Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. To gain a better understanding of the online learning experience at BU, visit the online learning course tour. Please note, the Paralegal Certificate course does not include academic advisors, e-portfolios, nor graduation.

The course can be accessed at the time of day that suits each student best, and there are no scheduled lectures.

However, each two-week module contains assignments and assessments that must be submitted by stated deadlines in the course. Because of this, it is important that students keep up with the program. In other words, the program is a combination of synchronous and asynchronous deadlines. Each module has to be completed in the assigned two week time frame, but when you do the work in that two week period is up to your discretion.

To help students stay on track, faculty offer virtual office hours for each module. You can simply log in using the live classroom link, with no appointment needed.

Students should be prepared to spend 10-14 hours per week on each module.

A paralegal certificate is applicable to a wide range of careers. Certificate-completers can use it to work directly in the field of law at law firms, corporations, and government agencies. You can also use it to specialize in a particular area such as real estate, intellectual property, health law, and compliance. The certificate is also valuable in paralegal-adjacent roles, such as legal operations and technology, and contract management.

The online Paralegal Studies Program is a nondegree program that awards a paralegal certificate from Boston University. It focuses on core paralegal knowledge and skills and does not confer academic credit toward a college degree.

Paralegal degrees, such as an associate or bachelor's degree in paralegal studies, are academic degree programs. They include general education courses, require more credits, usually take longer to complete, and are typically more expensive.

A focused certificate program, like Boston University's, may be appropriate for individuals who already hold a college degree and want targeted paralegal training. Visit our Paralegal Careers page to learn more about what professionals can do with a paralegal certificate.

Because individual goals and situations vary, we encourage you to call an enrollment specialist at (857) 971-4728 to discuss the best direction for you.

There are no required texts for the online Paralegal Studies Program. All material will be available within the online learning platform.

Access to WestlawNext is included at no additional charge. Students will have Westlaw access for the two modules that require it.

The program is designed to be taken in its entirety, with modules complementing each other to offer a comprehensive overview of the paralegal field. As a result, students cannot register for a single module.

Upon successful completion of the BU online Paralegal Certificate Program, students will have earned a Paralegal Certificate from Boston University. This paralegal certificate identifies them as having met the established academic requirements of BU. Boston University is internationally known for its high academic standards. Certification is a designation awarded by an outside entity separate from a certificate that may require further testing and experience, but such certification is neither an industry nor governmental standard for paralegals. Boston University encourages interested students to check with potential employers and their own state's licensing offices for their own requirements. Boston University is not aware of any states which currently require third-party certification of this type to work in the paralegal field.

Paralegals typically handle more substantive legal work, such as performing legal research, drafting motions and pleadings, organizing discovery, and supporting attorneys as they prepare for hearings and trials. They perform this work under the supervision of licensed attorneys. Most importantly, paralegals bill clients for their time, meaning they generate revenue for the firms in which they work.

Legal assistants usually focus on administrative support, such as managing calendars, organizing files, handling client communications, and assisting with basic legal tasks.

In many offices, especially smaller firms, these titles and job duties can overlap. Both roles benefit from a strong foundation in legal research, writing, and understanding court procedures.

To explore this topic in more depth, read our article "Paralegal vs. Legal Assistant: What's the Difference?" on the Paralegal Careers page.

Students find their way to our program from many different backgrounds. They come from fields such as business, finance, education, healthcare, real estate, and more. Some are recent graduates, while others are experienced professionals or career changers. What they share is a desire to gain legal expertise so they can advance in their current field or lay the foundation for a new career path.

Explore our Class Profile to see examples of roles and employers represented in the program.

Director of the Paralegal Studies Program, Joe Spada, answers the question in detail in the video below.

One common misconception about paralegal education is that a program must be approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) to be credible or valuable. In reality, ABA approval is not required for most paralegal career paths, and many respected paralegal certificate programs are not ABA approved.

The ABA is best known for its role in the legal profession, but it does not certify paralegals. It does not license attorneys either; attorney licensing is handled by state bar authorities. For paralegals, there is no universal state-required certification or ABA requirement to enter the field.

