The Advanced Paralegal Studies Certificate program prepares students for entry-level paralegal positions in a variety of settings. Paralegals work under the supervision of an attorney and are not authorized to engage in the practice of law. This program is open to students enrolled in Bay Path’s associate, bachelor, or graduate degree programs.* Students must declare the certificate with the Registrar’s Office and must complete a minimum of 60 college credit hours that includes at least 18 credits of general education course work in at least three disciplines, such as social sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, humanities, languages, and English and at least 21 paralegal program credit hours (to include 18 credit hours of legal specialty courses as define by the American Bar Association and 3 credit hours of Legal Specialty Elective or Legal Internship). Upon completion of the student’s underlying degree and the certificate course requirements, students earn a Certificate of Advanced Paralegal Studies approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).

This program is also open to students who have already earned an associate, bachelor, or graduate degree from another accredited institution, providing their degree requirements included at least 18 credits of general education course work in at least three disciplines, such as social sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, humanities, languages, and English.

All candidates for the Paralegal Certificate must also have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.3 with no grade lower than C- (70%).

*Although the certificate program is open to students enrolled in Bay Path undergraduate accelerated programs and graduate programs; courses satisfying requirements are offered in traditional format.

Policy on Transfer of Legal Specialty Course Credits

Generally, Bay Path will accept course credits in transfer as legal specialty courses, only if those courses were taken at another ABA approved program. Requests to accept transfer credits as legal specialty courses are reviewed on an individual basis by the Program Chair and Registrar. If necessary, the Registrar and the Chair will review the course description and syllabus from the originating college. A student wishing to transfer credits into one of the college's legal programs as a legal specialty course bears the burden of proving the course is a legal specialty course.

Students seeking to transfer credits taken online from an ABA approved program must notify the Registrar and Legal Studies Department Chair that the course was taken online. The decision to accept credits earned online rests with the Legal Studies Department Chair in consultation with the Registrar. Legal specialty credit will not be granted for online courses that were earned in a program that is not ABA approved.

Final determination of the acceptance of transfer credit for legal specialty courses taken at other institutions, including ABA approved programs, is made by the Program Chair and is not appealable.

The degree requirements for the Advanced Paralegal Studies certificate are as follows:

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
LAW 103	Introduction to the American Legal System	3
LAW 232	Principles of Litigation	3
LAW 240	Legal Research and Writing	3
LAW 241	Computer Assisted Legal Research	3
LAW 246	Tort Law	3
LAW 260	Real Estate Law	3
Legal Internship or Legal Specialty Elective 1		3
Total Credits Required:		21

¹

Students must discuss the legal specialty elective with the department chair.

Please see the Paralegal Studies web page for more information.