Paralegal Studies AAS
A.A.S. Degree—60 credit hours
Curriculum Code 1490
This program prepares the next generation of educated, ethical legal professionals who provide support to lawyers, judges, and others in the legal community. The program aims to develop 21st century paralegals focused on access to justice, current trends in the law, and continuous learning and professional development. The program does so by developing paralegals’ skills in writing, research, and technology, which will result in exceptional support and assistance to those employing our graduates. The program also develops paralegals’ substantive and procedural paralegal skills in areas such as bankruptcy law, civil law, criminal law, family law, real estate law, and probate law, which will result in a value-added contributor to the legal support team. Finally, the program develops paralegals’ ethical and professional competencies, which will result in invaluable assistance to lawyers in the pursuit of access to justice for all citizens.
Required General Education Courses
24 credit hours as follows:
(Note: Take MTH-120 or higher. MTH-120 recommended for transfer students.)
Select 6 or more credit hours from the following Humanities/Language courses:
(Note: ARB-202 and SPA-202 may require completion of one or more prerequisites.)
Required Career Courses
27 credit hours as follows:
| BUS-136 | Business Law | 3 |
| CIS-115 | Microsoft Office I | 3 |
| PLS-110 | Introduction to Paralegal Studies | 3 |
| PLS-125 | Research & Writing for Paralegal I | 3 |
| PLS-140 | Civil Litigation for the Paralegal | 3 |
| PLS-160 | Law Office Admin for Paralegal | 3 |
| PLS-170 | Law Office Technology for Paralegal | 3 |
| PLS-190 | Research & Writing for Paralegal II | 3 |
| PLS-290 | Paralegal Internship | 3 |
Elective Career Courses
Select at least 9 credit hours from these courses:
| CRJ-101 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ-206 | Substantive Criminal Law | 3 |
| PLS-210 | Bankruptcy Law for the Paralegal | 3 |
| PLS-220 | Criminal Law for the Paralegal | 3 |
| PLS-230 | Evidence for the Paralegal | 3 |
| PLS-240 | Family Law for the Paralegal | 3 |
| PLS-260 | Estate Plans & Probate/Paralegal | 3 |
| PLS-270 | Real Estate Law for the Paralegal | 3 |
Suggested Schedule
Semester 1 (15 credit hours)
Semester 2 (15 credit hours)
| COM-102 | Composition II | 3 |
| COM-201 | Business and Technical Writing | 3 |
| PLS-140 | Civil Litigation for the Paralegal | 3 |
| - | | |
| PLS-160 | Law Office Admin for Paralegal | 3 |
| OR- | | |
| PLS-170 | Law Office Technology for Paralegal | 3 |
| - | | |
| PLS-190 | Research & Writing for Paralegal II | 3 |
(Note: Students who begin during the spring semester may take
PLS-160)
Semester 3 (15-16 credit hours)
| ___-___ | Elective Career Course | 3 |
| ___-___ | Elective Career Course | 3 |
| ___-___ | Humanities/Language Elective | 3-4 |
| MTH-120 | General Education Mathematics | 3 |
| - | | |
| PLS-160 | Law Office Admin for Paralegal | 3 |
| OR- | | |
| PLS-170 | Law Office Technology for Paralegal | 3 |
(Note: Take MTH-120 or higher)
(Note: Students who begin during the spring semester may take PLS-170)
Semester 4 (15-16 credit hours)
| BUS-136 | Business Law | 3 |
| ___-___ | Elective Career Course | 3 |
| ___-___ | Humanities/Language Elective | 3-4 |
| PSC-110 | American National Government | 3 |
| PLS-290 | Paralegal Internship | 3 |