One of the smallest of the University of California campuses, UC Irvine used to be known as “the little campus on the golf course” because its beautiful modern architecture stretches across rolling green lawns not far from the famous “fields of flowers” of Southern California. The breeze from the Pacific Ocean caresses the small campus and the sun shines almost every day. Despite its relatively few acres and small enrollment, UC Irvine has built an imposing academic reputation, supporting some of the finest and most innovative research of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Now, in the Internet age, UC Irvine educates and graduates some of the world’s best prepared and highly motivated professionals.

UC Irvine has arguably the best, most comprehensive and rigorous online program in the world; the school especially excels at preparing paraprofessionals. UCI’s paralegal program is second to none, and paralegal program alumni are in demand at the nation’s most prestigious law firms. In addition to developing their job skills, UCI ensures paralegals have a solid foundation in the law. Paralegal students must complete a core curriculum very similar to that required for “One L” first-year law students; they must master contracts, property, civil procedure, and constitutional law before beginning more specialized study in what will become their areas of expertise. Because of this demanding initiation into the law, UCI paralegals understand “how to think like lawyers,” an attribute surprisingly rare among paralegals at other schools.

Because paralegals work for companies or as independent investigators and document specialists, UCI pays special attention to students’ reasoning and professional writing skills. When applying for admission to the program, students must submit writing samples that demonstrate a fundamental command of English. As they complete their courses, students prepare contracts, settlements, and summaries, demonstrating their mastery of the subject by putting their knowledge to use just as they will in their daily professional lives.