Paralegal Studies

Frequently Asked Questions

General

What is a paralegal?
According to the American Bar Association, a paralegal is “a legal assistant or paralegal is a person qualified by education, training or work experience  who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible.”

What can I do with a degree in Paralegal Studies?
Working under the supervision of an attorney, the legal assistant’s work product is merged with and becomes part of the attorney work product.  A legal assistant may perform any function delegated by an attorney, including: conducting interviews, conducting investigations and legal research, drafting legal documents, and summarizing depositions, interrogatories and testimony. Knowledge of the legal system and ethics is useful in many other careers. A student may be able to bring valuable knowledge to job employers in many industries, giving them an edge over their competition.

What is the average salary for a paralegal?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, earnings of paralegals and legal assistants vary greatly. Salaries depend on education, training, experience, the type and size of employer, and the geographic location of the job. In general, paralegals that work for large law firms or in large metropolitan areas earn more than those who work for smaller firms or in less populated regions.  In May 2006, full-time wage-and-salary paralegals and legal assistants had median annual earnings, including bonuses, of $43,040. The middle 50 percent earned between $33,920 and $54,690. The top 10 percent earned more than $67,540 (www.bls.gov).

Are there jobs currently available?
According to the Office of Employment Projections for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “employment of paralegals and legal assistants is projected to grow 22 percent between 2006 and 2016…”

Program

What type of degree would I receive? Certificate? Associates? Bachelors?
The Paralegal Studies program at Lewis University is offered as a major and minor of the Bachelors degree.

Is this program accredited?
Lewis University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.

How long will it take me to complete this program?
There are many factors affecting the length of time it will take to complete the program.  Since the Paralegal Studies program at Lewis University is a Bachelor’s degree program, students must complete all requirements of the major, in addition to the requirements to complete the degree.  The total number of credit hours needed to complete the degree and the amount of credit hours completed per semester both factor in the length of time to completion.

When are the courses offered?
Traditional courses are offered primarily during the day. Adult Accelerated students can complete their degree in the evenings.  There are some Adult Accelerated courses offered on Saturdays.

What is the difference between the traditional and accelerated programs?
Besides different admission requirements, the main difference between the traditional and accelerated programs is format.  Traditional courses are 16 weeks in length and are offered primarily during the day.  Adult Accelerated Paralegal Studies courses are offered in an 8-week format and are one evening per week, per course.

Is there an advantage of the accelerated program over the traditional?
The advantage of the accelerated program over traditional is that courses are designed for the working adult.  Classes are offered in the evenings, whereas traditional courses are typically during the day.  In addition to evening classes, courses are accelerated in nature.  Unlike the 16 week format of traditional courses, accelerated courses are 8 weeks in length.  Because of the accelerated format, there are specific admission requirements for applicants into the program.

Is this program available at all campuses?
No.  This program is offered at our main campus in Romeoville for traditional students.  For the Adult Accelerated Degree Completion students, the major courses are offered at our regional campus in Shorewood.

Are any courses available online?
General education courses may be offered online, however Paralegal Studies coursework is not available online.

Are there opportunities for internships?
Flexible internship opportunities will be offered in order to meet the needs of students and their supervising attorney or employer.

Will I receive assistance finding a job?
Absolutely. The Career Services Office assists students seeking employment through career consultations, resume critiques, internship postings, interview preparation, job fairs, and much more. Students should contact them as early as your first semester to begin the career preparation process.

Does this program prepare me for law school?
Absolutely.  As a graduate of the Paralegal Studies program, one has the distinct advantage of knowing about legal research, legal writing, procedure and contracts which are all requirements for any accredited law school.

Admission

What are the admission requirements for the Paralegal Studies program?
It is preferred that the candidate for admission will have an Associate’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.  However, to be admitted into the Adult Accelerated Paralegal Studies program, students must have at least 12 credit hours of transferable credit, must be at least 24 years of age, and have at least a 2.0 grade point average.

What if I do not initially meet admission requirements?
You are encouraged to contact the program director to further discuss requirements and opportunities to participate in the Paralegal Studies program.

How can I apply?
You may contact the University for a paper application or apply online.

Is there an application deadline?
We offer rolling admissions into the Traditional and Adult Accelerated programs.  You may apply at any time.

Can I transfer credits to apply to this program?
An Admission Counselor will evaluate your previous coursework to determine the number of transferable credits we can accept from other schools you’ve attended.  Please note that at least one-half of the required hours for the major or minor must be taken at Lewis University.

Tuition

What are the tuition and fees for this program?
All traditional full-time undergraduate students enrolling for 12-18 hours per semester are charged a flat rate of tuition. Visit Office of Financial Aid services online for additional information.

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