Bachelor's Degree in Paralegal Studies: Top Programs by State

Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies

• Provides Valuable Field Experience by Including an Internship as Part of the Curriculum
• Offers Opportunities for Advanced Study with Masters of Law and Juris Doctor Programs
• Promotes Educational Excellence by Requiring a Student Portfolio
• Fosters Diversity with a Student Body Made Up of 35 Different Nationalities
• Promotes Character-Building and Civic Responsibility with Undergraduate Volunteer Requirements
• ABA-approved, reapproved by the ABA Standing Committee on Paralegals in April 2025 (Montgomery campus only)

Faulkner University offers the best for aspiring paralegals interested in studying law in a biblical context: An ABA-approved BS in Legal Studies program, complete with a supervised internship experience, expert faculty with years of professional legal experience, legal ethics taught through the Christian worldview, and access to the Thomas Goode Jones School of Law’s outstanding resources, which include the Faulkner Law legal clinics. In addition to the fantastic learning opportunities the internship provides, students here also complete a paralegal portfolio, designed to showcase learning, achievement, and development. This kind of focus on student outcomes, in the sense of both academics and character-building, really makes Faulkner stand out from the crowd.

UAA Justice Center
Anchorage, Alaska
Website

Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies, Minor in Legal Studies

• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of an Internship, and Volunteer Opportunities that Result in Pro Bono Service Honors
• Requires a Legal Studies exit exam requirement for the degree, set out in the current catalog. This is a UAA graduation requirement, not a certification or licensing exam
• Volunteer legal-aid work can earn pro bono service honors at graduation
• Diverse Electives, Including Options Relevant to Legal Work in Alaska, Like Aviation Law, Tribal Courts and Native Rights, Among Many Others
• ABA-approved at the BA, AAS and post-baccalaureate certificate levels. The Legal Studies minor is not ABA-approved

Complete the BA or Minor in Legal Studies at the University of Alaska Anchorage and you’ll have access to a comprehensive course of education in American law and policy that will prepare you to take on legal support positions in area law offices, corporate legal departments, and government agencies. Students here get an ABA-approved, four-year course of study. Legal specialty credits have to be taken through in-person or synchronous instruction, which is an ABA requirement rather than a UAA preference. Complete your bachelor’s degree program at the University of Alaska Anchorage and you’ll be part of a dynamic student body of more than 20,000.

Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies

Bryan University is an institutional member of the American Association for Paralegal Education. This program is not ABA-approved, a point the university addresses directly on its own site. The degree was renamed from Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies and Litigation Technologies to Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies in October 2025, so older listings and our own previous entry used the earlier title.

• Includes preparation for NALA’s Certified Paralegal (CP®) exam in the curriculum. NALA sets CP® eligibility and controls where the exam is delivered
• Provides a Strong Focus on Experiential Learning with State of the Art ELSSA™ E-Discovery Simulation Lab
• Offers an Online Option Without Compromising Classmate and Faculty Interactions, Delivering Courses Via the DeXL (Dynamic Experiential Learning Model) Platform
• Contemporary and Relevant Curriculum Covers Legal Technology Including Litigation Software and E-Discovery Applications
• World Class Student Support and Career Assistance Services through the Career Services Department
• Demonstrates Long-term Commitment to the Success of Graduates by Offering the Option to Audit Courses Previously Completed for Free

Bryan University’s esteemed BS in Paralegal Studies and Litigation Technologies, developed in collaboration with the university’s Board of Advisors, is designed to connect students to industry by providing them with the skills that today’s employers are looking for. We love that this program builds preparation for NALA’s Certified Paralegal (CP®) exam into the curriculum, something that’s genuinely useful and rarely found in a bachelor’s program. Sitting for the exam itself is a separate step governed by NALA’s eligibility rules. Add to that the program’s dynamic online learning model that allows students to complete all coursework from the comfort of home while still getting the benefits that come with interacting with instructors and peers, and the university’s ELSSA simulation lab, designed to challenge students with real-world scenarios as a primer for practical expertise, and you have a student experience that should serve as a model for all contemporary paralegal bachelor’s program. This distance-based program is designed with the success of students in mind, giving you access to one-on-one coaching meetings with instructors, and a flexible learning model designed to fit any student’s schedule and learning style.

Legal Studies supplementary major, or Political Science BA with a Law concentration

Not ABA-approved. Correcting an earlier version of this entry, which called this a standalone Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies. UA Little Rock’s current catalog shows a Legal Studies supplementary major and a Political Science BA with a Law concentration, rather than a freestanding legal studies degree. A Legal Studies minor also exists. We were not able to confirm a stable current catalog URL for the supplementary major, so our link may resolve to an archived catalog year. Confirm the credential and requirements with the university before you apply.

• Offers the Flexibility of an Online Option
• Offers a Unique Opportunity for Networking, Enrichment and Camaraderie through the UALR Pre-Law Society
• Offers an Opportunity for More Advanced Study with a Juris Doctor Through the William H. Bowen School of Law
• Exceptional Career Assistance and Student Support Services with a Decided Focus on Employment and Free Refresher Classes Available to Alumni

The BA in Legal Studies at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock is built for students who want a broad grounding in law and policy, whether they’re heading for legal support work or law school. The interdisciplinary Legal Studies minor pairs well with any number of other undergraduate degrees for students who want a better understanding of the legal environment in which businesses, nonprofits and government agencies operate. Complete your degree program here and you’ll enjoy being part of a major metropolitan research university that boasts more than 11,000 students and a reputation for being a leader in technology transfer, economic development, and job creation. Plus, students of this undergrad minor are afforded many of the resources of the university’s William H. Bowen School of Law. UA offers far and away the highest quality legal studies student experience in the area.

Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies

• ABA-approved, with the degree approved for online, onsite and hybrid delivery
• Approved for onsite and hybrid delivery, with College of the Canyons and Cerritos College among the locations National University currently lists
• Students earn certificates in three legal specializations: corporations, litigation and criminal law
• Built for working adults, with a course structure that accommodates full-time employment
• Offers a pathway to further study through the JFK School of Law at National University, accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California since 1981

This entry replaced our previous California pick, John F. Kennedy University, which closed at the end of 2020 and moved its programs into the National University system. National University now carries the ABA-approved bachelor’s paralegal program, and it’s the strongest four-year option we can verify in the state. The curriculum pairs legal terminology, issue spotting, legal analysis and research with practical training, and the three specialization certificates give graduates something concrete to show employers beyond the degree itself. The flexibility is the real draw: California is a big state with an uneven distribution of ABA-approved programs, and a degree approved for online, onsite and hybrid delivery reaches students that campus-bound programs can’t.

Legal Studies Major

Not an ABA-approved paralegal program. This is a service academy major, included because it’s the strongest undergraduate legal studies option in Colorado that we could identify.
Tuition is free to qualified cadets in return for a commitment to serve as an officer in the U.S. Air Force (length of commitment depends on career path and other opportunities). The strict eligibility standards for this program include being a U.S. citizen or authorized international student, between the ages of 17 and 23, unmarried with no dependents, and having a strong academic record (classroom performance, class rank and GPA) and competitive SAT/ACT scores.

