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Here are some important factors to consider
in evaluating the quality of paralegal programs:
1. What is
the reputation of the institution and the paralegal program?
2. What services are offered to students?
3. What facilities are available to
students?
4. What activities are available to
students?
5. What is the mission of the institution
and what are the goals of the program?
6. What is the content and nature
of the curriculum?
7. What are the graduation requirements?
8. What are the backgrounds of the
program director and faculty?
9. What are the special considerations
of enrolling in a distance education program?
1. What is the reputation of the
institution and the paralegal program?
The general public and the legal community should hold the institution
offering the program and the program itself in high regard. Check
with people you know in the community, in the legal field and in
higher education for information.
2. What services are offered to students?
Assistance should be offered in these areas: orientation, tutoring,
academic counseling, financial aid, career information and counseling,
and placement assistance. Information on the placement rate and
job satisfaction of graduates should be available.
3. What facilities are available
to students?
Programs should have a legal research library, computer laboratories,
and properly furnished classrooms. Facilities should accommodate
students with disabilities.
4. What activities are available
to students?
Students should have the opportunity to participate in such activities
as honor societies and volunteer work in the legal community. Information
about paralegal associations and opportunities for continuing paralegal
education should be available.
5. What is the mission of the institution
and what are the goals of the program?
The mission and goals should be clearly stated in the institutional
and program literature. You should carefully assess whether the
mission and goals match your individual needs.
6. What is the content and nature
of the curriculum?
The courses should teach practical job skills in conjunction with
the underlying legal theory. The curriculum should cover legal research
and writing, litigation, ethics, contracts, business organizations
and torts. Courses should develop students' critical thinking, communication,
computational, computer and organizational skills, and competency
to handle ethical issues. Programs should offer an experiential
learning component such as an internship, practicum or clinical
experience.
7. What are the graduation requirements?
Students should be required to take both paralegal and general education
courses unless students have completed general education prior to
enrollment.
8. What are the backgrounds of the
program director and faculty?
The program director and members of the faculty should possess appropriate
academic credentials. Most program directors have a law degree or
formal paralegal education; some have advanced degrees in related
areas. Many have experience in the legal field. Faculty members
should have expertise and experience in the subject areas they teach
and experience working with or as paralegals. The program director
and faculty must be committed to the role of the paralegal in the
delivery of legal services.
9. What are the special considerations
of enrolling in a distance education program?
A growing number of educational institutions and other providers
are offering paralegal courses and/or entire paralegal programs
through distance education. Prospective students need to supplement
the above criteria with additional factors when evaluating these
offerings. You should find out the type of distance delivery system
used, such as interactive video broadcasts to distant sites, telecourses,
or web-based courses on the Internet and determine whether the institution
provides training to students in using the system and technical
assistance throughout the course. You should find out how much interaction
takes place among teachers and students during courses and through
what medium. Additionally you should assess whether you are well
suited to learn through a distance delivery system which requires
a high degree of self-discipline, self-motivation and independence.
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