Letter to students

Dear Prospective Paralegal Student:

Thank you for your interest in our Paralegal Program at Cerritos Community College. We have been an American Bar Association approved program since 1986. Our faculty members are either practicing attorneys, judges, or paralegals, all of whom have extensive practical experience in the subject matters they teach.

Our program emphasizes not only substantive law, but also focuses on developing practical skills, including drafting court forms and documents used in the “real world.” We are fortunate to have a complete law section in Cerritos College’s library, allowing students to conduct all necessary legal research on campus. In addition, we offer a state-of-the-art computer lab dedicated to paralegal students, featuring over 38 workstations equipped with the latest legal software used in the legal community. Our elective Work Experience course also provides exceptional internship opportunities.

Our program offers two academic pathways; graduates from either track qualify as paralegals pursuant to California Business & Professions Code section 6450(c). For students who do not yet hold an A.A. degree or higher, we offer an Associate of Arts degree in Paralegal Studies. This program requires 60 units for completion, including 33 units of paralegal coursework, 18 units of general education, and 9 units of electives.

For those who already possess an A.A. degree or higher (such as a B.A. or B.S.), we offer a Certificate Program requiring completion of 22 units of required paralegal courses, along with 6 units of legal specialty courses from Section “B” of the Program Requirements (denoted by an asterisk), for a total of 28 units. Upon successful completion, students are awarded a Paralegal Certificate.

We are also pleased to partner with National University for students interested in earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Paralegal Studies. All required coursework for the bachelor’s degree is offered on Cerritos College’s campus, and National University provides our students with a significant tuition reduction. Students may dual enroll and transfer select units from their A.A. degree toward their bachelor’s degree. Additional information can be found on our Paralegal Program webpages.

If you have any questions about our program, please contact me by email or phone at   and (562) 860-2451 ext. 2737. Our Program Assistant is also available at and (562) 860-2451 ext. 2703. We also encourage you to visit the FAQ page on our Paralegal Program website at www.cerritos.edu/business-legal, where many common questions are addressed.

Very truly yours,

Laura Tchulluian
Law Department Chair
Paralegal Program Director
Cerritos College
11110 Alondra Blvd.
Norwalk, CA 90650
ltchulluian@Cerritos.edu
(562) 860-2451 ext. 2737