Paralegal: Top School for a Career as a Paralegal - Pittsburgh, PA

If a career in the legal field sounds enticing but seven years of college and law school sounds like too long to wait, the paralegal or legal assistant profession may be the answer. In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, students who have decided to become a paralegal can attend the Community College of Allegheny County to earn a Paralegal Associate of Science Degree or a Paralegal Certificate.

The Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) offers more than 170 career-focused programs,; however, thousands of students who complete one of the available programs also transfer from CCAC into 4-year colleges. With paralegal courses offered on two of Community College of Allegheny County campuses, students in Pittsburgh can pursue this field in the North Shore area or on the Boyce campus in Monroeville. Students who are enrolled in an associate degree program and who meet certain requirements may be eligible to apply for the school's Honors Program, which strives to develop a student's communication, presentation and leadership potential. A paralegal career is in reach with either the certificate or the associate's degree offered at the Community College of Allegheny County:

Paralegal Associate of Science Degree: The paralegal track falls under the Business Career heading at CCAC. With courses in computers, English, writing and research, math and government serving as a foundation for paralegal studies, students will earn a total of 62-64 credits to graduate with this degree. Electives are chosen from a restricted list that includes accounting, medical terminology, business topics and some legal topics. A paralegal co-op program is also available. Courses specific to this major will cover subjects such as litigation, employee benefits, evidence and procedures, estates and trusts, real estate and the Constitution. Paralegal Certificate: This boiled-down version of the associate degree program is also offered for individuals who already hold a degree in another field but who want to improve job skills or become a paralegal for the first time. Students will need a minimum of 29 credits to graduate with the Paralegal Certificate. Courses in this track are focused solely on topics related to the law, and even the list of electives is restricted to legal topics. Subjects studied to achieve this Certificate include evidence and procedures, the Constitution, legal research and writing, real estate, litigation, estates and trusts, and environmental law.

More than 20,000 students are enrolled in a program of some kind at CCAC's Allegheny campus on Pittsburgh's North Shore. This 2-year school has four campuses altogether, with paralegal programs offered at the Allegheny campus and at the Boyce campus in Monroeville 15 miles east of downtown. The Boyce campus enrolls 13,000 students each year. Students pay between $82 and $96 per credit depending on their residency status; no on-campus residence halls are provided at this commuter school.

Contact Information

Address: Allegheny Campus, 808 Ridge Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15212 Phone Number: 412-323-2323

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