The program of study leading to a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Legal Studies prepares graduates for career advancement in legal assisting, paralegal, and other law-related professions. The American Bar Association defines a paralegal or legal assistant as "a person qualified by education, training, or experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency, or other entity, and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible."

The program is designed to provide in-depth understanding of the legal system as it relates to the law, the courts, clients, and lawyers. The curriculum encompasses both generalist and specialist courses as recommended by the American Bar Association. The core curriculum provides a solid foundation of legal, ethical, technical, and communication skills. Subsequent to completion of the core, students have an opportunity to focus on specific areas of interest by taking elective coursework in the areas of litigation, probate, family law, criminal law, and international law.

Qualified students with an associate's degree in legal assisting, paralegal studies or the equivalent are admitted as juniors and take 48 semester credit hours of upper division coursework to complete the BS degree, plus any additional general education courses needed to meet the 36 credit hour state requirement. The 48 credit hours of upper division coursework consist of required core courses (27 credits), elective courses (15 credits), and university required courses (6 credits).

Students may also enter the program as freshmen in a four-year track. Consult the college advisor for details.

The program prepares students for professional legal assisting and paralegal studies certification exams, including the Certified Legal Assistant's (CLA) Exam sponsored by the National Association of Legal Assistants and Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE) offered by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations, Inc. (NFPA). The program focuses on essential competencies identified by these organizations and includes the educational preparation recommended for success in the field.

Career tracks. By selecting from a defined list of elective courses, students can focus their studies on any of the following topics:

• litigation
• probate
• family law
• criminal law
• international law

See the Program Coordinator for additional information.