General Legal Studies Program

The course prefix for all General Legal Studies courses has changed to GLSP (formerly PARA).

The purpose of the General Legal Studies Program at Tulane School of Professional Advancement is reflected in our mission statement:

The General Legal Studies Program provides our students with the skills, wisdom, and integrity to pursue careers as efficient, ethical legal professionals who are prepared to assist attorneys in courts, governmental agencies, and law offices; or to enter law school after graduation if they choose.

Both the General Legal Studies Bachelor of Arts degree plus Paralegal Certificate and the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Paralegal Studies were approved by the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Paralegals in the 1980s, making ours the oldest ABA-approved program in the region Our general legal studies curriculum reflects the rigor and quality that ABA requires and legal employers demand.

Our program faculty is composed entirely of practicing attorneys and paralegals, who offer our students the benefit of real-world legal experience and immediate access to the professional networks that enhance career success. In addition to core legal skills courses that emphasize legal technology, research, writing, and analysis, we offer a full menu of electives that allow you to explore important areas of substantive law, followed by a final-semester practicum class composed of a 100-hour internship and classroom instruction focusing on job search skills. Read our course descriptions for an in-depth look at the program.

Many of our graduates work as paralegals in law firms, courts, corporations, government agencies, and other legal offices, while others enter law school and become attorneys.

Undergraduates: B.A. Degree and Paralegal Certificate

The General Legal Studies Bachelor of Arts degree and accompanying Paralegal Certificate require 120 credits for completion, including 36 credits in the major. Coursework begins with core skills classes that emphasize legal research, writing, and analysis, along with law office technology and other practical aspects of the legal profession. In ensuing semesters, upper-level electives allow you to explore important areas of substantive law. Finally, the practicum course, with its 100-hour law office internship and classroom component, allows students to apply their skills in a professional setting while developing job search skills in the classroom.

Tulane’s General Legal Studies Program does not accept the transfer of credits for paralegal courses completed at paralegal programs that were not approved by ABA’s Standing Committee on Paralegals at the time the courses were taken.

Minor

For students who are majoring in other disciplines and wish to develop a general knowledge of U.S. law, the program also offers a Minor in General Legal Studies, which can be completed entirely online. The Minor is not approved by the ABA, does not award a Paralegal Certificate, and is not intended to prepare graduates to work as paralegals.

Post-Graduate: Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Paralegal Studies

If you already have earned a bachelor’s degree and are returning to school to advance your current career, retool for the next phase of your life, or prepare for law school, our 9-course, 27-credit Post-Baccalaureate Certificate (PBC) in Paralegal Studies provides an excellent path to your goal. The Paralegal PBC curriculum focuses solely upon legal skills and substantive law courses, culminating in the practicum course, in which students complete a 100-hour internship in a law office and develop job search skills in the classroom. Most students finish the PBC and embark upon their new careers within one year.

To learn more about specific degree and certificate offerings, choose from the following options:

Careers in General Legal Studies

Thanks to the long history and the success of our alumni, the program has broad support in the legal community, giving graduates access to a robust network of potential employers. Graduates of our program are employed across the region, pursing fulfilling careers as paralegals, office managers, human resource professionals, court clerks, investigators, contract administrators, insurance adjusters, and a variety of other positions.

Programs Built for Working Professionals

Our coursework is designed to accommodate busy, working adults who are returning to school. Classes are available both online and in person at our New Orleans campuses. Whether you wish to work as a paralegal or apply to law school after graduation, Tulane School of Professional Advancement can prepare you for your next career.

To ensure compliance with ABA requirements, all students must complete at least four GLSP classes (12 credits) via in-person or synchronous transmission format.

Paralegals are trained professionals who work under the supervision of licensed attorneys. Paralegals are not lawyers and are not permitted to practice law or to provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.

For information about applying for the General Legal Studies program, tuition, and other requirements, visit our admissions process page or request information online.

Search form