• Promotes Academic Excellence and Strength of Character with a Core Curriculum that Includes 29 Dean of Faculty Courses, Military and Physical Training Programs, in Addition to 14 Legal Studies Courses
• Highly Relevant and Contemporary Curriculum Covers Cyberlaw, Business Law, International Law and More
• Mock Trial Team and the Moot Court Team Provides Immersive Learning and Promotes Cooperative Teamwork through Competitive Events Cadets Love

The United States Air Force Academy’s commitment to excellence shows in the caliber of graduates it produces and in its standing among U.S. colleges and universities. The Legal Studies major is a substantive major in its own right rather than a pre-law track. Earn a spot at this university as a cadet and Legal Studies major and you’ll be immersed in a program that allows you to build expertise in the study of U.S. and international law. Coursework in this comprehensive program is interdisciplinary, with 29 Dean of Faculty courses drawing from the Departments of Behavioral Science and Leadership, Economics and Geosciences, and History, among others. A legal studies capstone rounds out the Legal Studies major, providing students with the opportunity to hone their communication and analytical skills while working on complex legal issues. This four-year course of study has produced graduates who have gone on to Pilot and Navigator training, as well as to many other career fields within the USAF, including intelligence and communications, special investigations security forces, and acquisitions. We are big fans of the Academy’s Mock Trial Team and the Moot Court Team, both of which provide cadets with a unique educational experience while allowing them to compete against other universities and colleges.

Legal Studies, Paralegal Studies Concentration, B.S.

• ABA-approved at the associate, bachelor’s and certificate levels, confirmed in the ABA directory
• University materials describe an international track with study abroad partnerships in England, Ireland, Scotland and Australia and a 3.0 minimum GPA. Confirm against the current catalog, since the clearest source we found was not a 2026 page
• Interdisciplinary curriculum combining legal studies with the college’s criminal justice and forensic science strengths
• Career development support including advising and internship placement

The University of New Haven’s BS in Legal Studies with a Paralegal Studies Concentration features an interdisciplinary foundation on which aspiring and practicing paralegals can build both their theoretical knowledge and practical skills. The international track is the standout feature if it’s still running as described, giving students a semester abroad through partnerships in England, Ireland, Scotland and Australia. The ABA’s approved-programs directory confirms New Haven’s legal studies program at the associate, bachelor’s and certificate levels. Connecticut has two other approved options if this one doesn’t fit: Quinnipiac University in Hamden at the BA level, and the University of Hartford, which is approved for an associate, a BA and a certificate.

Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies

• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of an Internship and Internship Prep as Part of the Curriculum
• Offers the Flexibility and Convenience of a Hybrid Option, Evening Classes and Part-Time Scheduling
• Option to Earn a Paralegal Certificate of Completion in One of Several Concentrations at No Additional Cost: Criminal, Corporate, Health, Estate Administration or Intellectual Property Law or Litigation
• Diverse Course Offerings in Quantitative Areas of Criminal Justice and Psychology Not Found in Other Programs
• Offers an Opportunity for More Advanced Study with a Master of Law and Juris Doctor through the Delaware Law School
• Holds ABA-Approval Status

The esteemed Widener University of Delaware Law School doesn’t just produce world-renowned attorneys. This is the place to go to become a skilled and highly valued paralegal too. In addition to being housed in an acclaimed law school, there are plenty of other reasons why earning your Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies here just makes good sense: ABA approval, hybrid course delivery, and the ability to earn a paralegal certificate in a variety of legal specialties. To accommodate the scheduling needs of all students, this program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis, with a format allows students to attend classes in the day, evening, and even online. We love the fantastic internship and externship opportunities afforded to students here, along with practicum opportunities through one of the school’s clinical programs. Plus, complete your bachelor’s degree here and you’ll have the opportunity to earn a paralegal studies certificate of completion (at no extra cost!) in criminal law, corporate law, litigation, health law, estate administration law, or intellectual property law.

Bachelor of Arts in Paralegal Studies

• ABA-approved. GW describes its paralegal program as the only ABA-approved one in Washington, DC
• A degree-completion program, not a from-scratch four-year degree. Built for students who already hold an associate degree or prior college credit
• 120 credits total: 60 taken at GW for the major, plus 22 general education and 38 elective credits that may transfer in from another institution
• Fifteen four-credit courses covering litigation, legal research and writing, and legal technology
• Taught in person, in the evenings, at the GW Education Center in Alexandria, Virginia
• Sits alongside a graduate certificate and a master’s in paralegal studies at the same college

We previously had no recommendation for the District, which was wrong. George Washington University’s College of Professional Studies runs an ABA-approved BA with a major in Paralegal Studies, and GW describes its paralegal program as the only ABA-approved one in Washington, DC.

Two things to understand before you apply, because they change who this suits. It’s a completion program: you bring an associate degree or roughly 60 credits with you and finish the major at GW in about two years. And despite being a DC institution, classes meet in the evenings at GW’s Education Center in Alexandria, Virginia, so factor the commute rather than assuming a downtown campus. For the right student that structure is a genuine advantage, since it’s an affordable route to a GW degree while working. Washington’s legal employment also isn’t concentrated in private firms the way it is elsewhere, so paralegals here move between federal agencies, regulatory practices, trade associations and nonprofit advocacy.

Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies

• Offers the Flexibility of a Hybrid Option
• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of an Internship
• Provides Opportunities for Networking, Enrichment and Camaraderie as Home of the Local Chapter of the National Honor Society, Lambda Epsilon Chi
• Offers an Opportunity for More Advanced Study with a Juris Doctor through the Shepard Broad College of Law
• Exceptional Faculty Made Up of Florida Licensed Attorneys and Judges
• Offers Contemporary and Highly Relevant Curriculum that Covers Legal Software Used in Area Firms
• ABA-approved at the bachelor’s, certificate and minor levels per the ABA directory

One thing to check before applying. Nova Southeastern appears to have restructured its undergraduate offerings in this area, and its current pages present a bachelor’s in law rather than the paralegal studies title we have used historically. The ABA directory lists the program at the bachelor’s, certificate and minor levels, so approval is not in question, but confirm the exact degree name with the college.

Nova Southeastern University is where paralegals and aspiring paralegals go to become leaders and change makers in their field. As a student here, you’ll have access to the College of Law’s authentic courtrooms, where you can participate in mock trials and meet visiting judges and legal analysts. And before you graduate, you’ll submit a paralegal portfolio and sit for an exit interview with the program coordinator, so you can be sure you’re ready to enter the job market with the confidence it takes to impress any hiring committee. The prestige and assurance of quality that comes with an ABA-approved course of study, an internship built into the curriculum and close ties to the local legal community, and access to the outstanding resources and world class faculty within Nova Southeastern’s College of Law. These are just a few of the reasons why graduates of this program are poised for success.

Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies

• ABA-approved at the associate, bachelor’s and certificate levels, including an approved online option
• The only ABA-approved paralegal program in Georgia
• Public university pricing, in the metro Atlanta area
• Full ladder from an associate degree through the BS, so a two-year credential carries forward

Our previous entry said we had no confirmed recommendation for Georgia. That was a gap in our checking rather than a gap in the state. Clayton State University holds ABA approval across the associate, bachelor’s and certificate levels, with the online delivery approved as well, and it’s the only approved paralegal program in Georgia. For a state with a legal market the size of Atlanta’s, having exactly one approved program makes this an easy recommendation. The approved online option matters too, since it means students outside the metro area aren’t shut out.

We don’t have a Hawaii recommendation. No Hawaii institution appears on the ABA’s list of bachelor’s-granting approved programs, and we were not able to confirm a bachelor’s-level legal studies or paralegal degree in the state that meets the bar we’ve applied elsewhere. We checked the University of Hawaii at Manoa, which offers only a graduate Pacific-Asian legal studies certificate, UH West Oahu, UH Hilo, Hawaii Pacific University and Chaminade University of Honolulu. Hawaii Pacific is reported by third parties to offer a bachelor’s in justice administration, but we could not confirm that from the university’s own materials, so we’re not listing it.

