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Online Bachelor of Science in Legal Support and Services

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33
Total Courses
$371
Cost per Credit
3.5 years
Average Completion*
15–18 Hours/Week
Course Effort

Bachelor’s in Legal Support and Services Overview

Demand for legal assistants and paralegals is increasing fast. It’s time to come back and earn your bachelor’s degree — be ready to take on real, growing opportunities with an education from the largest university provider of legal support services programs in the U.S.

  • Broaden your career outlook. Beyond law firms, employers in corporations, insurance agencies, consulting firms, health care, and many other settings need legal support staff.
  • Gain analytical thinking, reading comprehension, legal writing, and communication skills, plus the practical and technical skills required by many professions both inside and outside the legal field.
  • Focus your degree plan with an optional concentration in paralegal studies.
  • Prepare to sit for professional paralegal certifications.
  • Learn from faculty who are practitioners with real-world experience in legal services, law, and policy and know what it takes to succeed in the field.

Build Skills and Knowledge You Can Use Right Away

  • Understand the principles of justice, natural law, and civil rights, as well as the social contract between a citizen and the government.
  • Research legal sources and apply them to actual scenarios using analysis and argument.
  • Apply legal theories and research data to real-world social, political, and economic issues.
  • Exhibit professionalism while assisting with legal proceedings or investigations, managing technology, and more.

Review College Scorecard data for this program.

View Program Degree Plan and Policies

See Notes and Conditions below for important information.

Prepare for Certification

The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) recognizes the Bachelor of Science in Legal Support and Services as meeting the coursework criteria for eligibility to sit for the Certified Paralegal Examination.

See Notes and Conditions below for important information.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

Gain hands-on experience and make connections through an optional internship.

You can also join organizations such as the Purdue Global Law Society for further networking and leadership opportunities.

Calculate Your Time and Cost

Estimate how much your prior learning credits can reduce your tuition and time to graduation.

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Purdue Global Is Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission

The HLC (HLCommission.org) is an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

What Courses Will I Take?

This bachelor's degree offers a solid foundation in legal practice and theory.

The curriculum is reviewed and revised continually by our dedicated curriculum department and advisory board to ensure it reflects the most recent developments in the field.

Sample Courses

  • Legal Research and Writing
  • Business Law
  • Legal Philosophy
  • Ethics and the Legal Environment
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution

Paralegal Concentration

The paralegal concentration helps personalize your education by focusing your electives on an area of study to best fit your desired career path. Courses include:

  • Civil Litigation
  • Criminal Law
  • Administrative Law
  • Law Office Management
See All Legal Support Courses

Standard

9
Core Courses
16
Major Courses
8
Elective Courses
33
Total Courses
180
Total Quarter Credits

Concentration

9
Core Courses
16
Major Courses
4
Elective Courses
4
Concentration Courses
33
Total Courses
180
Total Quarter Credits

1 semester credit hour = 1.5 quarter credit hours

3-Week Trial

Not sure if Purdue Global is right for you? Try an undergraduate program for an introductory 3-week trial period.

There’s no financial obligation and no cost to apply. That’s the Purdue Global Commitment.

Students who choose to continue at Purdue Global will be billed for the full first term's tuition, including the 3-week trial. See Notes and Conditions below.

Admissions Requirements

You must be a high school graduate or possess a General Educational Development (GED) certificate or other equivalency diploma. You must also complete orientation before you start classes.

Refer to the University Catalog or speak to an Advisor to learn more.

Upcoming Start Dates

We offer multiple start dates to give you flexibility in your education, life, and work schedules.

Get a Head Start on Your Master's Degree

Complete your master’s degree sooner with a graduate program pathway. It weaves graduate-level courses into your bachelor’s program, giving you a jump on your master’s degree requirements. You’ll save on time and tuition compared with finishing both programs separately.

Plus, your degrees don’t have to be in the same fields. You can customize your academic journey to support your career goals and interests. To learn more, view the University Catalog or connect with an Advisor.

See Notes and Conditions below for important information.

Earn Credit for Prior Coursework and Experience

The average bachelor's degree student pays $15k and takes 2.3 years to complete their degree.

Get the Credit You Deserve

Ways to Save on Time and Tuition

Purdue Global works with students to find ways to reduce costs and make education more accessible. Contact us to learn about opportunities to save on your educational costs.

Earn credit for prior coursework completed at eligible institutions, including community colleges.

You could earn undergraduate credit for your life and professional career experiences.

Learn about federal financial aid programs available for many of our degree programs.

Learn about federal and state grants and loan programs that may be available.

Employees of Purdue Global partner organizations may be eligible for special tuition reductions.

Undergraduate tuition savings for military include a 55% reduction per credit for current servicemembers and 38% per credit for veterans.

