LEGAL ADMINISTRATION AND PARALEGAL STUDIES
Legal Administration (M.A.)
Legal Administration Track under the M.B.A.
Paralegal Studies (Graduate Certificate)
Students graduating from one of the Legal Administration or Paralegal Studies programs will be prepared for careers as paralegals or legal assistants. Graduates will be able to:
- understand the sources of law, as well as federal and state court systems and their powers;
- conduct basic legal research, using print and computer sources;
- 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;
- draft documents and prepare legal forms not typically 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.
Legal Administration (M.A.)
Students in this program may choose from two tracks, depending upon their career goals. These tracks are approved by the American Bar Association. Graduates of ABA-approved programs may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.
Admission Requirements: The School of Business Administration strongly recommends that candidates have at least two years of work experience before applying.
Sequence of classes: Students are encouraged to take LA 590 and LA 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
- LA 501 Civil and Criminal Procedure
- LA 505 General Legal Procedures
- LA 509 Public Law and Administrative Procedures
- LA 550 Law Office Management
- LA 561 Law and the Business Environment
- LA 562 Law, Computers, and the Internet
- LA 590 Supervising Legal Research and Writing
- LA 591 Advanced Legal Research and Writing/Computerized Legal Research
- MBA 515 Organizational Behavior
- One (1) LA 500-level elective course
- Two (2) Business 500-level elective courses
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 or for administering paralegal departments within law firms, corporate law departments, or law-related agencies.
Degree Requirements
36 credits
- MBA 516 Managerial Accounting
- FIN 500 Introduction to Financial Management
- HRM 530 Foundations of Human Resource Management
- LA 501 Civil and Criminal Procedure
- LA 505 General Legal Procedures
- LA 509 Public Law and Administrative Procedures
- LA 550 Law Office Management
- LA 561 Law and the Business Environment
- LA 562 Law, Computers, and the Internet
- LA 590 Supervising Legal Research and Writing
- LA 591 Advanced Legal Research and Writing/Computerized Legal Research
- MBA 515 Organizational Behavior
Students enrolled in this track may also qualify to receive a Paralegal Studies certificate if they complete the graduate certificate requirements.
Legal Administration Track under the M.B.A.
See Business Administration.
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 may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.
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:
- LA 501 Civil and Criminal Procedure
- LA 505 General Legal Procedures
- LA 509 Public Law and Administrative Procedures
- LA 562 Law, Computers, and the Internet
- LA 590 Supervising Legal Research and Writing
- LA 591 Advanced Legal Research and Writing/Computerized Legal Research
- 24 hours of approved pro bono legal service to the community