Dec 05, 2025  
2015-2016 Chesapeake College Catalog 
    
2015-2016 Chesapeake College Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Paralegal Professions


The College offers a degree and a certificate in Paralegal Studies curricula.

The Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree recognizes curricular focus in a specific occupational area. This degree is intended primarily for immediate employment or occupational skills upgrading, but also provides opportunities for transfer to a four-year institution to complete a bachelor’s degree.

The College’s Certificate option focuses on a sequence of courses at the intermediate- and advanced-levels in the student’s chosen curriculum. Most certificate programs are designed to build upon skills and sequence into degree curricula. Certificate programs include at least 12 credits and typically take a minimum of a year to complete.


Paralegal Studies

The Paralegal Studies AAS degree is designed to prepare students for employment as paralegals or in other areas related to the practice of law, including criminal law, torts, family law, property law, etc.   Some of the expected tasks for a paralegal are assisting with title searches, legal research, drafting legal documents,  pleadings, and litigation support.

The Certificate in Paralegal Studies program is designed to prepare students for employment as paralegals or legal assistants.  The program may be convenient for individuals already working in a law office who are just looking to focus on specific skills or for individuals who already have a degree in an area related to the practice of law.