Earn credit for your military training. The average Purdue Global military student is awarded 54% of the credits needed for an associate's and 45% of the credits needed for a bachelor's.

View the total cost of attendance for your program.

Career Opportunities

Though the legal field remains competitive, certain segments of the field, including opportunities for legal assistants within law firms, are projected to grow as firms try to meet the demand for legal services and lower their expenses.

The Bachelor of Science in Legal Support and Services program is designed to prepare you for a career in the legal, business, government, health care, banking, real estate, or service industries.

Average Salary

Range

General labor market and salary data are provided by Lightcast and may not represent the outcomes experienced by Purdue Global graduates in these programs. Purdue Global graduates in these programs may earn salaries substantially different or less than the amounts listed above. Salary and employment outcomes vary by geographic area, previous work experience, education, and opportunities for employment that are outside of Purdue Global's control.

Purdue Global does not guarantee employment placement, salary level, or career advancement.

See Notes and Conditions below for important information.

Download the Program Brochure

Download our brochure to learn more about the Online Bachelor of Science in Legal Support and the benefits of earning your degree at Purdue Global. Prepare yourself for success with a bachelor’s degree in legal support.

View Brochure

Get to Know Our Faculty

Purdue Global faculty members are real-world practitioners who bring knowledge gained through the powerful combination of higher learning and industry experience.

99%

Faculty members who have advanced degrees

54%

Faculty members who hold a doctorate

484

Faculty publications in 2022–2023

More Than 40,000

Professional development hours logged by faculty in 2022–2023

Statistics include all Purdue Global faculty members and are not school- or program-specific calculations. Source: Purdue Global Office of Reporting and Analysis, July 2023. 2022–2023 academic year.

Your Path to Success Begins Here

Connect with an Advisor to explore program requirements, curriculum, credit for prior learning process, and financial aid options.

NOTES AND CONDITIONS

*Estimated Graduation Date and Average Completion: Estimated graduation date is based on the assumption that you will enroll in time to begin classes on the next upcoming start date, will remain enrolled for each consecutive term, and will maintain satisfactory academic standing in each term to progress toward completion of your program. Completion time is based on a full-time schedule. Programs will take longer for part-time students to complete.

Completion Time and Average Net Price: Cost and completion times for individual programs may vary. Average institutional completion time for Purdue Global degree students who graduated in the 2022–2023 academic year. Average net price reflects all institutional-level charges for all graduates, including those who transferred to Purdue Global, after application of scholarships, tuition reductions, grants (including federal Pell grants for undergraduate students), employer tuition assistance, and/or military tuition assistance. Source: Purdue Global Office of Reporting and Analysis, July 2023.

Graduate Program Pathways: To start a Graduate Program Pathway, students should consult with their Student Advisor to confirm eligibility. Not all Graduate Program Pathways are available on all tracks, and some may require students to meet academic standards to continue taking graduate courses in their bachelor’s degree program. Visit the University Catalog for more information.

Job Growth for Paralegals and Legal Assistants: Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Paralegals and Legal Assistants, www.bls.gov/ooh/Legal/Paralegals-and-legal-assistants.htm. National long-term projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions, and do not guarantee actual job growth.

Largest University Provider of Legal Support Services: Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), 2021–2022 Total Degrees and Certificates Conferred, First Major, Legal Support Services, https://nces.ed.gov/IPEDS. Based on the total number of degrees and certificates granted by Purdue Global compared to other degree-granting institutions.

Legal Studies Programs: The coursework in Associate of Applied Science and Bachelor of Science in Legal Support and Services programs fulfill the academic requirements to apply for the National Association of Legal Assistants' (NALA) Certified Paralegal examination. The University cannot guarantee students will be eligible to sit for or pass exams. In some cases, work experience, additional coursework beyond the Purdue Global program, fieldwork, and/or background checks may be necessary to be eligible to take or to successfully pass the exams.

Paralegals are not lawyers and cannot practice law or give legal advice. Graduates are not authorized to practice law and will not be eligible to sit for any state’s bar examination. This program was not designed to meet any state-specific requirements for licensure or certification. Refer to Purdue Global's State Licensure and Certifications page for state-specific licensure information.

Three-Week Trial: Students who inform Purdue Global they do not wish to pursue the program during the 3-week trial will not be charged. Students who choose to continue at Purdue Global will be billed for the full first term's tuition, including the 3-week trial, and will need to meet other specific requirements. Classes will be applied toward a degree if satisfactorily completed and students select to continue their studies at Purdue Global. No credits are earned if the student withdraws during the introductory period (3 weeks for new qualifying undergraduate students), which begins day one of the first term. Graduate programs and BS in Professional Flight not included. Additional terms may apply to international and non-U.S. citizen students. For further information, see the University Catalog.