Paralegal, Professional Certificate

Program Overview

Earn Your Paralegal Certification in Just 25 Weeks

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s paralegal certificate online program is for individuals pursuing a second career, recent college graduates and working professionals who want to enter the legal field. Working paralegals who want to obtain a North Carolina State Bar–qualified paralegal certificate from an accredited university are also good fits for our program.

Our paralegal certificate online program is topical, intensive, intellectually rigorous and fits the needs of the Charlotte legal and business communities. We designed it to equip you with the skills, knowledge and abilities needed to embark on your legal career with professionalism and acumen.

The online paralegal program is taught entirely in real time in a virtual environment via Zoom and takes approximately 25 weeks to complete. It combines 167 hours of real-time instruction with an additional 73 hours of structured instructional activities that are designed to be completed through other methods outside of class.

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  • Delivery
    Online
  • Duration
    25 Weeks
  • Next Session Starts
    January 9, 2025

North Carolina State Bar

The North Carolina State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification has designated the UNC Charlotte online paralegal certificate program as a qualified paralegal studies program. Graduating from the paralegal certificate online program satisfies the educational requirements for certification as a paralegal by the Board; graduates will be eligible to sit for the exam to become certified paralegals.

For more information, visit the North Carolina State Bar Paralegal Certification and the North Carolina Paralegal Association websites.

“Having professors that were practicing attorneys, paralegals and judges really gave me a well-rounded paralegal education. I appreciate that the program was just six months long and provided material in many practice areas. The paralegal program challenged me to strive for excellence professionally and helped me think critically. I felt prepared to re-enter the law field after having been an independent contractor working from home for a New York law firm. Once I completed the UNC Charlotte paralegal program, I received an offer to join a law firm in a commercial real estate practice group in Charlotte.”

– Gail Nathan, ’17, Paralegal at Bray & Long

Course Details

In the first part of the certificate, students will receive comprehensive training in Core Paralegal Skills: American Jurisprudence; Legal Research; Legal Writing; Legal Technology; Litigation; Legal Ethics; and The Paralegal Profession.

The last weeks of the certificate provide intensive, focused training in the General Practice,which will provide an overview of Criminal Law, Family Law, Wills, Trusts & Estates, Commercial Law, and Real Property.

This certificate is offered live online with a course schedule of Tuesday/Thursday from 6-9:30 p.m.

Admissions
  • An associate’s degree or college degree is required for the program. You will need to upload an unofficial or official transcript. We will not be able to award your certificate until the transcript is received. An unofficial transcript is acceptable. For questions, please contact ceregistration@charlotte.edu.
  • Proficient in English. Students are required to be proficient in their oral and written use of the English language.
  • Basic computer/technology skills and access to a computer outside of the classroom. View hardware, software, and connectivity requirements.
Outlook

What Can You Do With Paralegal Certification?

Paralegals are highly sought-after by law firms, corporate legal departments and government agencies. Generally, our alumni worklocally in the Charlotte region in careers such as:

  • Paralegal and legal assistants
  • Recruiters and human resources specialists
  • Secretaries and administrative assistants
  • Compliance officers
  • Project management and operations specialists
  • Detectives and criminal investigators

The UNC Charlotte Paralegal Certificate program has strong ties to the Charlotte legal community. Many of our graduates find jobs in Charlotte. Our instructors work in Charlotte and we are affiliated with Charlotte, state, and national organizations. Our paralegal certificate graduates go on to work for companies such as:

  • Alston & Bird
  • Amazon
  • Bank of America
  • Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein
  • Wells Fargo
  • Womble Bond Dickinson

Job outlook and salaries for certified paralegals: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, certified paralegals and legal assistants make $59,200 per year on average and careers are expected to grow through 2032. According to Lightcast, our graduates tend to make $66,700 annually.

Why UNC Charlotte?

Why Earn Your Paralegal Certification at UNC Charlotte?

In our online paralegal program, you will learn about the legal system, legal research and writing, and a variety of legal specialties,such as civil litigation, family law and business law.

Other benefits of our program include:

  • Convenience: Our classes are offered live, 100% online, so you can learn around your busy schedule without worrying about commuting. These live lectures are recorded for later viewing, too.
  • Accreditation: The North Carolina State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification has designated UNC Charlotte’s paralegal certificate online program a qualified paralegal studies program. A paralegal studies program must be designated by the Board of Paralegal Certification as “qualified” to satisfy the educational requirements for certification.
  • Time to completion: It only takes six months of class time to complete your paralegal certification.
  • Value: Earning your paralegal certificate online is a more cost-effective way to advance your career than earning a full bachelor’s degree. We also offer payment plans to help you pay for your classes as you take them.
  • Legal writing instruction: We believe excellent writing is an essential paralegal skill. Therefore, the UNC Charlotte paralegal certificate online program has made a commitment to its students by offering additional instruction with our legal writing instructors. In these labs, students will have the opportunity to receive candid feedback and helpful insight on ways to improve their writing.
Program Cost

The registration fee for the UNC Charlotte Paralegal Certificate program is $5,500 or a $1,500 deposit with 7 payments throughout the program.

The estimated cost of the textbooks is $1,000-$1,200 depending on where you purchase textbooks, rent textbooks or purchase used books. (Information on the required texts for the program will be provided to registered students. They are also located online at the UNC Charlotte Student Bookstore.)

The registration fee includes a personal LexisNexis account, an important resource that you will learn to use and will help you in your career as a legal professional.

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