Online Paralegal Associate Degree

Paralegal studies curriculum

Marian’s fully online paralegal program develops the skills students need to succeed after graduating. The program includes courses ​in legal research, legal writing and communication, civil litigation for the paralegal, and more. Additionally, some classes are devoted to preparing students for their careers, such as legal career preparation and development and the internship in pre-law studies/paralegal studies.

Beyond the classroom, local law firms offer valuable career-building opportunities with internships, externships, and job shadowing. In fact, many of our graduates have gone on to work where they’ve interned.​​

Program objectives

• Conduct case law research and analyze scholarly sources and legal code to explain diverse civic issues and lawsuits and articulate what is expected to maintain the respect and integrity of the profession and the legal system within the community.
• Exhibit strong, responsible, ethical decision making in the legal environment and solid knowledge of ethical obligations and liabilities.
• Use diverse communication skills to present researched facts, results, and findings and to make coherent arguments.
• Evaluate legal issues on the local, state, federal, and international level.
• Utilize multiple research strategies and databases to locate appropriate information for assignments and effective use of software applications in a law office setting.
• Analyze records, interviews, case studies, legal codes, and regulations to determine outcomes and evaluate theories and approaches to complex problems.
• Develop career planning and social networking skills aligned with industry standards.
• Edit and revise for proficiency in writing skills in a variety of environments, across multiple specializations.
• Evaluate, analyze, and debate the impact of social, political, and economic issues and influences on the social and criminal justice systems, from the courts to the prison systems, on a national and global scale.