The ABA-approved paralegal education in Hawaii is Kapiolani Community College’s Associate of Science in Paralegal Studies. UH West Oahu accepts that associate degree as a transfer path into its BA in Public Administration, which is a public administration degree rather than legal studies, but it is a real route from the approved associate credential to a bachelor’s. Otherwise, completing the associate degree locally and transferring into an online bachelor’s completion program is the usual path.

Bachelor of Applied Science Paralegal Studies

• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of an Internship (Both a cooperative project you’ll participate in as a program requirement, and an elective internship option)
• Not ABA-approved. The ABA’s list of bachelor’s-granting approved programs includes no Idaho institution

Lewis-Clark State College offers a big league education in a small community with a small student body that assures the kind of individualized attention undergrads need to be successful, and the stats don’t lie: LCSC had a student body of fewer than 4,000 students and an outstanding student to faculty ratio – just 14 students for every professor. This leading western institution boasts small class sizes, a picturesque campus, and the lowest in-state tuition among all four-year public institutions in Idaho. The Bachelor of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies reflects the university’s commitment to excellence and builds off the AAS Paralegal Program, so admission into this program requires either the completion of this associate degree program or prior work experience.

Bachelor of Arts in Paralegal Studies

Also Offers a Minor in Paralegal Studies (not intended to prepare students to work as paralegals)

• Contemporary and Relevant Curriculum Covers Legal Technology Including Litigation Software and E-Discovery Applications
• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of a Required Internship, and an Additional Internship Elective
• Offers the Flexibility of Online and Hybrid Options Through the Flex-Track Program
• Provides Exceptional Career Assistance Services Including Lifetime Career Development Assistance, Advising, Workshops and Access to Job Boards
• Maintains Student Performance Standards by Requiring a ‘C’ Grade or Better in All Paralegal Courses
• Diverse Electives Including Special Education Law
• ABA-approved since 1976

A fantastic Chicago setting is just the beginning of what Roosevelt University’s BA in Paralegal Studies offers both aspiring paralegals and practicing paralegals looking to build on their competencies and knowledge. In fact, thanks to the college’s Flex-Track program, you can earn your bachelor’s faster than you might have thought thanks to a unique combination of online and on-campus courses that follow an accelerated format. We love this program for a variety of reasons, including its emphasis on career-long alumni career assistance and support services, hands-on training, along with the experienced attorneys and paralegals that teach the classes. It’s clear, Roosevelt’s bachelor’s in paralegal studies has it all.

Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies

• ABA-approved legal studies major, one of two bachelor’s-level ABA approvals in Indiana
• Choose between a business option and a public law option, so you can aim the degree at corporate work or at government and public policy
• Coursework spans family law, civil and criminal litigation, constitutional law, administrative law and business law
• Housed in the Department of Political Science within the College of Sciences and Humanities
• Doubles as strong law school preparation, with a pre-law advising designation available

Ball State’s Legal Studies major is our Indiana pick because it pairs ABA approval with a genuinely useful structural choice. The business option leans into contracts, business organizations, insurance, finance and law office management. The public law option covers government, politics and public policy and how law operates across them. Few programs let you aim an undergraduate legal studies degree that deliberately, and it matters, because the paralegal you become in a corporate legal department does different work from the one in a state agency. The curriculum mixes legal theory with practical skills, and graduates leave ready to work as paralegals rather than needing a separate credential first.

This entry replaced Indiana State University, which we previously listed. Indiana State’s BA in Legal Studies is a solid pre-law major, but it isn’t an ABA-approved paralegal program, and since Indiana has approved options we’ve gone with one. The other is at IU Indianapolis, whose paralegal studies program in the School of Liberal Arts holds ABA approval and offers a four-year Law in Liberal Arts degree alongside a paralegal certificate. Either is worth a look if Muncie doesn’t suit you.

Bachelor of Arts in Paralegal Studies

• Designed as a Connected Degree Program (2+2 Program), Providing a Seamless Transition for Students with a Paralegal Associate’s Degree
• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of an Internship
• Provides the Flexibility of Online, Evening, and Weekend Courses, and is also offered in an Accelerated Format with Classes Meeting Evenings and Alternate Saturdays
• Allows Students to Specialize in Business & Human Resource Management, Criminology or Public Administration
• Program May Also be Designed as a Pre-Law Pathway to Better Prepare Students to Take the LSAT and Enter Law School
• Not ABA-approved. The ABA’s list of bachelor’s-granting approved programs includes no Iowa institution

Grand View University offers a unique, 2+2 Bachelor of Arts in Paralegal Studies program that allows students with a paralegal associate degree to build upon their education, advance their career, increase their earning potential, and pursue graduate work if desired. There are plenty of reasons to love this program, including its flexible coursework delivery (take courses in the day, evening, weekend, or online), and the option for students to use the program as a Pre-Law Pathway, which involves taking specific coursework and completing training and internships to better prepare for the LSAT and entry into law school. We also love that this program allows students to specialize their bachelor’s degree by choosing a concentration in Business & Human Resource Management, Criminology, or Public Administration.

Bachelor of Legal Studies

• Residents of Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas pay resident tuition rates
• Offers an Opportunity for More Advanced Study with a JD, MSL, LLM in Global Legal Studies, JD/MBA, JD/MSW Through the Washburn University School of Law
• Maintains Student Performance Standards by Requiring a ‘C’ Grade or Better in All Courses
• Provides Valuable Experience in the Form of an Internship
• Contemporary and Relevant Curriculum Includes Diversity in American Culture, the Judicial Process, Communication in the Legal Process, and Technology & Society, Among Others
• Provides career services for students and alumni
• Not ABA-approved. The ABA’s list of bachelor’s-granting approved programs includes no Kansas institution

A beautiful, urban campus in the heart of Topeka, a student-faculty ratio of just 15:1, a faculty of doctoral-prepared professionals (no graduate teaching assistants), and a variety of on-campus student services, including tutoring, study centers, and the First Year Experience program to ensure the success of its students are just a few of the reasons why pursuing the Bachelor of Legal Studies through Washburn University is a smart choice for the aspiring or practicing paralegal. We also love the many correlate courses offered here as part of the curriculum, including Diversity in American culture, the Judicial Process, Communication in the Legal Process, and Technology & Society, among many others. Plus, complete your bachelor’s degree here and you’ll enjoy a variety of career services, available to both students and alumni, including job search preparation resources and alumni services.

Bachelor of Arts Paralegal Science

• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of an Intensive, Immersive Residency
• Offers the flexibility of a Hybrid Option with All but 10-Credit Hours Offered Online
• Committed to Educational Excellence as a Member of the American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE)
• Provides Exceptional Networking and Enrichment Opportunities Though Membership with the Lambda Epsilon Chi Honor Society
• Offers Exceptional Career Assistance Services
• ABA-approved

Eastern Kentucky University’s BA in Paralegal Science boasts a unique hybrid course delivery format designed to accommodate the busy schedules of working professionals. But don’t let the convenience fool you: this program is taught by the same instructors who teach the campus-based courses at the university. Kentucky has its own voluntary credential, the Certified Kentucky Paralegal (CKP), earned by passing the CKP Exam. It’s administered by the Kentucky Paralegal Association through its certification committee, KPACC. KPA describes its program’s purpose as implementing Kentucky Supreme Court Rule 3.700, which is the Supreme Court’s set of provisions relating to paralegals, adopted in 1980, addressing how lawyers employ and supervise them. The rule itself doesn’t create the credential. CKP is not a state license and isn’t required to work as a paralegal in Kentucky. Eligibility runs through several routes, including graduation from an ABA-approved program, a qualifying non-ABA program, or a bachelor’s degree combined with experience. Graduating from EKU’s ABA-approved program is one of those routes. Graduates may also pursue NALA’s CP® credential, subject to NALA’s own current eligibility rules. This program also features a two-week, on-campus residency that involves working with attorneys and judges, access to the courthouse vault and law library, and a series of courses covering legal research and writing, ethics, and strategies for a successful job search. Plus, while on campus, students will have plenty of opportunities to meet with sitting judges in the courtroom, collaborate with fellow students, and interact with faculty.

