This program is designed to provide students with knowledge and skills necessary to qualify for entry-level employment as paralegals. Students enrolled in the program complete a combination of legal specialty, business, liberal arts, and elective courses which will prepare them to work in law offices, banks, insurance companies, government agencies, corporations, and other types of organizations that deal with legal matters.
Such work normally is done under the supervision of an attorney. Legal specialty courses emphasize the role of the paralegal in dealing with clients, documents, and procedures.
The Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree is awarded upon completion of the requirements for this program.
Courses should be selected in consultation with an advisor.
First Semester
| Course No. | Descriptive Title | Credit Hours |
| ENG 101 | Composition I | 3 |
| GOV 151 | Introduction To Law | 3 |
| PAL 100 | Paralegal Introductory Seminar | 1 |
| PAL 110 | Fundamentals of Paralegalism | 3 |
| PAL 120 | Legal Research | 3 |
| BUS 103 | Keyboarding for Information Processing | 1 |
| BUS 112 | Introduction to Microsoft Word | 2 |
| TOTAL | 16 |
Second Semester
| Course No. | Descriptive Title | Credit Hours |
| ENG 102 | Composition II | 3 |
| ECO 105, GOV 121, HIS 104, HIS 108 | 3 | |
| CIS 111 | Computer Systems and Applications | 3 |
| BUS 215 | Business Law I | 3 |
| PAL 210 | Family Law | 3 |
| WFE 101 | Lifetime Wellness and Fitness | 3 |
| TOTAL | 18 | |
Third Semester
| Course No. | Descriptive Title | Credit Hours |
| BHS 103 | Social Problems in Today's World | 3 |
| Math (a) | 3-4 | |
| PAL 230 | Law of Business Organizations | 3 |
| PAL 240 | Civil Litigation | 3 |
| Paralegal Elective (b) | 3-4 | |
| TOTAL | 15-17 |
Fourth Semester
| Course No. | Descriptive Title | Credit Hours |
| PAL 220 | Wills, Trusts, and Estates | 3 |
| PAL 250 | Real Property Law | 3 |
| Paralegal Elective (b) | 3-4 | |
| Science (c) | 4 | |
| Free Elective (d) | 3-4 | |
| TOTAL | 16-18 | |
| TOTAL CREDIT HOURS | 65 | |
a. MAT 109 or above; BUS 101 Business Mathematics may be substituted.
b. Paralegal Electives: ACC 104, BUS 210, BUS 243, CRJ 265, GOV 222, PAL 290, PHI 107, and SPE 101.
c. Science courses: Applicable four-credit courses in astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, physical sciences, physics.
Recommended: BIO 103 Human Biology.
d. Read a full discussion of the free elective requirement. The subject area for Paralegal includes all courses labeled PAL.