The Legal Education program offers two primary credentials:
A two-year A.S. degree in Paralegal, and
A one-year Certificate of Achievement in Paralegal.
Only students who already have a bachelor's degree can apply for the Certificate of Achievement.
See videos below outlining the courses and prerequisites for each of these. There are no prerequisites to enter the A.S. degree, but you do need to be admitted to KCC. The only prerequisite for the Certificate is a bachelor's degree, and you can submit your application for the Certificate after you have been admitted to KCC.
Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public except as permitted by law. Paralegals work with attorneys in private law offices, government agencies, and businesses with legal departments to provide legal services. Only licensed attorneys can practice law by themselves, but paralegals can work as a member of a legal team with one or more attorneys to provide legal services.
The Paralegal program can help you earn your bachelor's degree! The Paralegal program has an articulation agreement with the University of Hawaii - West Oahu so that upon completion of your A.S. degree in Paralegal, you can be admitted to UHWO as a junior in the Public Administration Program.
If you are interested in becoming a licensed attorney, you must complete a bachelor's degree in any major and then apply to law school, which is an additional three years (full time) or four to seven years (part-time night program). The only law school in Hawaii is the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