Bachelor of Arts in Paralegal Studies

• ABA-approved since 1981, making it one of the longest-approved paralegal programs in the region, with the most recent reapproval in 2023
• 120 credits with 36 in the major, and a 100-hour law office practicum
• Graduates receive a Paralegal Certificate alongside the degree
• Tulane also offers a separate BA in General Legal Studies aimed more at law school, and a separate 27-credit Post-Baccalaureate Certificate for people who already hold a bachelor’s
• Designed for adult and working students through Tulane’s professional studies division
• Access to the resources of a major research university and its legal community in New Orleans

We previously listed Louisiana as having no qualifying bachelor’s program, which was wrong. Tulane’s School of Professional Advancement runs a BA in Paralegal Studies that carries ABA approval dating back to 1981, with the most recent reapproval in 2023. We’ve switched this entry to the paralegal-track BA rather than Tulane’s BA in General Legal Studies, because it’s the degree actually built for paralegal practice: 120 credits with 36 in the major, a 100-hour law office practicum, and a Paralegal Certificate awarded alongside the degree.

Be clear on the three credentials, because it’s easy to conflate them. The BA in Paralegal Studies is the paralegal-practice degree. The BA in General Legal Studies is a four-year degree aimed more at law school. The 27-credit Post-Baccalaureate Certificate is a separate credential for people who already hold a bachelor’s. You don’t earn them together, and which one fits depends on where you’re starting from. New Orleans also gives students a deep and varied legal community to intern in, from maritime and energy work to civil rights litigation.

Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies, Pre-Law, with Paralegal Certificate

• Not ABA-approved. The ABA’s list of bachelor’s-granting approved programs includes no Maine institution
• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of an Internship
• Well Connected to the Local Legal Community, with Students Interning at District Courts and Dozens of Law Offices
• Committed to Educational Excellence as a Member of the American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE)
• Provides Exceptional Networking and Enrichment Opportunities Though Membership with the Lambda Epsilon Chi Honor Society and Husson’s Paralegal Club
• Provides Elective Focus Courses in Contemporary and Relevant Areas Like Cyber Law, Social Media Law and Ethics, Elder Law, First Amendment Law and More

Husson University’s legal studies program is Maine’s strongest option for producing competent paralegals for today’s modern legal environment. This intensive, four-year course of study provides students with everything they need to serve as trusted members of the legal team, including full access to the online resource, Westlaw, an internship experience, and on-site visits to courts, law offices, law libraries, and the Registry of Deeds. Husson places students with Maine courts, prosecutors’ offices and law firms, though you should ask the school for its current placement list. Few schools can claim to be as connected to the local legal community as Husson, something that should catch the attention of any prospective student.

Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies

Also offers a Legal Studies Minor

• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of a Two-Part Internship
• Offers an Opportunity for More Advanced Study with a Master of Science in Legal Studies
• Offers Exceptional Career Assistance Services with Personalized Guidance from the Career Success Team
• Pre-Law Students Have Access to the University’s Pre-Law Advising Services
• Offers a BS/MS Option that Allows Students to Earn Credits Applicable Toward a Master’s During the Bachelor’s Program
• ABA-approved and reapproved for the maximum seven-year term, on campus and online
• Offers a Highly Competitive Optional Credential with the Professional Minor in Real Estate

Stevenson University’s Legal Studies program serves as both a springboard to law school and a career as a paralegal. Stevenson describes itself as the first in Maryland and one of the first in the nation to earn ABA approval, and the exclusivity holds up at degree level: Stevenson is the only Maryland institution on the ABA’s list of bachelor’s-granting approved programs. We love the flexibility that this program offers, as students here can either choose an Internship emphasis to focus on developing the skills needed to become a paralegal or advance in the profession, or a Pre-Law option to focus on acing the LSAT and getting into law school.

Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies

Also offers a Legal Studies Minor

• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of an Internship
• Offers an Opportunity for More Advanced Study with a Juris Doctor through Western New England University School of Law, Offering a Unique 3+3 Program that Streamlines the Transition
• Not ABA-approved. The ABA’s list of bachelor’s-granting approved programs includes no Massachusetts institution
• Provides Exceptional Career Guidance Through the University’s Career Development Center and a Career Strategy Course Included in the Curriculum
• Offers Contemporary and Relevant Curriculum, Including a Course in Women in Leadership

Bay Path University’s BA/BS in Legal Studies through The American Women’s College is a four-year course of study that allows students to earn not only their bachelor’s degree, but also a Certificate of Advanced Paralegal Studies upon graduation. But that’s not all. Complete an internship during your program and you’ll be armed with practical experience that will make the transition from the classroom to the courtroom (or law office or other legal setting) a breeze. Plus, if you have aspirations of going to law school, the university offers the 3+3 Program, a partnership between Bay Path University and the Western New England University of Law designed to streamline the transition.

Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies

• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of an Internship
• Offers the Flexibility of Being Able to Take All General Courses Online
• Offers Exceptional Student Support and Career Assistance Services Through the Career Development Office
• Holds ABA-Approval Status

Madonna University has a proven track record for producing highly employable paralegals that are in high demand in the state’s law offices, corporate legal departments, government agencies and district courts. The program has held ABA approval since 1984, making it one of the longest-approved in the region. It also offers real flexibility: students can take all courses online other than the legal specialty coursework Madonna delivers in the classroom to satisfy ABA requirements. The university’s current pages put that at nine semester hours while older pages say ten, so confirm the figure with the department. Don’t let the convenient delivery option give you the wrong idea, though. All courses are taught by a world class faculty made up of expert paralegals and attorneys with years of experience in the field.

Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies

• ABA-approved four-year professional track, and the first program in Minnesota to earn ABA approval
• Subject to an ABA on-site re-evaluation every seven years
• All courses taught by practicing attorneys or by people with extensive paralegal education experience
• Internship in the legal community required before graduation
• Transfer agreements with North Hennepin Community College, Inver Hills Community College and Western Technical College in La Crosse, so an associate degree can carry into the BS

Winona State is our Minnesota pick, and the faculty composition is the reason. Every course in the legal specialty sequence is taught either by a practicing attorney or by someone with deep experience in paralegal education, which is rarer than program marketing usually suggests. Students take the full legal specialty sequence plus legal studies electives, then complete an internship in the legal community before graduating.

The transfer pathway is the other reason to look here. Winona State has worked out agreements with North Hennepin, Inver Hills and Western Technical College so that students finishing a paralegal associate degree can move into the BS without losing ground. If you’re already working as a paralegal with a two-year credential and want the four-year degree, that’s a genuinely useful on-ramp. The program suits both people heading into paralegal work and people using it as preparation for law school.

This entry replaced Hamline University, which we previously listed. Hamline’s ABA approval attaches to its graduate-level paralegal certificate rather than to its undergraduate degree, and since Minnesota has an ABA-approved bachelor’s program we’ve gone with it.

Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies

• ABA-approved at both the BA and BS levels
• Public university pricing, and despite the name the university has admitted men for years
• Choice between the BA and BS lets students weight liberal arts or applied coursework

This replaces Mississippi Christian University, formerly Mississippi College, which we listed previously and whose paralegal program does not appear in the ABA’s approved-programs directory. Mississippi University for Women does, at both the BA and BS levels, which makes it the clear recommendation for the state. The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg also holds ABA approval, at the BA level, and is the alternative if the southern part of the state is more convenient.

Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies

• ABA-approved at the associate, bachelor’s, certificate and minor levels
• Public university, so in-state pricing applies
• Housed with criminal justice and social work, which broadens the elective pool
• Approved minor lets students major elsewhere and still finish inside an approved program

This replaces Maryville University, which we listed for years and which we can no longer confirm still enrolls paralegal students. Missouri Western State University is the better answer regardless. Its ABA approval covers four credential levels including the minor, which is unusually broad, and it means a student can major in accounting or criminal justice and still complete approved paralegal coursework rather than choosing between the two. Webster University in St Louis also holds ABA approval at the bachelor’s level and is worth a look if the eastern side of the state suits you better.

Bachelor of Science in Legal and Paralegal Studies

• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of a Required Internship as Part of the Curriculum
• Offers the Flexibility of Weekend Classes and General Courses Available Online
• Maintains a Partnership with the US Army and Air Force to Offer Active Service Members Discounted Tuition for Military-Specific Paralegal Programs
• Provides Tuition at Half Cost for Providence St. Joseph Caregivers, their Spouses and Dependents
• Offers Exceptional Student Support Services, Including the Four-Year Graduation Guarantee Program
• Offers Exceptional Career Counseling Services Through the Providence Career Center and IMPACT Program
• Holds ABA-Approval Status

The University of Providence is committed to producing only the best paralegal professionals, which is why their BS in Legal and Paralegal Studies includes a truly comprehensive course of study that is worthy of qualifying for the highly esteemed ABA approval status only granted to the best of the best. We also love the flexibility that this program affords, as it maximizes distance learning opportunities while also satisfying the ten traditional classroom credits needed to maintain ABA approval. Complete your program at the University of Providence and you’ll enjoy their unique semester schedule, which includes attending three weekend classes per semester for three semesters.

Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies

The program was previously titled Paralegal Studies.

• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of a Semester-Long Internship Included in the Curriculum
• Provides Opportunities for Networking, Enrichment and Camaraderie Through the Student Paralegal Association
• Offers Exceptional Student Support and Career Assistance Services Through the CSMAdvantage Program, and Achievement and Career Services Centers
• Offers an Opportunity for More Advanced Study with a Juris Doctor through the Creighton University School of Law, Offering a Unique 3+3 Program that Streamlines the Transition
• Holds ABA-Approval Status

The College of Saint Mary provides aspiring or practicing paralegals with everything they need to be welcomed into a law firm, district court or corporate legal department as a trusted legal support professional. College of Saint Mary is the only Nebraska institution on the ABA’s list of bachelor’s-granting approved programs, and no Iowa institution appears on it either, so its claim to be the only four-year option across the two states holds. Either way, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive course of study that maximizes both theory and practical experience. Plus, if you have aspirations of attending law school, this program also serves as an excellent pre-law track, providing you with everything you need to ace the LSAT. Complete your program here and you’ll get to learn from a faculty made up of practicing attorneys, while also getting valuable real-world experience through a semester-long internship in a law firm, corporate legal department, government agency, or nonprofit legal services organization.

We don’t have a Nevada recommendation, and this one is a confirmed absence rather than a gap in our checking. No Nevada institution appears on the ABA’s list of bachelor’s-granting approved programs, and none of the state’s universities offers a bachelor’s-level legal studies or paralegal degree that meets the bar we’ve applied elsewhere on this page. We checked UNLV, which runs a continuing-education paralegal certificate only, the University of Nevada Reno, and Nevada State University in Henderson, whose degree finder lists criminal justice but no legal studies or paralegal bachelor’s.

The ABA-approved paralegal education in Nevada is at the College of Southern Nevada, at the associate and certificate level, and we found no in-state route from there into a bachelor’s. Given how concentrated Nevada’s legal work is in Las Vegas and Reno, ask local employers which credential they actually screen for before committing to a four-year degree elsewhere. If you want an approved bachelor’s, it will be an online program from another state.

Bachelor of Arts in Law, Politics and Societies

Not ABA-approved. No New Hampshire institution appears on the ABA’s list of bachelor’s-granting approved programs, so this is the strongest in-state option rather than an approved one.

• Interdisciplinary degree drawing on sociology, political science and legal studies
• Internship component built into the program
• SNHU also runs a BS in Justice Studies with a Law and Legal Process concentration, and an online BS in Criminal Justice with a Legal Studies and Advocacy concentration
• Not ABA-approved

Worth knowing that SNHU does not offer a degree titled Legal Studies, which is what most people searching for one in New Hampshire expect to find. What it does offer is the BA in Law, Politics and Societies, an interdisciplinary degree that pulls from sociology, political science and legal studies and builds in an internship. That’s a genuine legal-studies grounding rather than a pre-law advising track, which is why it clears the bar for this list.

If your target is paralegal practice specifically rather than a broad legal education, weigh this against an online ABA-approved program from another state, since New Hampshire has no approved bachelor’s option of its own.

We don’t have a New Jersey recommendation. Our previous pick was the Paralegal Studies concentration within Montclair State University’s BA in Justice Studies, and two separate problems have caught up with it.

First, ABA status. Montclair has described the concentration as ABA-approved for many years, and that description still appears in university materials. A direct search of the ABA’s approved-programs directory does not return Montclair State. Because the ABA directory is the only authority on its own approvals, we cannot repeat the approval claim.

Second, and more fundamental, the concentration may no longer exist. Montclair’s current Justice Studies pages list Criminal Justice and International Justice concentrations, and we could not confirm that a Paralegal Studies concentration is still offered. Rather than send readers to a program we cannot verify, we’ve pulled the recommendation. If you are interested, the BA in Justice Studies itself is live at montclair.edu, and the Justice Studies department can tell you whether a paralegal pathway remains.

No New Jersey institution appears on the ABA’s list of bachelor’s-granting approved programs, so a student wanting an approved bachelor’s will need an online program or one out of state.

Law and Society supplemental major

Not ABA-approved. No New Mexico institution appears on the ABA’s list of bachelor’s-granting approved programs. This is a supplemental major, so you pair it with a primary bachelor’s degree.

• 24 credit hours, at least 18 of them upper-division
• Coursework in Constitutional Law, Civil Liberties, Criminal Procedural Law and the judicial process
• Runs through the Department of Government in the College of Arts and Sciences
• On campus at Las Cruces, currently admitting
• Not ABA-approved

New Mexico has no ABA-approved paralegal program at any credential level, which makes this a harder state than most. NMSU’s Law and Society supplemental major is the strongest in-state answer: 24 credit hours with real substantive law content rather than a survey course or two, taken alongside a primary major of your choosing. That pairing structure matches how a couple of other entries on this list work.

Eastern New Mexico University offers an 18-credit Legal Studies minor as a lighter alternative. If ABA approval matters for the employers you’re targeting, you’ll need to look at an online program or go out of state.

Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies

• ABA-approved at the associate, bachelor’s, certificate and minor levels
• Sits inside the New York City legal market, the largest in the country
• Approved minor means students majoring in another field can still finish inside an approved program
• Full credential ladder, so an associate degree or certificate carries into the BS

This replaces Hilbert College, which we listed previously. Two things ruled Hilbert out. Its paralegal program does not appear in the ABA’s current approved-programs directory, despite the college describing itself as approved since 1977. And Hilbert has been on Non-Compliance Probation with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education since June 25, 2026, with a teach-out plan directed and a monitoring report due March 15, 2027.

