Which Boston Colleges Have Paralegal Studies Degree Programs?

Find out which schools in Boston offer paralegal studies degrees, as well as specializations and tuition rates for these programs.

What You Need to Know

Paralegal programs in and around Boston may be found at 2- and 4-year schools. Associate's degree programs spanning 2 years are available in legal or paralegal studies, and credits may sometimes be transferred to 4-year programs. You might also earn a 4-year bachelor's degree in legal studies, in programs that may offer specialization options like public interest, litigation, corporate/business, or family law. Select programs at both levels are approved by the American Bar Association, may require internships, and sometimes offer classes during days, evenings and weekends.

Paralegal Studies Associate's Degree Programs near Boston, MA

Bay Path University

The main campus of Bay Path University is in Longmeadow in western Massachusetts. It has satellite campuses in Sturbridge and Burlington, MA. The undergraduate student body is entirely female. Graduate programs also accept male students. The legal studies and paralegal programs are ABA-accredited. You have the option of attending days, evenings, or weekends. The associate's degree program includes earning a Certificate of Advanced Paralegal Studies. In addition to general education courses, the curriculum includes such subjects as business law, litigation, legal research, torts, criminal procedure, and computer applications for legal studies. You'll also be required to serve an internship at a school-partnered facility.

• Program Name: Associate of Science
• Field of Study: Legal Studies
• Program Length: Two years (full-time)
• Tuition and Fees: $34,225 per year (2018-2019)
• Prerequisites: College preparatory high school curriculum including 2-3 years of lab science, four years of English, three years of history or social science, and three years of math
• School Type: 4-year, private, not-for profit; around 3,444 students (1,923 undergraduate)

Bunker Hill Community College

As the largest community college in Massachusetts, Bunker Hill Community College boasts two campuses and four satellite locations around the Boston region. The program leading to an associate's degree in paralegal studies consists of 62-65 credits. In addition to general education courses, the program contains instruction in areas such as wills, estates and trusts, criminal law, legal research, real estate, ethics, and family law. If you complete all of your required paralegal courses and maintain an overall 3.0 GPA, you'll have the option of serving a 150-hour supervised internship at a local law firm, public agency, corporation, or another law-related organization. You may be able to transfer credits earned toward a 4-year degree.

• Program Name: Associate of Science
• Field of Study: Paralegal Studies
• Program Length: Two years (full-time)
• Tuition and Fees: $4,464 per year for in-state; $9,408 per year for out-of-state (2018-2019)
• Requirements: Must sit for placement tests in math, reading, and English
• School Type: 2-year, public; over 12,522 students (all undergraduate)

Quincy College

In addition to its main campus in Quincy, MA, the school also has a satellite campus located in Plymouth. Besides its normal tuition rate, Quincy College also has special rates for high school students and for senior citizens. The program leading to an Associate of Science consists of 62 credits. In addition to core courses that include interviewing and investigation, litigation and procedure, legal ethics, and an overview of paralegal studies, you'll be required to pursue a specified number of general education courses. You'll be able to choose from elective courses that include cyber law, comparative legal systems, labor law, and the United States judicial system. You may also have the opportunity to serve an internship with a school-affiliated facility or law firm.

• Program Name: Associate of Science
• Field of Study: Paralegal Studies
• Program Length: Two years (full-time)
• Tuition and Fees: $6,518 per year (2018-2019)
• Requirements: Must sit for school placement tests
• School Type: 2-year, public; about 3,500 students (all undergraduate)

Paralegal Studies Bachelor's Degree Programs near Boston, MA

Bay Path University

In addition to general education courses, the bachelor's degree program includes 11 general legal studies electives and five specialized legal studies electives. You'll also be required to complete one course in government and a number of liberal arts elective courses. You'll have to complete an internship of 120-240 hours at a school-affiliated law firm or agency. By completing the degree requirements, you also earn a Certificate of Advanced Paralegal Studies.

• Program Name: Bachelor of Science
• Field of Study: Legal Studies
• Program Length: Four years (full-time)
• Tuition and Fees: $34,225 per year (2018-2019)
• Prerequisites: College preparatory high school curriculum including 2-3 years of lab science, four years of English, three years of history or social science and three years of math
• School Type: 4-year, private, not-for profit; around 3,444 students (1,923 undergraduate)

Suffolk University

At Suffolk University, you have the option of pursuing your studies by way of day or evening sessions, full or part-time. You also have the option of completing a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts program in paralegal studies. All of the school's programs dealing with the paralegal profession are ABA-accredited. In addition to general education courses, required paralegal courses include law and the legal system, legal research and writing, civil litigation, and contracts. You'll also be required to serve an internship with a school-partnered firm or agency. You may be able to select a specific instructional track, such as public interest, litigation, corporate/business, or family law.

• Program Name: Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science
• Field of Study: Applied Legal Studies
• Program Length: Four years (full-time)
• Tuition and Fees: $38,566 per year (2018-2019)
• Requirements: College preparatory curriculum including four years of English, three years of math, two years of science (one with a lab), one year of American history and two years of a foreign language; two letters of recommendation (one from a guidance counselor and one from a teacher); a personal essay; faculty interview is optional but recommended
• School type: 4-year, private, not-for-profit; about 7,186 students (5,044 undergraduate)

Certificate Programs in Paralegal Studies near Boston, MA

Bay Path College

The courses required to earn a certificate in advanced paralegal studies are included in the school's associate's and bachelor's degree programs. However, if you hold an undergraduate degree in another discipline, you can enroll in the certificate program separately. The curriculum consists of 21 credits and includes such subjects as legal research and writing, the American legal system, computer-assisted legal research, torts, and real estate law. Although serving an internship is optional, the ABA recommends that you do so.

• Program Name: Certificate of Advanced Paralegal Studies
• Program Length: One year minimum
• Tuition and Fees: $34,225 per year (2018-2019)
• Prerequisites: Must hold either an associate's or bachelor's degree or have completed 60 credit hours of college courses
• School Type: 4-year, private, not-for profit; around 3,444 students (1,923 undergraduate)

Suffolk University

According to the ABA, the paralegal certificate program at Suffolk is actually a post-baccalaureate program. If you begin the program in the fall semester, you can complete it in as little as nine months. Otherwise, it can take at least a year for you to complete all 32 credit hours. Required courses include introductory and advanced legal research and writing, paralegal fundamentals, contract law, and civil litigation. You can choose elective courses from a list made up of 20 different subject areas. You have the option of serving an internship as one of your elective courses.

• Program Name: Certificate of Paralegal Studies
• Program Length: Nine months minimum
• Tuition and Fees: $38,566 per year (2018-2019)
• Requirements: At least 30 credits in liberal arts from an accredited college or university or hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
• School type: 4-year, private, not-for-profit; about 7,186 students (5,044 undergraduate)

In summary, Boston is home to several schools offering paralegal studies education in the form of undergraduate degrees and certificate programs. Tuition costs range from $3,576 per year to $33,634 per year.