Paralegal Certificate

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Paralegal education prepares the student to assist with substantive legal work under the supervision of an attorney or to work in a law-related setting. It does not lead to licensure as an attorney or to the practice of law.

Objectives

(1) To provide an American Bar Association-approved program with a curriculum leading to a paralegal certificate; (2) to provide a liberal arts based education for undergraduate paralegal students; (3) to develop in each paralegal student superior writing, speaking, and analytical skills; (4) to offer high quality specific legal training to liberal arts students and bachelor’s degree holders seeking to become paralegals; and (5) to instill respect for legal and practical values and ethics.

This program is open to undergraduate students in all majors and to postbaccalaureate students.

Certificate Requirements

Required courses

LGST 1110 - Legal Systems in American Society
LGST 1250 - Legal Research and Writing
LGST 3520 - Civil Litigation and Trial Practice
LGST 5900 - Legal Studies Practicum
Note: Post Baccalaureate Certificate seeking students must repeat the above three core courses for credit if the course work is seven or more years old. Other courses seven or more years old are subject to legal studies department approval for application toward the paralegal certificate. When courses are repeated to fulfill Paralegal Certificate requirements, the repeated course credit will be changed to zero and the resulting grade will be excluded in the grade point average computation.

Legal specialty courses

Twelve (12) additional credits of legal specialty courses from the following list:

Elective courses

Select 4 credits of additional coursework from all legal studies (LGST) courses listed above or the following interdisciplinary courses:

HIST 3400: Topics in History and the Law: Landmark Trials in American History (this topic only)
LGST 1440 - Beginning Mock Trial
LGST 3410 - Special Topics in Law
LGST 3440 - Advanced Mock Trial
LGST 3820 - Constitutional Issues in Criminal Procedure
MGMT 3130 - Business Law
PHIL 3330 - Social, Political, and Legal Philosophy
LGST 3100 - American Constitutional Law

Note

Upon approval of the chair of the Legal Studies department, postbaccalaureate students can also take law-related courses offered by the Master of Arts in Public Administration in the School of Business. These courses can also count toward a master’s degree in public administration.

Post Baccalaureate Certificate students must repeat the following core courses for credit if the course work is seven or more years old:

LGST 1250 – Legal Research and Writing
LGST 3520 – Litigation and Trial Practice
LGST 5900 – Legal Studies Practicum

Other courses seven or more years old are subject to legal studies department approval for application towards the paralegal certificate. When courses are repeated to fulfill Paralegal Certificate requirements, the repeated course credit will be changed to zero and the resulting grade will be excluded in the grade point average computation.