St. John’s is the recommendation on its own merits. ABA approval runs across four credential levels, which gives students real flexibility about how they enter and exit the program, and the Queens campus puts students inside the New York City legal market for internships and hiring. New York has more approved options than most states, so if St. John’s doesn’t fit, look at Daemen University near Buffalo, Mercy University in Dobbs Ferry, and New York City College of Technology in Brooklyn, which is the CUNY option and the most affordable of the four.

Minor in Legal Studies

Not ABA-approved. Methodist offers a 21-credit legal studies minor to pair with a bachelor’s in another field. The ABA’s approved-programs directory lists no bachelor’s-level paralegal program in North Carolina at all, so this is the strongest option we found rather than an approved one.

• Not represented as ABA-approved. Methodist’s own pages make no ABA approval claim for this minor
• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of a 120-Contact Hour Internship Included in the Curriculum
• Offers the Flexibility of Being Able to Take General Courses Online
• Offers Exceptional Student Support and Career Assistance Services with Dedicated Career Services Staff
• Curriculum described by the university as aligned with NALA’s CP® exam. Eligibility for that exam is set by NALA, not by the school
• Pairs with a 3+3 pathway for students heading to law school

Hybrid course delivery and an independent study experience are a couple of the reasons why completing the Minor in Legal Studies through Methodist University makes good sense for anybody in Fayetteville and the surrounding area. Pairing a bachelor’s degree with a legal studies minor is a legitimate route into paralegal work, and this one comes with a substantial internship built into the curriculum. Plus, if you have aspirations of attending law school and going on to practice law, this program provides useful preparation. We also like this school’s Career Services within the Office of Student Affairs, which serves both students and alumni.

One thing to check before you enroll if North Carolina certification is your goal. The North Carolina State Bar’s paralegal certification rule, 27 NCAC 1G .0119(a)(1), requires an associate, bachelor’s or master’s degree from a qualified paralegal studies program, or a certificate from a qualified program combined with a degree in any discipline, or a law degree. A minor isn’t among the credentials the rule lists, and the rule also sets a minimum of classroom-based legal specialty credits, with online programs not qualified. We previously said this minor meets those education requirements and have removed that claim, because we can’t confirm it against the rule as written. Confirm your own path directly with the State Bar’s Board of Paralegal Certification. These rules are specific to North Carolina and don’t carry over to other states. North Carolina does have ABA-approved paralegal programs at the certificate and associate level, and several of those are also North Carolina Bar Qualified, so if a direct route to state certification matters more to you than the four-year credential, that’s the direction to look.

Minor in Legal Studies

Not ABA-approved. No North Dakota institution appears on the ABA’s list of bachelor’s-granting approved programs. This is a minor, paired with a bachelor’s in another field.

• 21 credits including Criminal Law, Introduction to Law and Legal Studies, Philosophy of Law and American Constitution, plus electives
• On campus at Grand Forks
• Not ABA-approved, and no ABA-approved paralegal program operates in North Dakota

North Dakota has no ABA-approved paralegal program, so the practical route here is a bachelor’s in a field that interests you plus UND’s 21-credit Legal Studies minor. The course list is substantive, covering criminal law, legal philosophy and constitutional law rather than a single introductory survey, which is why it clears the bar we’ve applied to the two other minor-based entries on this list. NDSU, Minot State, Dickinson State and Valley City State didn’t turn up a stronger option.

Bachelor of Science in Legal and Paralegal Studies

University of Toledo also offers an Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies, a legal-profession minor, a post-baccalaureate certificate in paralegal studies, and a nurse paralegal certificate. All four were confirmed as current

• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of an Internship
• Provides Immersive Learning Experiences with the State-of-the-Art Teaching Courtroom
• Focus on Experiential Learning with a Criminal Forensics and Trial Practices Class
• Provides Unsurpassed Opportunities for Networking, Enrichment, Camaraderie and Competition by Joining the Mock Trial Team
• Exceptional Faculty Made up of Judges and Lawyers
• Offers an Opportunity for More Advanced Study with a Juris Doctor through the University of Toledo College of Law
• Roughly nine credits of legal specialty coursework are delivered synchronously to satisfy ABA requirements
• Holds ABA-Approval Status

A world class undergraduate education in paralegal studies is yours through the University of Toledo. In addition to holding ABA approval, the university’s program is one of the few to have its own teaching courtroom, a facility that offers hands-on training in courtroom technology. If law school is the goal, ask the College of Law directly about current admission pathways for Toledo undergraduates, since the terms change. All students in the BS program complete an internship, and many receive job offers from their internship employers.

Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies

• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of an Internship Included in the Curriculum
• Provides Access to Political Science and Law Related Electives in Unique Areas Like Business Communication, Accounting, Argumentation, Interviewing and Much More
• Committed to Educational Excellence as a Member of the American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE)
• Provides Opportunities for Networking, Enrichment and Camaraderie Through Membership with the National Honor Society, Lambda Epsilon Chi, and the Local Legal Professions Association (LPA), which Partners with the Pontotoc County Bar Association to Sponsor the Annual Event, EDU Law Day
• Not ABA-approved. East Central does not appear in the ABA’s approved-programs directory, despite the university’s own materials describing the program as approved. See the note below

Whether you want to prepare for your first job as a paralegal or advance in your current paralegal role, the BS in Legal Studies through East Central University is the best bet for anybody in or around the Ada area. This four-year course of study provides a strong, liberal arts foundation with a focus on analytical and communication skills applicable to a variety of legal environments, from law offices to corporate legal departments to government agencies to nonprofits, and more. The program features an internship designed to let you apply classroom theory in a real-world legal setting.

One thing to be clear about on ABA approval. East Central’s own materials describe its Legal Studies Program as ABA-approved, and the Oklahoma Bar Association’s listing of state paralegal programs has described it the same way. A direct search of the ABA’s approved-programs directory does not return East Central. Because the ABA directory is the only authority on its own approvals, we’re reporting the program as not currently ABA-approved and flagging that the university’s materials say otherwise. If approval matters to your plans, raise the discrepancy with the department directly.

For context on the state generally, the University of Oklahoma’s paralegal certificate program has said its ABA approval runs through the end of 2026. That’s a certificate rather than a bachelor’s degree, so it isn’t an alternative to this program, but it’s worth knowing if you’re weighing Oklahoma options. Plus, if you decide to pursue law school in the future, this program serves as an excellent foundation to a Juris Doctor degree. We also love East Central’s host of student services, which include everything from free tutoring to enrollment assistance to assistance with study skills, stress management, and career options.

Minor in Legal Studies

Not ABA-approved. No Oregon institution appears on the ABA’s list of bachelor’s-granting approved programs. This is a minor, paired with a bachelor’s in another field.

• 24 credits, at least 12 of them upper-division
• Administered by the School of Law and taught by law faculty
• On campus at Eugene, currently admitting
• Not ABA-approved

What makes this Oregon’s pick rather than Portland State’s comparable Law and Legal Studies minor is who teaches it. The University of Oregon’s Legal Studies minor is administered by the School of Law itself, with coursework delivered by law faculty. For an undergraduate credential, being taught by the people who teach the JD is a meaningful difference.

Oregon’s ABA-approved paralegal education sits at Portland Community College at the associate and certificate level. A common route is finishing that approved associate degree and then moving into a bachelor’s completion program, which may serve you better than a minor if paralegal practice is the goal.

Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies

• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of a Cooperative Work Experience
• Offers the Flexibility to Complete All General Coursework Online
• Exceptional Faculty Made Up of Attorneys, Judges and LEOs with Close Ties to the Local and National Legal Community
• Demonstrates a Commitment to Educational Excellence and Career Readiness by Tailoring Curriculum to Current Industry Demands
• Contemporary and Highly Relevant Curriculum Includes Advanced Legal Technology
• Offers Exceptional Student Support and Career Assistance Through the Peirce College Career Development Services Center
• ABA-approved BS (121 credits), plus an AS and a post-baccalaureate certificate

Peirce College merged into Lackawanna College on July 8, 2026. The paralegal programs continue, now associated with the Lackawanna College Philadelphia Center and the Peirce School of Online Education. The ABA-approved BS in Paralegal Studies runs 121 credits and sits alongside an associate degree and a post-baccalaureate certificate. The ABA directory lists the program under Lackawanna College at the Pine Street Philadelphia address, covering the associate, bachelor’s, certificate, joint degree and online levels. It is the only Philadelphia institution on the ABA’s list of bachelor’s-granting approved programs, though Pennsylvania has three others elsewhere in the state: Central Penn College, Lehigh Carbon Community College and Pennsylvania Western University. Delivery is built around convenience: most coursework can be completed from anywhere, and the foundation courses use live face-to-face instruction, either online or hybrid, to satisfy ABA requirements. Peirce allows an exception where equivalent coursework transfers in from another ABA-approved institution. Because the merger is recent, confirm the ABA listing under the current institutional name before you enroll.

Bachelor of Science in Professional Legal Studies

The unit that runs this program is now branded RWU EXT, formerly the School of Continuing Studies.

• ABA-approved since 1988
• Note that RWU runs two separate legal studies degrees. This is the Professional Legal Studies BS through RWU EXT. There is a separate on-campus Legal Studies BS, so check which one you are applying to
• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of an Internship Included in the Curriculum
• Offers the Flexibility of Being Able to Complete All General Coursework Online
• Offers an Opportunity for More Advanced Study with a Master of Studies in Law and Juris Doctor through the Roger Williams University School of Law
• Offers Contemporary and Highly Relevant Curriculum that Covers Emerging Law Office Technologies
• Offers Exceptional Student Support and Career Assistance Services Through the Center for Career and Professional Development
• Holds ABA-Approval Status

Roger Williams University’s BS in Professional Legal Studies is a practice-oriented program designed to prepare you to serve as a valuable member of the legal team. To maintain its ABA approval status, this program includes 10 semester credits of legal specialty courses on campus, but the remaining courses can be completed entirely online to suit non-traditional students juggling work and school, regardless of their geographical limitations or professional obligations. We also love this school’s fantastic student services, which include one-on-one advising, tutoring (both on-campus and online), and the Center for Career and Professional Development, which includes individual career counseling, résumé and cover letter development, internship preparation and coordination, job search assistance, and much more.

We don’t have a South Carolina recommendation, and we’ve withdrawn the one an earlier version of this page carried. That entry named South University’s BS in Legal Studies as a Columbia, South Carolina option. On checking, the degree is delivered online with coursework offered through the Savannah campus, and South University’s Columbia campus page does not list legal studies among its offerings. It is not a South Carolina on-ground program, so listing it as one would have been misleading.

No South Carolina institution appears on the ABA’s list of bachelor’s-granting approved programs. The state’s ABA-approved paralegal education is at the associate and certificate level, through institutions including Greenville Technical College and Midlands Technical College. The University of South Carolina’s paralegal offering is a continuing-education certificate that requires a prior four-year degree.

If an online bachelor’s works for you, South University’s BS in Legal Studies is available to study from South Carolina, and its catalog notes that not every online program is offered to residents of every state, so check your eligibility. We’re describing it as an online option rather than presenting it as this state’s program, which is the same standard we apply in Nevada.

Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies

• ABA-approved since 1994, with three legal specialty courses delivered synchronously by online video conference to meet ABA guidelines
• Delivered entirely online. NAU no longer maintains a campus-based program in South Dakota
• Credits from NAU’s separate Paralegal Studies associate degree apply toward the bachelor’s
• Virtual paralegal internship built into the curriculum
• Alumni may audit any course previously taken and passed at NAU

We’ve reclassified this entry. National American University still holds ABA approval for its BS in Paralegal Studies, but the program is now delivered entirely online and the university no longer has a meaningful physical presence in South Dakota, so treat it as a national online option rather than a South Dakota campus program. Our earlier write-up sold the Rapid City and Sioux Falls campuses and on-campus day and evening classes, and that’s no longer accurate. NAU is a for-profit institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and still headquartered in Rapid City, though we could not confirm a teaching campus presence there. Its footprint has changed repeatedly, so confirm both its accreditation and the program’s ABA listing before enrolling. We could not confirm any campus-based ABA-approved bachelor’s paralegal program now operating in South Dakota.

Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies

• ABA-approved at the associate, bachelor’s and certificate levels, confirmed in the ABA directory at the Knoxville campus
• Curriculum combines general education, theoretical legal concepts and practical application, with emphasis on analytical and reasoning skills
• Legal research, writing and drafting skills taught to the standard needed for a paralegal role working under a licensed attorney
• Ethics grounded in the Tennessee Rules of Professional Responsibility
• Program admission comes after 60 credit hours of the required curriculum, so general admission to the college doesn’t guarantee a place
• Sits alongside an Associate of Science in Paralegal Studies and a post-degree Certificate in Paralegal Studies. South College teaches legal studies at several locations and online, but the ABA listing is tied to the Knoxville address, so confirm which formats fall inside the approved program

South College’s School of Legal Studies is Tennessee’s strongest bachelor’s-level option that we could identify. The BS in Legal Studies is built around fundamental legal concepts plus practical application, and it takes ethics seriously enough to anchor it in the Tennessee Rules of Professional Responsibility specifically rather than in generic professionalism language. The gated admission is worth noting as a feature rather than an obstacle: you’re admitted to the program after completing 60 hours of required curriculum at the required grades, which means the cohort has already demonstrated it can do the work.

One thing to establish directly with admissions. South College operates across ten locations, and the ABA directory lists the program at the Knoxville address covering the associate, bachelor’s and certificate levels. Delivery formats vary by campus, so confirm that the specific campus or online format you’re enrolling in falls under the approved program.

Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies

• Provides Valuable Field Experience Through a 160-Hour Internship Included in the Curriculum
• Promotes Educational Excellence by Requiring Students to Complete a Portfolio Including a Survey of Experience
• Offers Exceptional Student Support and Career Assistance Services Through the Career Development Center
• ABA-approved BA and BS in Paralegal Studies

East Texas A&M University, renamed from Texas A&M University-Commerce, offers not just a comprehensive, four-year degree in paralegal studies for both aspiring and practicing paralegals, it also offers the option of completing the program with either a liberal arts or science focus: Complete the BA degree and you’ll take foreign language courses, and complete the BS degree and you’ll take on more upper-level political science courses. Both degrees stress the fundamentals of legal research, law office management, real estate law, constitutional law, and more, and both include the completion of an internship. In fact, students of this program gain plenty of hands-on experience through an internship at one of the County District Attorney’s Offices throughout the region or in a private attorney’s office. It’s no easy feat offering the best paralegal program in a state with so many options, but East Texas A&M pulls it off. Worth knowing: this is no longer the state’s only ABA-approved bachelor’s option. The Center for Advanced Legal Studies in Houston received ABA approval for a seven-year term running from February 2026 to February 2033, covering its Bachelor of Arts in Law and Business alongside its certificate and associate programs.

Political Science BA with a Legal Studies emphasis

Not ABA-approved. No Utah institution appears on the ABA’s list of bachelor’s-granting approved programs, so this is the strongest in-state option rather than an approved one.

