Current Size: 100%
Program Code: 22011
Program Availability
Contact Information:
Melissa Napier-Andrews,
enrolment services officer
416.675.6622 ext. 3214
melissa.napier-andrews@humber.ca
Eight semesters, beginning in September, plus one paid work term
The Paralegal Studies degree program is the only degree program of its kind in Ontario, combining the theoretical underpinnings of the legal system with practical applications. Paralegals provide important advocacy services for clients appearing before specialized tribunals such as the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board, and before the Provincial Offences Court and the Ontario Small Claims Court. Clients are discovering that people who are properly trained with a paralegal education are able to meet many of their law-related needs in a cost-effective manner.
All professors in the program possess a graduate degree, as well as having extensive practical experience in the legal field. Humber's multidisciplinary approach includes professional training in legal writing, advocacy and negotiations, and legal research. Faculty believe that properly representing a client entails understanding the client's background and motivation; therefore, this program offers courses in psychology, sociology, political science, and the philosophical foundations of the legal system. Work placements offer on-the-job experience where students will utilize and sharpen new competencies.
The Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General, which is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family courts, spends more than $200 million a year prosecuting crime. Provincial offences prosecutor is just one of the varied career opportunities open to you as a graduate from the Paralegal Studies degree program. On successful completion of this program and licensing exam, you may choose to work as a paralegal in a law firm, small claims court agent, legal researcher, court monitor, investigator, or paralegal firm manager. Employers include major paralegal firms, law firms, federal/provincial government departments, court administration offices, administrative boards and tribunals, and legal departments of corporations.
For information regarding faculty credentials for this program, visit humber.ca/faculty.
The paid work term is from May to August after semester six, and lasts 14 weeks. Students work with their placement advisor to find a placement that fits their career goals. Students are also encouraged to take career management workshops to develop effective job search skills. The school provides support, such as working with the legal community to identify paid work placement employment opportunities.
The program is endorsed by the Paralegal Society of Ontario, the Prosecutors' Association of Ontario, and the Ontario Association of Professional Searchers of Record. The Law Society of Upper Canada has reviewed and assessed Humber's Bachelor of Applied Arts – Paralegal Studies degree and has determined that it meets the standards and competencies for paralegal education program accreditation.
Note: For further information, refer to the Selection Procedures.
Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program.
Applicants who do not meet the above admission requirements should consider applying for Humber's Paralegal Education diploma program. Graduates of the Paralegal Education program with a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 75 per cent or higher will be considered for admission to the four-year Bachelor of Applied Arts – Paralegal Studies degree program. Graduates may then complete the degree program with the equivalent of six semesters of full-time study plus a paid work term. Graduates must also possess ENG4U, Humber's COMM 200/WRIT 100 or COMM 300/WRIT 200 with a grade of 70 per cent or more. Admission will be based on availability in the program.
Mature students (applicants 21 years of age or over) and/or transfer students (applicants with postsecondary education) should refer to the Mature and Transfer Student Admissions Regulations for admission criteria.
The 2013/2014 fee for two semesters is
Amounts listed are the total of tuition, lab and material fees, student service and auxiliary fees for the first two semesters of the 2013/2014 academic year.
Fees are subject to change. For more information, refer to Fees and Financial Assistance.
For information regarding fees for work terms, refer to Fees and Financial Assistance.
| Course Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| DEGE | Degree Breadth Elective |
| PLBA 1000 | Philosophy of Law |
| PLBA 1001 | Introduction to Canada's Legal System |
| PLBA 1002 | Small Claims Court 1 |
| PLBA 1003 | Tort and Contract Law |
| Course Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| DEGE | Degree Breadth Elective |
| PLBA 1500 | Charter of Rights and Freedoms |
| PLBA 1501 | Small Claims Court 2 |
| PLBA 1502 | Introduction to Legal Writing |
| PLBA 1503 | Evidence and the Litigation Process |
| Course Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| DEGE | Degree Breadth Elective |
| PLBA 2000 | Legal History |
| PLBA 2001 | Administrative Law |
| PLBA 2002 | Provincial Offences |
| STAT 1122 | Statistics for Paralegal Studies |
| Course Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| DEGE | Degree Breadth Elective |
| PLBA 2500 | Tribunal Practice and Procedure |
| PLBA 2501 | Legal Computer Applications |
| PLBA 2502 | Legal Research/Writing |
| PLBA 2503 | Residential Landlord and Tenant Law |
| Course Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| DEGE | Degree Breadth Elective |
| PLBA 3000 | Immigration and Refugee Law |
| PLBA 3001 | Advocacy |
| PLBA 3002 | Court and Government Office Administration |
| PLBA 3003 | Career Development |
| PLBA 3004 | Alternative Dispute Resolution: Principles, Process, Practice |
| Course Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| DEGE | Degree Breadth Elective |
| PLBA 3500 | Alternative Dispute Resolution: Selected Topics |
| PLBA 3501 | Debtor/Creditor Rights |
| PLBA 3502 | Elder Law |
| PLBA 3503 | Advanced legal writing |
| WORK 3510 | Work Term |
| Course Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| DEGE | Degree Breadth Elective |
| PLBA 4000 | Criminal Summary Conviction Procedure |
| PLBA 4001 | Legal Accounting |
| PLBA 4002 | Legal Framework of Paralegal Practice |
| PLBA 4003 | Ethics and Professional Responsibility |
| Course Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| DEGE | Degree Breadth Elective |
| PLBA 4500 | Access to Justice |
| PLBA 4501 | Insurance Law |
| PLBA 4502 | Practice Management |
| PLBA 4503 | Employment Law |
Humber has been granted a consent by the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities to offer this applied degree for a five-year term starting December 31, 2007. An application for renewal of the consent has been submitted and the current consent remains in effect until a decision on the renewal application is made. Humber will ensure that all students admitted to this program will have the opportunity to complete the program within a reasonable time frame.