Are you interested in becoming a paralegal but want to attend the best courses available in Miami? You are not alone. It is important to find the right fit for your educational needs. Take the time to research your options and find the perfect Paralegal Studies courses in Miami.
What are the Best Paralegal Studies Courses in Miami?
Florida National University offers one of the most prestigious paralegal studies courses in Miami. We prepare you for a career in law with the general education and core requirements that can help build hard and soft skills to prepare you for a role as a paralegal. This course will survey the American legal system that can be transferred to upper level studies, or begin a career within the legal profession.
Why Does Someone Become a Paralegal?
There are many reasons that you may want to become a paralegal and work in the legal field. Whether you want to help others or just have an interest in the legal field, you can become a paralegal and enjoy this rewarding career.
A Quicker Path
Do you want to work in the legal field but don’t want to spend multiple years becoming a lawyer? Maybe you want to take the first step toward the legal field and want to make sure you really enjoy law? Either way, taking Paralegal Studies courses will lay a solid foundation that you can build upon throughout your career. Plus, it takes less than 2 years to train for a role as a paralegal, with the help of Florida National University. Get an introduction to the law and prepare for a challenging job at the same time. It’s a win-win.
Helping Others
If you want to help others, becoming a paralegal may be your calling. As a paralegal, you get to work with families, witnesses and many others that are suffering through a difficult experience. You can be their advocate and help them through this difficulty. It can be rewarding to help others in this way as a paralegal.
Opportunity for Growth
Did you know that paralegals with an associate degree can advance within the law firm? Some paralegals even advance to become supervisors or office managers. Plus, you can parlay your education to become an attorney, if that is what you are ultimately interested in. You have lots of opportunities for growth.
Social Justice
If you want to promote and uphold fair treatment and equal opportunities for all members of our society, regardless of their race, religion, socioeconomic status, or personal characteristics, you can do this by becoming a paralegal. You can help fight against discrimination, prejudice, and bias in all its forms. You can also become an advocate for policies and initiatives to promote fairness and equality. As a paralegal, you can make changes you are proud of.
What Do You Learn During Paralegal Studies Courses?
During the Paralegal Studies program, you learn general education, core requirements, and have the option to choose electives that will prepare you for a role as a paralegal. These courses include:
General Education Courses
At the beginning of the Paralegal Studies program, you will complete general education courses that will help you build the hard and soft skills needed to work in the legal field. These courses include:
English Composition – a course that teaches you the art of effective writing. You will learn how to communicate in writing, to edit your work, write research papers and develop critical thinking skills. In this course, you learn about grammar, an important structure of language that helps paralegals write briefs and other legal documents.
Ethics – you will learn about ethical dilemmas and how to make decisions that align with ethical principles. This includes moral reasoning to evaluate a situation or decision based on moral principles. These moral principles take into consideration culture, religion, and personal beliefs. Further, the course will review the role of ethics in the legal field.
Humanities – a course that will help shape your understanding of the complex issues in our world. This course also helps foster critical thinking skills. You will analyze complex ideas, weigh evidence, and make informed decisions. Themes in the humanities course will include social justice, politics, and legal sustainability.
General Psychology – a course that focuses on human behavior and mental processes. The main topics of the course include perception, learning, motivation, emotion, personality, and social psychology. This course also teaches diverse research methods that will be useful as a paralegal.
College Algebra – provides a solid foundation in algebraic concepts and problem-solving skills.
Intro to Statistics – teaches the fundamental concepts of statistics and data analysis, crucial in understanding scientific research and making informed decisions with data. This course will help you collect, organize, and analyze data to make informed decisions about legal implications.
Intro to Information Technology – provides foundational knowledge of computers for communication, research, and other legal applications.
Paralegal Core Courses
The next step in the Paralegal Studies program focuses on the core courses that will build hard skills for legal excellence.
Intro to the Law – sheds light on the legal system and its various components. You will learn about the different branches of the law including criminal law, civil law, and administrative law. You will learn about the role of judges, lawyers, and other legal professionals. This course includes legal terminology and concepts like torts, contracts, and property rights. You will also learn how to read and interpret legal documents including statutes, cases, and regulations.
Legal Research and Writing – prepares you to conduct legal research, use library resources and analyze case law. Further instruction focuses on research organization and how to present findings in a clear and concise manner. You will also learn how to draft legal documents, write persuasively and how to use legal language effectively.
Intro to Civil Procedure – an introduction to the basic concepts and rules of civil litigation. This course covers topics including jurisdiction, venue, pleading, discovery, motions, and trial procedures.
Intro to Torts – covers the fundamental principles and concepts of torts, the legal liability for civil wrongs that cause harm or injury to others. You will study cases that have established legal precedent and analyze them to gain a better understanding of the law.
Professional Ethics and Liability – the ethical principles and legal framework that governs the conduct of legal professionals. In addition to hard skills, it also helps you develop critical thinking skills, ethical decision-making abilities, and an understanding of legal responsibilities and liabilities.
Suggested Electives
In addition to general education and core requirements, you will be able to specialize in your knowledge of law with the help of elective courses. They include:
Contracts and Business Entities – course the teaches the legal framework that governs business transactions. It provides comprehensive fundamentals about contracts and different types of business entities. You will learn about elements of a contract including offers, acceptance consideration, and performance. Plus, different types of contracts like express, implied, unilateral, bilateral, executory. and executed contracts.
Criminal Law and Procedure – teaches criminal law and the criminal justice system. The course covers topics like the nature of crime, the elements of a crime, criminal defense, and criminal liability. You will learn about the legal principles, statutes, and case law that govern criminal law and procedure. Further, curriculum focuses on the rights of the defendant and rules of evidence. You will also learn about the different roles of law enforcement officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and juries.
Law Office Management – during this course, you learn the essentials of managing a law office. You learn about managing finances, personnel, and client relationships.
Family Law & Practice – a course that focuses on legal matters with families, including marriage, divorce, custody, child support, adoption, and domestic violence. You will study state and federal laws that regulate family issues.
Final Thoughts
Ready to become a paralegal in Miami? Let Florida National University help. At FNU, we believe everyone should have access to higher education to improve their lives and the lives of their families. Contact us today to learn more.
Want to Learn More?
The Associate of Arts in Paralegal program has been designed for those students seeking an entry level career in the legal field. Students will take courses that survey the American legal system, as well as courses in communication, humanities, behavioral science, mathematics, natural science, and computers. Florida National University will award an Associate of Arts in Paralegal upon graduation to those students who complete the necessary requirements.
Contact us today to learn more about our Paralegal Studies program.
