Educational requirements to become a paralegal vary by state and employer. Given the broad scope of potential roles in legal assisting, different jobs require different levels of education.

Types of paralegal programs to choose from:

• Certificate / diploma programs*. Basic certificate programs (sometimes called a “diploma”) are designed to provide minimum training & education. Some are designed for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field.
• Degree program. Associate & bachelor’s degree programs help you become highly qualified for an entry-level paralegal job and often provide a strong foundation to grow into other careers in law.

* Herzing University does not offer a certificate program.

It’s important to understand the difference between the two types of “certificate” programs. A basic certificate/diploma program will typically offer a fast track to getting started as a paralegal, but they will fall short of the comprehensiveness of a degree or post-baccalaureate certificate program.

Which should I choose?

That depends on your prior education and career goals. For students without a degree interested in becoming a paralegal, our associate and bachelor’s degree programs are a perfect starting point.

These titles are sometimes used interchangeably, but the general difference between legal assistants vs. paralegals breaks down like this:

• Legal assistants (alternatively named administrative assistant, legal secretary) handle a broad variety of office tasks, including scheduling, data entry, answering phones or other clerical duties.
• Paralegals often handle more technical legal tasks, including preparing documentation or performing research, and often requires more experience in law.

However, duties vary widely by firm and there are certainly employees titled “Legal Assistant” who perform paralegal duties—and vice-versa.

Herzing’s legal studies degree programs prepare you to thrive no matter the title!

Paralegals assist lawyers with the creation of legal documents and conduct research on laws, court cases and contracts—but duties will vary depending on the employer. Those entering the field with little or no prior experience will typically perform routine clerical tasks, taking on the additional responsibility of more varied tasks after gaining the appropriate experience.

The duties of a legal assistant/paralegal include assisting the lawyer with research, brief preparation, and other legal office administration, but do not include practicing law, advising clients, or setting fees since paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public except as permitted by law.

Paralegals can work in-house with a law firm in the private sector, in the public sector with a government agency, or in a freelance/contract role. Discover more about what paralegals are and what they do.

Yes. Herzing University offers online associate and bachelor’s degree options for students seeking requisite education to earn their first entry-level job as a paralegal / legal assistant.

Our associate degree program takes an average of 20 months to complete; the bachelor’s degree program, 36 months. After earning your degree, you will be eligible to take the Certified Paralegal Examination offered by the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA).

Registered Health Information Administration (RHIA)

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management are eligible to take the Registered Health Information Administration (RHIA) exam through the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).

Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT)

Graduates of the Associate of Science in Health Information Management are eligible to take the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) exam through the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).

Eligibility:

Only those who successfully:

1. Complete a bachelor's degree in a HIM program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) or are enrolled in their last term of study
   OR
2. Graduate from a HIM program that is approved by a foreign association with which AHIMA has a reciprocity agreement.

No, a nurse educator is not considered an APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse). A nurse educator can be called an APRN only with a separate credential as one of the following:

• Nurse Practitioner (NP)
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
• Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)
• Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)