Paralegal Studies (B.A.)

The Bachelor of Arts in Paralegal Studies prepares students to work as paralegals in corporate law departments, law firms, and law-related agencies. This program is approved by the American Bar Association, providing students with paralegal certification, if earned. Certification requires the successful completion of the required coursework and 24 hours of approved pro bono legal service to the community. Graduates of ABA-approved paralegal programs are not licensed to practice law or to give legal advice.

Educational Goals

Students graduating with this major will:

be prepared for careers as paralegals or legal assistants;
understand the sources of law, and federal and state court systems and their powers;
be able to conduct basic legal research, using print and computer sources;
possess the ability to analyze a set of facts relating to a legal dispute to determine what further information is required to prepare for resolution of the dispute and where this information can be obtained;
be able to draft documents and prepare legal forms used in areas of general practice;
understand the various types of documentation generated in legal cases and identify methods for information processing-document management with a computerized emphasis; and
understand the ethical considerations affecting the practice of law.

The Major

Liberal Arts Core requirements: All Liberal Arts Core requirements must be fulfilled. It is recommended that students work with an advisor to ensure compliance because some of the following major requirements will fulfill Liberal Arts Core requirements.

Major requirements (63 credits): Typically the requirements are met in the following time frame:

Freshman-Sophomore: ACT 201 Introduction to Financial Accounting; ACT 202 Introduction to Management Accounting; ECO 199 Principles of Macroeconomics; ECO 210 Principles of Microeconomics; EN 101-102 Composition I & II; 200-level EN course; 200-level HI course; HPR 100 Concepts of Lifetime Fitness; LA 248-249 Business Law I & II; LA 280 Introduction to the Legal System; LA 301 Civil Litigation; MA 155 Finite Mathematics; MGT 123 The Business Experience; 100- or 200-level PH/RST/TH course; POL 204 American Government; 300- or 400-level POL or SOC course; SOC 100 or PSY 100 Introduction to the Social Sciences; 100- or 200-level ASTR, BIO, CHM, GEOL, or PHYS course; and 3 open elective credits.

Junior-Senior: LA 302 Criminal Litigation; LA 305-306 General Practice I & II; LA 391 Legal Research and Writing; LA 408 Real Estate Practices or LA 409 Public Law and Procedure; LA 490 Internship; LA 491 Computerized Legal Research; MGT 304 Organizational Management; MKT 301 Principles of Marketing; HRM 335 Human Resource Management; LA 303 Litigation Support Technology; FIN 301 Financial Management; 6 credits from Art History or HI, EN, PH, or RST electives; and 3 open elective credits.

Paralegal/Business Law students should register for legal specialty classes in the following sequence:

Fall semester, sophomore: LA 280
Spring semester, sophomore: LA 301, 302
Fall semester, junior/senior: LA 305, 391, 408
Spring semester, junior/senior: LA 303, 306, 409, 490, 491

A minimum grade of C- is required in every course that serves as a prerequisite for a higher-numbered legal specialty course within the Paralegal Studies major.