• A Legal Studies emphasis within the Political Science BA, not a standalone legal studies degree
• BYU separately offers a 15-credit Legal Studies minor
• Neither the emphasis nor the minor is an ABA-approved paralegal program

Brigham Young University offers a Political Science BA with a Legal Studies emphasis, as well as a Legal Studies minor. Neither is an ABA-approved paralegal program. We’re listing the emphasis as Utah’s option because it’s directly comparable to selections we’ve made elsewhere on this page, including a political science major with a legal studies emphasis in Wisconsin and legal studies minors in several other states. Be clear that it’s an academic legal-studies pathway rather than paralegal-practice training.

A note on what changed here. Earlier versions of this entry pointed at Utah Valley University. A Legal Studies degree does not appear in UVU’s 2026-2027 catalog, though LEGL courses remain, and we could not determine from published materials whether a former program was discontinued outright or remains in teach-out. If UVU is where you want to study, ask the Woodbury School of Business or the registrar directly. Associate and certificate paralegal programs are common across the state.

Minor in Law

Not ABA-approved, and this entry carries a real caveat. Champlain’s Law major was discontinued. The Law minor is still published, but confirm it survives the college’s fall 2026 curriculum redesign before you rely on it.

• 18 credits covering introduction to law, criminal law, contracts, torts and family law
• Published as available to all Champlain students, paired with any bachelor’s
• Not ABA-approved, and no ABA-approved paralegal program operates in Vermont

Champlain College began phasing out five majors including Law, and stopped admitting new students to those majors from fall 2025, as part of a curriculum redesign for fall 2026. Our previous pick was that discontinued major, which was a Bachelor of Science in Law rather than the Bachelor of Arts we had listed.

What remains is an 18-credit Law minor, still published and described as open to all students, with substantive coursework across criminal law, contracts, torts and family law. We’re listing it because it clears the bar and because Vermont has nothing else. But given that the associated major was cut, ask the college directly whether the minor continues under the new curriculum. Norwich, Vermont State University and Saint Michael’s offer pre-law advising or criminal justice rather than legal studies coursework.

Bachelor of Arts in Paralegal Studies

Hampton discloses on its own site that this program is not approved by the ABA Standing Committee on Paralegals.

• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of an Internship Included in the Curriculum
• Offers Exceptional Student Support and Career Assistance Services Through the Career Counseling and Planning Center
• Provides a Decided Focus on Communication Skills with Courses in Oral and Written Communication, and Business Communication
• Offers the Convenience of 100% Online Course Delivery

Hampton University’s BA in Paralegal Studies can get you where you want to be, whether you want to enter the paralegal field or advance in it. This fully online program accommodates non-traditional and adult learners and includes the best in instruction, combined with comprehensive support services designed to ensure you succeed in your academics and reach your career goals. But there’s plenty more to love about this university, including the Career Counseling and Planning Center, which offers comprehensive student and career planning services that include career counseling, internship assistance, and cooperative education opportunities.

Minor in Legal Studies

Saint Martin’s offers a legal studies minor rather than a bachelor’s-level major. We could not confirm a bachelor’s-level ABA-approved paralegal program anywhere in Washington.

• Provides Valuable Field Experience in the Form of an Internship
• Integrated with Bachelor’s Programs in Criminal Justice, Political Science and Psychology
• Contemporary and Highly Relevant Curriculum Covers Environmental Protection Laws, Civil Liberties, Constitutional Law, and Business Law
• Exceptional Faculty Made Up of Legal Experts Who Actively Participate in Contemporary Civil Rights Campaigns and Contribute Literature
• Small Class Sizes Encourage Lots of Opportunities for Individualized Learning and Interactions with Professors

Located just a stone’s throw from the state capitol in Olympia where legislative developments at the state level are having a real impact on the national conversation about pressing social issues, Saint Martin’s University offers something to aspiring legal support professionals that few other schools can. The Minor in Legal Studies St. Martins can be added to a number of relevant majors, including political science, psychology, and criminal justice. Interested in law school? At Saint Martin’s you’ll work with a pre-law advisor, so you can be assured you’ll be well prepared for the LSAT and an advanced law degree. This minor comes complete with an internship placement in the thriving local legal community so you can apply theory in a real world setting where the rubber meets the road.

Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies

Not ABA-approved. No West Virginia institution appears on the ABA’s list of bachelor’s-granting approved programs. APUS states plainly on its own site that completing this program does not award any professional paralegal certification.

• Fully online, and headquartered in Charles Town, West Virginia, so it is a genuine in-state institution
• Concentrations including Criminal Law Support, Legal Ethics, and Legal Office Administration
• Taught by faculty who are practicing attorneys
• Currently admitting
• Not ABA-approved, and the university says the degree confers no paralegal certification

Our previous West Virginia pick was Alderson Broaddus University, which closed. The state Higher Education Policy Commission voted on July 31, 2023 to revoke its degree-granting authority and barred new enrollment from that fall, and the university closed on August 31, 2023.

American Public University System is the strongest replacement and a real West Virginia institution, headquartered in Charles Town, even though delivery is entirely online. The BS in Legal Studies offers concentrations that map to actual paralegal work, including criminal law support and legal office administration, and the faculty are practicing attorneys. Credit to APUS for being explicit that the degree does not confer paralegal certification, which is more transparency than several schools on this page manage. One practical note: APUS completed a combination with Rasmussen University and Hondros College of Nursing in August 2026, so program pages and URLs may move while the merged institution reorganizes. If ABA approval is what you need, look at an online approved program from another state.

Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Legal Studies Emphasis

This is a political science major with a legal studies emphasis. We could not confirm ABA approval for it. UW-Eau Claire also offers a separate Legal Studies Certificate.

• Promotes A Sense of Community and Civic Duty by Requiring 30 Hours of Service Learning
• Offers Exceptional Student Support and Career Assistance Services that Include Career Counseling, Interview Preparation, and Salary Negotiation
• Offered as a Complement to a Major in Political Science, Opening Up Opportunities for Careers in Government and Public Policy
• Fosters Cross-Cultural Understanding with Opportunities to Study a Foreign Language

Sometimes one of the most impressive things about a program is the caliber of the school it’s offered through. If you’re looking for a college in the Midwest where diversity is celebrated, civic mindedness is fostered, and where dozens of active and influential student organizations, clubs and honor societies provide opportunities for camaraderie and enrichment, then UWEC is where you want to be. The University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire doesn’t just offer paralegal students a solid bachelor’s program, they provide them with an opportunity to specialize their course of study to meet specific professional goals. Want a degree that includes a foreign language component? Choose the BA in Political Science, Legal Studies emphasis. Want a degree that includes a mathematics component? Choose the BS in Political Science, Legal Studies emphasis. Whatever you choose, you’ll enjoy the university’s career services, which include career counseling, internship and job search assistance, network coaching, interview preparation, and salary negotiation.

Minor in Public Law

Not ABA-approved. No Wyoming institution appears on the ABA’s list of bachelor’s-granting approved programs. This is a minor, paired with a bachelor’s in another field, and it is law-focused rather than paralegal-practice oriented.

• Three required courses: Constitutional Law on institutional powers, Constitutional Law on civil rights and civil liberties, and a seminar in public law
• Distinct from UW’s BA in Criminal Justice and Criminology pre-law concentration
• Not ABA-approved

The University of Wyoming has no legal studies major and no paralegal bachelor’s degree. Its Public Law minor is the closest qualifying option, with genuine substantive law content across two constitutional law courses and a public law seminar. Be clear-eyed about what it is though: this is a law-focused academic minor, not training aimed at paralegal practice, and it’s a step further from the job than most entries on this list.

Wyoming’s ABA-approved paralegal programs are at community colleges, Casper College and Laramie County Community College among them, at the associate and certificate level. We found no in-state bachelor’s completion route from those programs. Finishing an approved associate degree locally and then transferring into an online bachelor’s completion program remains the usual path.