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LEGAL ADMINISTRATION/PARALEGAL STUDIES

Business Law Specialty Under the B.B.A.
Paralegal Studies (B.A.)
Paralegal Studies (Undergraduate Certificate)
Legal Administration (M.A.)
Paralegal Studies (Graduate Certificate)

Business Law Specialty Under the B.B.A.

See Business Administration (B.B.A.).

Paralegal Studies (B.A.)

This program 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.

Students graduating with this major will:

Internship Prerequisites: A minimum of 90 credits with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better and a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better in all Business courses are required in order to register for the internship (LA 490).

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

Suggested degree plan

Year One

Fall

  • MGT 123 The Business Experience §
  • EN 101 Composition I*
  • SOC/PSY 100 Introduction to the Social Sciences*
  • MA 155 Finite Mathematics*
  • ISY 095 Word 2003 and Computer Concepts*
  • Health elective*
  • SEM 101 Freshman Seminar

Spring

  • ECO 199 Macroeconomics §
  • EN 102 Composition II*
  • ISY 096 Excel 2003 and Windows XP*
  • Humanities (History 200-level) elective*
  • Humanities elective*
  • Science elective*

Year Two

Fall

  • LA 248 Business Law I §
  • LA 280 Introduction to the Legal System §
  • LA 302 Criminal Litigation §
  • ACT 201 Financial Accounting §
  • ISY 097 PowerPoint 2003 and Office XP Integration*
  • Humanities (English Literature) elective*

Spring

  • LA 249 Business Law II §
  • LA 301 Civil Litigation §
  • ECO 210 Principles of Microeconomics §*
  • ACT 202 Introduction to Managerial Accounting §
  • POL 204 American Government §*
  • ISY 098 Access 2003*

Year Three

Fall

  • LA 305 General Practice I §
  • LA 391 Legal Research and Writing §*
  • MGT 304 Organizational Management §
  • MKT 301 Principles of Marketing §
  • Social Sciences (Politics or Sociology 300/400-level) elective*

Spring

  • LA 303 Litigation Support Technology §
  • LA 306 General Practice II §
  • HRM 335 Human Resource Management or LA 430 Legal and Current Issues in Human Resource Management §
  • FIN 301 Financial Management §
  • Elective*

Year Four

Fall

  • LA 408 Real Estate Practices or LA 409 Public Law and Procedure §
  • MSC 202 Applied Business Problem Solving §
  • PH 305 Business Ethics §*
  • 2 Humanities electives*

Spring

  • LA 490 Internship §
  • LA 491 Computerized Legal Research §
  • MGT 385 International Business or MGT 386 International Management §
  • Elective*

§ Requirement for the major
*See Liberal Arts Core requirements for details.

Paralegal Studies (Undergraduate Certificate)

This certificate program is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA). When a student receives a Paralegal Studies certificate from an ABA-approved program, the student is not licensed to practice law or to give legal advice. To receive the undergraduate paralegal certificate, a student must successfully complete coursework and 24 hours of approved pro bono legal service to the community.

Minimum Grade Requirement: A minimum grade of C- is required in every course that serves as a prerequisite for a higher-numbered legal specialty course in the Paralegal Studies certificate program.

Certificate Requirements

30 credits

Legal Administration (M.A.)

Students in this program may choose from three tracks, depending upon their career goals. Tracks I and II of the program are approved by the American Bar Association. Graduates of ABA-approved programs are not licensed to practice law or to give legal advice.

Admission Requirements: The School of Business Administration strongly recommends that candidates have at least two years of work experience before applying.

Sequence of classes for Tracks I and II: Students are encouraged to take LA 590 and 591 early in the course sequence and LA 550 toward the end of their program.

Track I — Legal Specialty Training

Track I prepares graduate students in master's-level specialty law courses to qualify as practicing paralegals or paralegal administrators.

Degree Requirements

36 credits

Students enrolled in this track may also qualify to receive a Paralegal Studies certificate if they complete the graduate certificate requirements.

Track II — Paralegals Moving into Paralegal Administration

Track II prepares graduate students for administrative responsibilities as paralegal supervisors.

Degree Requirements

36 credits

Students enrolled in this track may also qualify to receive a Paralegal Studies certificate if they complete the graduate certificate requirements.

Track III — Law Office Managers/Administrators

Track III prepares graduate students for law firm or corporate law department management.

Degree Requirements

36 credits

Paralegal Studies (Graduate Certificate)

This certificate is offered for those students who have a bachelor's degree and who wish to become certified paralegals. This program is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA). When a student receives a Paralegal Studies certificate from an ABA-approved program, the student is not licensed to practice law or to give legal advice. To receive the graduate Paralegal Studies certificate, a student must successfully complete coursework and 24 hours of approved pro bono legal service to the community.

Certificate Requirements

18 credits

Students enrolling in this certificate program who have no prior paralegal or criminal justice experience must complete LA 500 Introduction to the Legal System or LA 561 Law and the Business Environment in addition to the following: