Paralegal Studies Certificate

Chairperson
Dr. Norma Connolly

The Department of Justice Studies offers a Paralegal Studies Certificate Program for post-baccalaureate students, which includes a balanced and varied background in the legal fundamentals, appropriate skills, and practical field work experience necessary for employment as a legal assistant.  The program develops intellectual and analytical skills, educates students for direct employment opportunities in the paralegal fields, and provides additional career possibilities in combination with a student's undergraduate degree.

The Montclair State University Paralegal Studies Program is the first and only state college or university in New Jersey to receive American Bar Association approval.  A certificate of completion is awarded to all students who meet program standards, fulfill the 21 credit hours required in the program, and have completed a bachelor's degree.

By advisement, a student may focus upon one of three optional areas of emphasis in the selection of Group II courses: Legal Information and Technology, Hispanic Perspectives and Patent, Trademark, and Copyright Law.  These are informal grouping of courses clustered in accordance with student interests and career goals.  A student is not required to take them and they are not formally recorded with the Registrar's Office. The required Paralegal Seminar and Internship course will focus upon the student's area of interest.

REQUIREMENTS

Candidates for admission must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and meet the university's minimum requirements for admission to a certificate program.

Group I.  Required Courses (6 credits)
PALG 210             Law and Litigation
PALG 312             Research and Writing for Paralegals 

Group II.  CHOICE of four of the following: (12 credits)

A.  Students must include at least one courses from the following group:
PALG 304             Real Estate Law
PALG 306             Contract Law for Paralegals
PALG 322             Wills, Trusts and Probate Law
PALG 330             Family Law
PALG 336             Corporations and Partnerships

B.  Students may include up to three courses from the following group:
PALG 301             Criminal Law and Procedure
PALG 305             Immigration Law
PALG 308             Negotiation, Mediation and Arbitration
PALG 310             Fundamentals of Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law
PALG 317             Evidence
PALG 318             Computer-Assisted Research in the Legal Environment
PALG 320             Bankruptcy Law
PALG 331             Administrative Law
PALG 332             Personal Injury Law
PALG 339             Computer Applications in the Legal Environment
PALG 378             Employment Law
PALG 390             Independent Study in Paralegal Studies
PALG 411             Advanced Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law
PALG 412             Consumer Law
PALG 413             Elder Law
PALG 420             Advanced Civil Litigation
PALG 437             Entertainment Law
PALG 438             Trademark Law
PALG 441             Advanced Computer Systems in Legal Environment
PALG 450             Law Office Management and Technology
PALG 499             Selected Topics in Paralegal Studies

C.  Students may include one law-related course from the following:
PALG 316             Skills for Bilingual Legal Personnel (Fluency in Spanish required)
JUST351               Juries and Justice
JUST360               Rights, Liberties, and American Justice
POLS 321              Law in Society: Criminal Law (instead of PALG 301)

Group III.  Student must complete one of the following (3 credits):
PALG 497             Paralegal Seminar and Internship (3 credits) OR
PALG 498             Co-op.Ed.: Paralegal Studies (4 or 8 cr.)                

TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS FOR MINOR: 21 CREDITS

ADMISSION

All candidates must meet the basic admissions requirements for graduate study at Montclair State.  The completion of a major from an accredited college or university is preferred.  Candidates with degrees in closely related areas will be considered, although prematriculation coursework may be required.

DEADLINES

Credentials are processed as soon as they are received.  This program does not have a specific deadline, however The Graduate Admissions & Support Services recommends that students submit their credentials as far in advance as possible for the semester they plan to begin their studies to ensure a timely review of their application.

TO APPLY TO THIS PROGRAM, PLEASE VISIT http://www.montclair.edu/graduate/prospective/app.shtml