Associates of Science in Paralegal Studies

The requirements below pertain to this Undergraduate Catalog year and are intended as a guide for academic planning. Students should consult with their academic advisor to discuss their individual plan of study.

Program Length: 62 credit hours

Accepted Transfer Credits: Up to 45 Credit hours

Paralegals play a key role in the complex and exciting legal industry. While lawyers are ultimately responsible for legal work, many tasks are often delegated to paralegals. Suppose you are interested in training for a new career or advancing in the legal industry. In that case, the Associate of Science in Paralegal Studies from Leighton University can be the first step on the path to career success.

Typically, our students enroll in this program to pursue a career in a legal environment such as a private law firm, corporation, or government agency. This program offers courses in the basic understanding of the law and court systems' core areas to help you stand out in the competitive job market. The program also provides a balance of legal-specialty courses, courses in particular topics, and general education CORE requirements that give students a base to communicate effectively with clients, the public, and people in the legal system. As a program student, you can learn to prepare for litigation, provide administrative support during courtroom proceedings, interview witnesses, and legal research issues.

Program Goals and Objectives

After the Associate of Arts degree program in Paralegal Studies is completed, the graduate should be able to do the following:

• To offer the students a background in the legal fundamentals, apt skills, and practical experience necessary for professional employment.
• The curriculum offers a wide variety of business, law, and liberal arts courses to provide students a broader range of employment prospects.
• Demonstrate skill sets to analyze data and information to assist clients throughout the legal process ethically.
• Demonstrate abilities to locate and analyze relevant primary and secondary legal sources in electronic and print media
• Demonstrate abilities to investigative techniques to gather information from witnesses and other sources
• Demonstrate abilities to use oral and written skills to communicate with participants throughout the legal process
• Demonstrate abilities to analyze legal documents and maintain legal schedules
• Demonstrate abilities to draft and organize legal documents and records
• Demonstrate abilities to organize pretrial documents and records
• Demonstrate abilities to prepare office documents and forms

Paralegal Studies Program Curriculum

To satisfy the program's requirements, you will need 62 credits hours that sufficiently cover the designated program's components. These credit hours may be earned by combining the CORE courses, content, and electives requirements. Required courses may vary based on transferable credits. Specifically, the students must submit proof of successful completion of a minimum of 62 semester hours of credit, which includes the following:

• Successful completion of the General Education Requirements (34 credit hours) occurs when the student begins continuous enrollment.
• Successful completion of 24 credit hours of discipline-related courses.
• Successful completion of  3 credit hours free elective.
• Successful completion of the 1 credit hour University Studies course - LIBR 150.

Note:

• At least 15 credit total credit hours for the associate degree must be completed at Leighton University.
• A minimum grade point average of C (2.0) on all Leighton credits and a grade of at least C in all discipline-related courses. Course prerequisites must be observed. If the student anticipates pursuing a bachelor's degree, courses should be selected to advance Draft and organize legal documents and records.