Paralegal Studies PS13, Associate of Applied Science

Program Description

The Paralegal Studies program is a sequence of courses that prepares students for positions in the paralegal profession. Learning opportunities develop academic, technical and professional knowledge and skills required for job acquisition, retention, and advancement. The knowledge and skills emphasized in this program include ethical obligations; research in state and federal law; legal correspondence preparation; family law matters; basic concepts of real property law, criminal law and procedure, civil litigation, tort law, and substantive contract law; and wills, trusts, and probate. The program of study emphasizes opportunities that provide students with specialized legal knowledge and skills required to aid lawyers in the delivery of legal services. Program graduates receive a Paralegal Studies Associate of Applied Technology degree.

Unauthorized Practice of Law

The goal of the Paralegal Studies Program is to train students in a variety of legal practice areas, analysis and reasoning and effective communication with the students successfully adapting these skills to professional legal environments. Paralegals shall not engage in the unauthorized practice of law as proscribed by the Official Code of Georgia §15-19-51 and must work under the supervision and direction of an attorney in good standing with the State Bar of Georgia.

Admission Requirements

Minimum Required Age	16
High School Diploma or GED Required	Yes
Placement Scores for Regular Admission (Accuplacer)	English	Reading	Math	Algebra
	70	64	N/A	57

Location(s)

Golden Isles

General Education Core (Required minimum: 18 Semester hours)

Area I - Language Arts/Communications (6 hrs)

ENGL 1101	Composition and Rhetoric	3
SPCH 1101	Public Speaking	3

Area II - Social/Behavioral Sciences (3 hrs)

Area III - Natural Sciences/Mathematics (3 hrs)

Area IV - Humanities/Fine Arts (3 hrs)

Specific General Education Core Elective (3 hrs)

One course from Area I, II, III, or IV

For a complete listing of General Education courses and electives select the following link: General Education Courses.

Occupational Courses

COMP 1000	Introduction to Computer Literacy	3
PARA 1100	Introduction to Law and Ethics	3
PARA 1115	Family Law	3
PARA 1105	Legal Research & Writing I	3
PARA 1110	Legal Research & Writing II	3
PARA 1125	Criminal Law and Procedure	3
PARA 1140	Tort Law	3
PARA 1150	Contracts, Commercial Law, Business Organizations	3
PARA 1120	Real Estate Law	3
PARA 1130	Civil Litigation	3
PARA 1135	Wills, Trusts, Probate and Adm	3
PARA 1145	Law Office Management	3
PARA 2200	Paralegal Practicum	6
	OR
PARA 2210	Paralegal Internship I	6

Guided Electives

Complete 9 Credits from the following courses

PARA 2215	Paralegal Internship II	6
PARA 1205	Constitutional Law	3
PARA 1210	Legal & Policy Issues in Health	3
PARA 2205	Advanced Legal Research & Writing	3
PARA 1215	Administrative Law	3
ENGL 1105	Technical Communications	3
PARA 1200	Bankruptcy/Debtor-Creditor Relations	3

Total Credit Hours: 69