Paralegal Studies AAS DegreeAssociate of Applied Science
Program Pathway
First Year
| First Semester Courses | 12 Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| BUSI 2301 | Business Law | 3 |
| MATH 1332 | College Math for Liberal Arts | 3 |
| ENGL 1301 | Composition & Rhetoric I | 3 |
| LGLA 1307 | Intro to Law & Legal Professions | 3 |
| Second Semester Courses | 12 Credits | |
| ACNT 1303 | Introduction to Accounting I | 3 |
| Elective | General Education1 | 3 |
| GOVT 2305 | Federal Government | 3 |
| LGLA 1303 | Legal Research | 3 |
| Third Semester Courses | 6 Credits | |
| ITSC 1301 | Introduction to Computers | 3 |
| Elective | Creative Arts, Language, Philosophy, and Cultural Elective2 | 3 |
Second Year
| First Semester Courses | 11 Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| LGLA 1219 | Paralegal Ethics | 2 |
| LGLA 1345 | Civil Litigation | 3 |
| LGLA 2370 | Rules of Civil Procedure | 3 |
| LGLA 2303 | Torts & Personal Injury Law | 3 |
| Second Semester Courses | 13 Credits | |
| LGLA 2305 | Interviewing & Investigating | 3 |
| LGLA | Elective3 | 3 |
| LGLA 2388-or-LGLA | Internship Paralegal/Legal Asst.-or-Elective3 | 3 |
| SPCH 1315 | Public Speaking | 3 |
| LGLA 1171 | Preparing for Legal Employment | 1 |
| Third Semester Courses | 6 Credits | |
| ITSW 1301 | Intro to Word Processing | 3 |
| LGLA 2331 | Advanced Legal Research & Writing4 | 3 |
| TOTAL Credit Hours for Paralegal Studies AAS Degree: | 60 Credits |
|---|---|
Program Details
Degrees and certificates in paralegal studies are available for students wishing to pursue a professional career as a paralegal. The goal of the program is to prepare students to perform effectively in a variety of legal settings and to adapt readily to changes in the legal environment. The program offers a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree and a one-year Paralegal Studies Advanced Technical Certificate. Only students already possessing either an Associate of Applied Science degree or a bachelor's degree may enter the certificate program.
Exciting and fulfilling careers can be found in both the public and private sectors of legal practice for graduates holding paralegal degrees and certificates. Paralegals are trained to assist attorneys in such legal services as drafting legal documents, conducting legal research and factual investigations, and interviewing clients and witnesses. The program offers a faculty of experienced paralegal professionals and attorneys, and an extensive law library. Students enrolled in the program will have access to Westlaw Computer Assisted Legal Research available from any computer with an internet connection. Lexis/Nexis computer research is also available online with computer access to the library website.
For students enrolled full-time the AAS degree may be earned in two years, and the certificate in one year. For those attending on a part-time basis, time for completion will be longer. The general education core will transfer to a variety of colleges and universities. Transferred legal specialty courses will be approved as course substitutions as appropriate by the program director only. All students must take at least 12 semester credits of legal specialty courses in the traditional classroom setting.
Other LGLA courses may be taken online. The paralegal studies program at LSC-North Harris is American Bar Association (ABA) approved. Paralegals may not offer legal advice to or do legal work for the general public. Paralegals must work under the direct supervision of an attorney. Contact a counselor or paralegal studies faculty member at LSC-North Harris for more information. Go to the web at LoneStar.edu/paralegal for more information.
For careers and median salaries, visit Career Star for more information.
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Paralegal Studies Department
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