Earn Your Paralegal Certificate in 11 Weeks

Looking to earn your paralegal certification the fastest way possible? Apply for the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University Paralegal Institute Daytime Summer Intensive program. All classes are online.

Students can complete the Certificate in General Practice in only 11 weeks. The Summer 2025 will run from June 16 through August 29, 2025. Our summer schedule will be coming soon.

Tuition for the 2024-25 academic year is $1,061.00 per course. The summer intensive term is $10,610 total. Students are responsible for paying $45 Westlaw and $35 Lexis Nexis access fees for research courses and text books are additional. No University fees apply.

Enrollment for the summer program is limited. Applications are being accepted now.

As a requirement of the accelerated summer program, 2025 summer students are required to complete one of the following by May 30th to secure their spot:

  1. Pay 50% of your tuition (with the remaining balance due during the first week of the term), or
  2. Set up a payment plan and make the first payment.

SUMMER SCHEDULE

Evening Classes

A few elective classes will be offered during the summer term for part-time students to continue their studies. 

Frequently Asked Questions

The Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University School Paralegal Institute is an online, non-credit certificate program. Students who successfully complete ten (10) courses earn a Certificate of Paralegal Studies.

The Summer Daytime Intensive program includes all ten (10) courses, within the eleven (11) week term. Classes meet all day, Monday through Friday. It is the fastest way to complete the program.

The program includes five (5) required core courses and five (5) electives. The five required core courses are: Introduction to the Legal System, Professional Responsibility, Legal Research Methods, Legal Writing & Case Analysis I, and Technology in the Law Office. The five (5) electives will be chosen by the Program Director, and entered onto the summer schedule upon deciding what the electives will be.
Courses are offered Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. All classes have synchronous, real-time commitments.
Yes. Our Paralegal Institute classes are now all online. Classes have both asynchronous and realtime components, but classes do not meet in a physical classroom. Students must have their own computer, webcam and reliable internet service.
Classes are required to meet live for a minimum of nine (9) hours over the term. This is an ABA requirement. However, instructors are able to decide how they would best like to organize their
course. They may elect to hold a live, virtual class for every single class meeting. Others may prefer to meet an hour per week, for example. Attendance is required. Individual instructors will provide their plan and course requirements on their classroom Canvas site.
The classes that are part of Summer Daytime Intensive program are reserved first for full-time summer students. If space allows, part-time students may register for a class if there are seats available. This availability won’t be determined until closer to the start date of the term.
All classes are hosted on Canvas. Every student is issued a Multipass ID. This is your login to the DORI system and where students can find everything from their tuition statement to their course Canvas sites. Directions for initializing your Multipass will be provided upon registration.
Absolutely. The Paralegal Institute offices are located at Duquesne University Thomas R. Kline School of Law, 600 Forbes Avenue. Students are welcome to use the Law School facilities.
Tuition for the Fall 2023-24 academic year is $1,034.00 per course. This would be a total of $9,830.00 tuition for the summer term. Additionally, students are charged a $35 and $45 fee for Lexis/Nexis and Westlaw services in conjunction with the Legal Research class. No University fees apply.
Non-credit certificate programs and courses are not eligible for federal financial aid. However, other sources can be considered, and the Paralegal Institute encourages students to research and
pursue aid that might be available to them including: Private education loans, Veterans benefits/GI Bill for those eligible, and employer education assistance/training budgets just to name a few.
The Thomas R. Kline School of of Duquesne University Paralegal Institute at: (412) 396-6313 or paralegal@duq.edu.

Contact Us

Mary Olson

Program Director, Paralegal Institute

Mary Olson