Paralegal Studies A.A.S. Degree Program
Advising Sheet
The primary purpose of this degree is to prepare students for employment immediately following graduation from Nashville State.
Program Mission: The mission of the Paralegal Studies program is to provide practical learning opportunities that prepare students to:
• Excel in the legal environment.
• Effectively adapt to and manage technological change.
• Develop ethical business practices and a sense of personal responsibility.
• Work independently and as part of a team.
• Communicate effectively with written and oral messages.
• Think critically.
• Be creative with the provision of legal services.
The program of study prepares students for a career as a paralegal or legal assistant. The ABA defines a legal assistant or a paralegal as “a person qualified by education, training, or work 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.”
Paralegal skills emphasized during the program are: law office procedures, paralegal responsibilities, legal research, legal document preparation, effective communications, and an understanding of basic substantive and procedural law. Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.
Graduates of the Paralegal Studies program should be able to:
• Demonstrate a basic understanding of legal ethics and professional responsibility.
• Explain the organization of the court system.
• Draft legal documents under the direction of an attorney.
• Conduct legal research and do legal writing.
• Interview clients and witnesses to gather investigative information.
• Use word processing and law-related computer software.
• Demonstrate a basic knowledge of procedural and substantive law.
• Use verbal and written communication skills effectively.
Career Opportunities
• Law firms
• Corporate legal departments
• Law Schools
• Federal Government
• State Governments
• Local Government
• Public and Private Agencies
Transfer/Advising
The A.A.S. degree is designed to prepare a student for employment upon graduation. Some universities, at their discretion, accept some technical courses for transfer. A student who plans to transfer to a university should consult his/her advisor and the receiving university about transfer and articulation policies. Failure to do so could result in loss of transfer credits.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
RUBRIC |
COURSE |
CLASS |
LAB |
CREDITS |
| English |
ENGL 1010 |
English Composition I |
3 |
0 |
3 |
| SPCH 1010 |
Speech |
3 |
0 |
3 |
Humanities |
| |
Humanities Elective |
3 |
0 |
3 |
Social Sciences Elective |
PSYC 1111 |
Intro to Psychology |
3 |
0 |
3 |
| Mathematics or Natural Sciences Elective |
| |
Mathematics
or
Natural Sciences Elective |
3 |
0 |
3 |
| Technical Core |
ACCT 1010
or
ACCT 1104 |
Survey of Accounting
or
Principles of Accounting |
3 |
0 |
3 |
AIS 1104 |
Business Software Applications |
3 |
0 |
3 |
OAD 1100 |
Keyboarding/Formatting |
3 |
0 |
3 |
OAD 1116 |
Business English |
3 |
0 |
3 |
OAD 1117 |
Business Communications |
3 |
0 |
3 |
BUS 2310 |
Business Ethics |
3 |
0 |
3 |
BUS 2650 |
Legal Environment of Business |
3 |
0 |
3 |
PLAW 1000 |
Intro to Paralegal Studies |
3 |
0 |
3 |
PLAW 1100 |
Legal Writing |
3 |
0 |
3 |
PLAW 1200 |
Legal Research |
3 |
0 |
3 |
PLAW 2000 |
Civil Litigation and Procedure |
3 |
0 |
3 |
PLAW 2300 |
Bankruptcy and Secured Transactions |
3 |
0 |
3 |
Technical Electives (Choose any 9 hours) |
| HCM 2200 |
Medical Legal Issues |
3 |
0 |
3 |
| OAD 1235 |
Word |
3 |
0 |
3 |
| PLAW 2100 |
Torts |
3 |
0 |
3 |
| PLAW 2200 |
Family Law |
3 |
0 |
3 |
| PLAW 2400 |
Real Property Law |
3 |
0 |
3 |
| PLAW 2915 |
Co-op Elective |
3 |
0 |
3 |
PST 1010 |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
3 |
0 |
3 |
PST 1030 |
Criminal Evidence |
3 |
0 |
3 |
TOTAL REQUIRED - ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE |
60 |
Recommended Full-Time Schedule
First Year
| Fall Semester |
Course |
Credits |
| ENGL 1010 |
English Composition I |
3 |
| AIS 1181 |
Business Software Applications |
3 |
| OAD 1100 |
Keyboarding/Formatting |
3 |
| OAD 1116 |
Business English |
3 |
| PLAW 1000 |
Intro to Paralegal Studies |
3 |
| |
| Spring Semester |
Course |
Credits |
ACCT 1010
or
ACCT 1104 |
Survey of Accounting
or
Principles of Accounting I |
3 |
| OAD 1117 |
Business Communication |
3 |
| PLAW 1100 |
Legal Writing |
3
3 |
| |
Math or Natural Sciences Elective |
3 |
| SPCH 1010 |
Speech |
3 |
Second Year
| Fall Semester |
Course |
Credits |
| BUS 2310 |
Business Ethics |
3 |
| BUS 2650 |
Legal Environment of Business |
3 |
| PLAW 1200 |
Legal Research |
3 |
| PLAW 2000 |
Civil Litigation and Procedure |
3 |
| |
Technical Elective |
3 |
| |
| Spring Semester |
Course |
Credits |
| |
Humanities Elective |
3 |
| PLAW 2300 |
Bankruptcy and Secured Transactions |
3 |
| |
Social Sciences Elective |
3 |
| |
Technical Electives |
6 |
Cooperative work experience can be an important addition to a student’s formal classroom work. Co-op courses may substitute for technical courses with the prior approval of the Program Coordinator. The Career Employment Center will provide the correct course numbers.
Note: All Course Requirements are located in the catalog.
Course Descriptions
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