options.
At first glance, the curriculum behind paralegal degrees and certificate programs looks similar. When considering that you could complete a paralegal certificate in just six to eight weeks compared to a potential two years spent pursuing an associate degree, it’s tempting to choose the certificate option. However, there are several compelling reasons to think twice before choosing that route.
A DEGREE MAY MAKE YOU MORE EMPLOYABLE
First, employers hiring paralegals want well-qualified people in those roles. If you can’t prove that you’re qualified based on previous job experience, a prospective employer will want to know your paralegal education prepared you for the job. While it’s not impossible to get hired as a paralegal with a basic certificate alone, employers are generally more interested in hiring people who have earned a degree.
Generations College is proud to have graduates of our paralegal degree program and criminal justice program working for dozens of well-known and well-respected employers. Many of our criminal justice program graduates decide to pursue criminology degrees with four-year institutions, which may make them even more employable.
BASIC CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS DON’T ENJOY THE RECOGNITION DEGREE PROGRAMS HAVE
Organizations such as the American Bar Association, the National Association of Paralegal Associations, and the Higher Learning Commission typically don’t recognize basic paralegal certificate programs. When you’re looking for a job as a paralegal or legal assistant, potential employers tend to seek graduates of programs that are accredited and approved by industry associations.
GETTING A CERTIFICATE NOW MAY MEAN YOU’LL NEED TO PURSUE A DEGREE LATER
There is not a national paralegal licensing standard in place today, however, individual state bar associations are continuing to push for standard licensing laws. If such laws are ultimately passed and implemented, it’s likely, based on the examples of states that have already put paralegal licensing requirements in place, that education will play a major role.
Paralegals who only hold a basic certificate may find they need to pursue a degree to continue to work in their chosen field. By entering a degree program right away, you can be prepared to meet future licensing standards.
DISCOVER HOW GENERATIONS COLLEGE CAN HELP YOU PURSUE YOUR CAREER GOALS
At Generations College, we are committed to helping people pursue jobs in a variety of exciting fields — including criminology, legal careers, court reporting and business administration. Whether you decide to pursue our paralegal studies associate degree program, our criminal justice program, or any of our other exciting majors, you can be confident you’re getting the educational foundation and hands-on training you need to succeed in your new career. We offer traditional on-campus options as well as an online associate degree program designed to provide the flexibility today’s busy students need.
In addition to providing you with a practical, in-depth education taught by well-qualified instructors, we provide a full range of career services for our students and alumni, to help them with their job searches.
Please note that paralegals may not practice law or otherwise provide legal services directly to the public except as permitted by law.
For further information about why you should consider a paralegal studies degree from Generations College and to explore our programs in more detail, contact us today.