The Paralegal certificate program prepares students to work under the direct supervision of an attorney to prepare legal documents, recommend solutions for procedural problems, and create and implement detailed office procedures for the efficient handling of specialized fields of law. The terms “Paralegal” and “Legal Assistant” are synonymous.
To be admitted to the Paralegal certificate program, a student must have completed 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of college credit at a C or better from an approved, regionally accredited postsecondary institution. Of these hours, three hours must be CPT 101 or a comparable computer course, 18 hours must be general education courses spread across three disciplines, with six of those 18 hours being comprised of ENG 101 and SPC 205 or SPC 209. See advisor for further details. THIS PROGRAM HAS RECEIVED APPROVAL FROM THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION.
Please see course descriptions. Fall Semester Start
Note: Most LEG courses require completion of prerequisites, corequisites or advisor’s approval. Many LEG courses are offered only once each year, so following the recommended course sequence is very important. Seating is limited, so early registration is recommended. See your faculty advisor prior to registration.
(For course sequences for Spring Semester and Summer Semester starts, students should see their advisors.)
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Recommended Sequence of Courses |
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Introduction to Law and Ethics |
3 |
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Civil Litigation I |
3 |
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Property Law |
3 |
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Total 9 |
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Torts |
3 |
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Legal Bibliography |
3 |
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Legal Writing |
3 |
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Title Examination Procedures I |
3 |
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Total 9-12 |
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Business Law I |
3 |
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Family Law |
3 |
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Claims Investigation |
3 |
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Total 9 |
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Criminal Law |
3 |
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Wills, Trusts and Probate |
3 |
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Law Practice Workshop |
3 |
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Total 6-9 |
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*Students may elect to take either LEG 231 Criminal Law or LEG 234 Title Examination Procedures, however LEG 234 Title Examination Procedures is offered only in the Spring Semester. Students are not required to take both LEG 231 and LEG 234 and should discuss this choice with their advisors.
NOTE: Students transferring credits into the Legal Assistant/Paralegal programs may only transfer five courses for LEG prefix course credit.