One way a person can become a paralegal is by obtaining an associate's degree from an accredited university or college, which requires about 60 credit hours. Many institutions offer this program in an intense learning environment that a student can complete in a year to 15 months.
Some schools offer the paralegal program as a bachelor's degree. These programs are not widespread and are usually offered in schools that already have a legal program or law school. The curriculum is the typical 120 credit hours of study required for a bachelor degree.
The most common way of becoming a paralegal is by obtaining a post-baccalaureate certificate in paralegal studies. Students must have a bachelor's degree, though field of study or major can be in any subject. The curriculum is about 30 credit hours and can be completed in as little as a few weeks to a few months. Most schools offer accelerated learning or night programs to get students certified as quickly as possible while taking into account that most of their students are already working professionals.
Since paralegals are expected to do a lot of the background work in a law office, most college curriculums focus on legal writing, research and litigation. Some university programs also include such classes as real estate practice and corporate business practice that allow specialization for the paralegal as well.