Legal Studies, Generalist, BA

Description of Program

The John F. Kennedy School of Law at NCU offers a fully online American Bar Association (ABA) approved bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies. The course of study provides a balanced and varied substantive law curriculum with a focus on the practical application skills necessary to work as an ethical legal professional. Graduates are able to pursue careers as paralegals, work in related professions which interact with law or use the degree as a foundation for law or other graduate school.

The Bachelor’s degree is unique – students automatically earn a Paralegal Certificate at completion of the paralegal certificate courses – making them job ready upon graduation!

Our curriculum requires that students must take at least nine semester credits or the equivalent of legal specialty courses through synchronous instruction.

Note: Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.

Click here  for a list of careers that use the skills learned in the program. 

Click here for potential career opportunities within the BLS.

Note: The Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies program is not enrolling new students for the June 27, 2022 start. 

Learning Outcomes

The Legal Studies programs will provide students with the knowledge, skills, tools, and values necessary to be effective members of a legal team.

At the end of the Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies 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 a 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 for enrollment, forward official transcripts from all colleges and universities previously attended and complete the specific writing sample contained in the admissions packet for the program.

Academic Calendar 2022/2023

2022

2023

Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies degree requires 120 semester credit hours.

• A Grade Point Average (GPA) 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 before a student can begin classes.
• All financial obligations must be met before the student will be issued their complimentary diploma and/or degree posted transcript
• Official documents must be on file demonstrating all requirements of basis for admissions have been met

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Art in Legal Studies program must complete their courses of study within five (5) years from their School of Law start.

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:

Transfer Credit Policy

The University may accept a maximum of 90 semester credit hours in transfer toward the bachelor’s degree for coursework completed at an accredited or approved college or university with a grade of “C” or better.

Legal Specialty Course Requirements

In order to assure that content of any Legal Specialty course submitted for transfer credit remains aligned with current law and academic practice, only courses from the prior five (5) academic years will be considered for transfer.

To be considered for transfer credit, Legal Specialty courses must:

• Be evaluated by the School of Law
• Be equivalent in content, length and nature to the School of Law’s course
• Carry upper division academic credit
• Be from an ABA approved paralegal or legal studies program
• Have been completed with a grade of C or better

No transfer credits will be accepted as substitutes for PLS 3001 Introduction to Law, PLS 3002 Legal Research, and PLS 3003 Legal Writing.

No credit will be awarded by course challenge, examination, portfolio or course sharing to meet the School of Law requirements.

General Education Course Requirements
Students in School of Law programs must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 36 semester credit hours in General Education. This requirement may be satisfied through transfer credit or completed at the University.

To be considered for transfer credit, general education courses must:

• Be completed with a recorded grade of C or better at regionally or nationally accredited institution
• Be equivalent to courses in the degree program requirements
• Appear on an official transcript from the transfer institution

Remedial and developmental courses cannot be accepted as transfer credit. Courses must also be completed at a regionally or nationally accredited academic institution. Applicants must submit an application, forward official transcripts from all colleges and universities they attended and complete the specific writing sample as outlined in the admission packet for the program.

General Education Degree Requirements

Program Requirements