Description of Program
Approved by the American Bar Association (ABA), the Paralegal certificate curriculum provides students with the practical skills, knowledge, and values necessary to become effective members of a legal team. Outstanding faculty comprised of practicing attorneys guide students in their coursework and their professional goals. The certificate program offers the most relevant and recent cutting-edge paralegal education available.
The Paralegal certificate curriculum includes 11 legal specialty courses that are applied to the BA in Legal Studies. Students may complete the certificate program in one year. Students interested in obtaining specialized knowledge and skills in legal technology may earn the 28 credit, fully embedded Advanced Legal Technology concentration.
Note: Paralegals cannot provide legal advice except as directed by an attorney nor can they establish a client/business relationship or represent a client.
Click here for potential career opportunities within the PLS.
Learning Outcomes
The Paralegal Certificate program will provide students with the knowledge, skills, tools, and values necessary to become practicing paralegals.
At the end of the Paralegal Certificate curriculum, students should be able to:
- Conduct legal research using appropriate sources and databases.
- Apply legal analysis to predict outcomes to specific factual situations.
- Articulate legal analysis through written and oral communications.
- Use software applications commonly utilized in a legal environment.
- Draft legal documents.
- Describe the ethical obligations and limitations of legal professionals in specific factual situations.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must have minimum of 36 semester credits of college transferable credit which include at least 18 semester credits of general-education in three categories. A minimum of 3 credits of freshman English or college composition must be completed with a C or better prior to admission.
For consideration into the program, applicants must submit an application, forward official transcripts from all colleges and universities previously attended and complete the specific writing sample contained in the admissions packet for the program. If a prospective student does not meet the above academic requirements, the student should contact Enrollment to explore possible other options.
Academic Calendar 2021/2022
2021
| PLC Spring Semester 1 - Term A 2021 (Jan 11 – March 28) |
- Registration opens - December 14
- Orientation for new students - January 7
- Courses start - January 11
- Courses end - March 28
|
| PLC Spring Semester 2 - Term B 2021 (April 5 - June 20) |
- Registration opens - March 8
- Courses start - April 5
- Courses end - June 20
|
| PLC Fall Semester 1 - Term C 2021 (July 5 - September 19) |
- Registration opens - June 7
- Orientation for new students - July 1
- Courses start - July 5
- Courses ends - September 19
|
| PLC Fall Semester 2 - Term D 2021 (September 27 - December 12) |
- Registration opens - August 30
- Courses start - September 27
- Courses end - December 12
|
2022
| PLC Spring Semester 1 - Term A 2022 (January 10 – March 27) |
- Registration opens - December 13
- Orientation for new students - January 6
- Courses start - January 10
- Courses end - March 27
|
| PLC Spring Semester 2 - Term B 2022 (April 4 - June 19) |
- Registration opens - March 7
- Courses start - April 4
- Courses end - June 19
|
| PLC Fall Semester 1 - Term C 2022 (July 4 - September 18) |
- Registration opens - June 6
- Orientation for new students - June 30
- Courses start - July 4
- Courses end - September 18
|
| PLC Fall Semester 2 - Term D 2022 (September 26 - December 11) |
- Registration opens - August 29
- Courses start - September 26
- Courses end - December 11
|
Certificate Requirements
The Paralegal Certificate requires 25 semester credit hours.
- A Grade Point Average of 2.0 (letter grade of “C”), or higher is required to remain in academic good standing and to be eligible for graduation
- Official transcripts are required to be on file for all transfer credit hours accepted by the University
- All financial obligations must be met before the student will be issued their complementary diploma and/or degree posted transcript
- Official documents must be on file demonstrating all requirements of basis for admissions have been met
School of Law Undergraduate Program Enrollment Status
For the purpose of financial aid and enrollment verification enrollment status is determined by the number of units per semester:
| Enrollment Status |
Undergraduate Units per Term |
Certificate Units per Term |
| Full-Time (FT) |
12 |
12 |
| Three-Quarter Time (TQT) |
9 |
9 |
| Half-Time (HT) |
6 |
6 |
| Less-Than Half-Time (LTHT) |
<6 |
<6 |
Transfer Credit Policy
The University may accept a maximum of 9 semester credit hours in transfer toward the Paralegal Certificate for coursework completed at an accredited or approved college or university with a grade of “C” or better.
Students seeking to transfer in Legal Specialty Courses will have their coursework evaluated by the School of Law. Coursework must meet the following criteria:
- The legal specialty course must carry upper-division academic credit.
- The legal specialty course must be equivalent in content, length, and nature to the University’s course.
- The legal specialty course must be from an ABA-approved paralegal program and taken within the last 7 years.
Course Sequence
The Paralegal Certificate can be completed in 25 credits
Students enrolled in programs under the School of Law start their program as part of a cohort.
Note: The schedule sequence is subject to the term in which the student enrolls.
* Students that complete the Paralegal Certificate will come away with a certificate from the National Society for Legal Technology that will set them apart from other paralegals by demonstrating their competence with legal technology.
Focus Courses - 4 credit hours
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