College of Extended Learning
Dean: Peter DeweesParalegal Studies Program
SFSU Downtown Center
425 Market Street, 2nd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
415-904-7770
Program Director: Lee GalleryProgram
Certificate in Paralegal StudiesProgram Scope
The Paralegal Studies curriculum is intended to provide a firm grounding in legal skills and in specific substantive areas of law for the general student as well as the person who is interested in becoming a paralegal. All course work is conducted at the upper division level. The population served is adult, usually employed full-time, has considerable formal education (including the baccalaureate degree, in most cases) and has accumulated more life and work experience than the typical undergraduate.Faculty
All courses in this program are taught by attorneys and/or paralegals with practical experience in their respective fields.Career Outlook
Paralegals are employed in private and public interest law firms, corporations, banks, securities firms, government agencies, and regulatory bodies. The Bureau of Labor Statistic's Occupational Projections report ranks paralegal as one of the fastest growing professions through the 1990s.CERTIFICATE IN PARALEGAL STUDIES
Admission to Program
To be admitted to the certificate program, students should have completed 56 units of academic credit or have sufficient experience to demonstrate they can perform upper division work. Students who do not have 56 units may be accepted on probation and are encouraged to apply. Students may enroll in up to nine units before applying to the certificate program.Writing Skills
The certificate program's course content requires a good grasp of writing skills. Certificate students are asked to demonstrate their writing ability soon after admission to the certificate program to satisfy the university literacy requirement. Those who do not have the necessary writing skills are referred to a course offered regularly through the continuing education program: ENG 414, Elements of Writing.Required Courses: Civil Litigation
Students are also counseled to take only those courses that they feel the need and desire for, in order to function in a desired capacity. It is not necessary to be working toward a certificate in order to take individual courses.