Only approximately 25% of paralegal programs are ABA certified. That means 75% are not.  BU was on certification track but made a conscious decision to move out of the ABA shadow and join the trend of shorter but more intensive paralegal certificate programs.

Why? Several reasons:

• 1. Most hiring partners and attorneys don’t really know the distinction between ABA an non-ABA paralegal programs.  What they do know are the strength of the reputation and standing of the university that is providing the paralegal certificate—and BU is one of the nationally recognized leaders.
• 2. With college loans skyrocketing and the federal government minimizing their availability in an attempt to thwart burgeoning student loans, it makes no sense to go further in debt than what the field requires. The overwhelming majority of paralegal employers are not requiring ABA approval. The BU program is $3,999.00, while an ABA program can be nine months to two years and $12,000.00 to $20,000.00. It’s not required.  But to be clear: The pie and the market are large enough for both. And if, as part of your undergrad, your university offers a paralegal certificate program that is ABA approved and satisfies undergraduate course credit, it would be good to take advantage of that opportunity. But outside of that, t doesn’t make, in our opinion, economic sense.

Our paralegal certificate program is intentionally not ABA approved because we believe students are better served by a focused, practical, skills-based curriculum. Many ABA-approved pathways are longer and more expensive, often designed around a traditional academic model that may not fit students who already have a bachelor’s degree or who want to enter the workforce efficiently.

Our program emphasizes the real-world, nuts-and-bolts skill-sets that entry-level paralegals need to contribute immediately in a legal setting. Our goal is to take out the theory and provide students hands-on experience with legal research, case briefs, IRAC memoranda, real estate documents, trademark searches, wills, probate, family law and other practical assignments that reflect the work paralegals perform on the job.

No. ABA approval is not required for most paralegal roles. A few employers may prefer it, but most do not require it.

No. The American Bar Association does not certify paralegals.

 Yes. Over 75% of all paralegal certificate programs are non-ABA. A paralegal certificate can be valuable when it comes from a respected institution and provides practical training in the skills employers expect from entry-level paralegals.

Students should consider curriculum quality, practical skill development, institutional reputation, cost, program length, and the requirements listed in job postings in their local market.

The total cost of the program is $3,995. Visit our Tuition and Payment Options pages for additional details.

Students have several payment options. They have the option to pay for the program in its entirety at the time of registration or look into additional funding options.

Payment must be submitted in order to secure a spot in class.

Students should be able to perform the following basic tasks:

• Create a document, name it, save it, and find it again on their computer
• Attach a document to an email
• Download a document or PDF, save it, and find it again on their computer
• Locate a document on their computer and upload it to another site
• Print a document
• Edit a Word document with a .doc or .docx extension (assignments must be submitted in this format)
• Listen to audio on their computer
• Watch short video clips (two minutes long)
• Navigate between multiple windows open simultaneously on their computer
• Use an Internet browser
• View a document with tracked changes embedded in it

The course requires a high-speed internet connection, as the learning platform will not function effectively using a dial-up line. The program can run on either a Mac or PC, but we suggest students not attempt to complete coursework on a tablet. The Blackboard system does not allow students to submit assignments or take exams (among other functions) from a tablet environment. To learn more about the necessary system requirements and what to expect from an online course, click here.

Boston University provides technical assistance for all online students. Contact details can be found in the course syllabus.

As the program is non-credit, official transcripts are unavailable. However, students can request an unofficial transcript by emailing the Center for Professional Education at cpe@bu.edu with the following information:

• Your name
• Date you attended the program
• Number of copies of transcripts requested
• Address where you'd like your transcript(s) sent

For registration questions, contact an enrollment specialist at enrollment@paralegalonline.bu.edu or (857) 971-4728. Once you've registered for the certificate, you can reach out to Program Manager Thomas Adams Martin at tmart@bu.edu or (617) 358-8189. He is available for questions about Blackboard access, faculty, grades, or anything else you need assistance with. If you find that your issue cannot be resolved by academic or administrative departments, visit this page for more information.

The Center for Professional Education at Boston University and the online paralegal studies certificate program provide a number of academic accommodations for students. More information can be found through the Office of Disability & Access Services. Additional information about technical and education requirements, as well as an overview of the curriculum students will complete during the certificate are available on our website.