Legal Studies, Bachelor of Science

Purpose

The Bachelor of Science degree in Legal Studies is designed to prepare students to enter the legal field as a paralegal or legal assistant working under the supervision of an attorney in the public, private, or governmental sectors. Additionally, students will gain a solid foundation for graduate studies in law or careers in other areas, including corporate compliance, human resources, and banking.

Program of Study

This program is oriented around the critical job functions of competent and ethical professionals working in the legal services industry. That means each course within the program has been strategically selected and designed to deliver the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to enter the workforce upon graduation. To enhance this core curriculum and provide a well-rounded academic experience, students will also take a series of general education courses that emphasize analytical thinking, reading comprehension, and interpersonal communication.

Program Competencies

In addition to demonstrating college level proficiency in the Wilmington University undergraduate competencies, Legal Studies graduates will also be able to:

  1. Locate, evaluate, use, and communicate legal and non-legal information effectively and appropriately.
  2. Apply legal and ethical principles to guide professional behaviors and decision-making.
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of the use, management, assessment, and application of technology in the legal environment.
  4. Exercise critical thinking strategies, including reasoning, problem solving, analysis, and evaluation in the legal context.
  5. Demonstrate effective written communication of legal issues, concepts, and authority, utilizing the Bluebook Uniform System of Citation.
  6. Exercise effective interpersonal skills, including building and enhancing interpersonal relationships, and interacting effectively with others.

“Legal Specialties”

Students must take a minimum of 18 credits of "legal specialty" courses to earn a degree in Legal Studies. The 18 credits may be satisfied with a combination of transfer courses and courses taken at Wilmington University. A legal specialty is defined by the American Bar Association (ABA) as a course that covers substantive law or legal procedures or processes, has been developed for paralegals, emphasizes practical paralegal skills, and meets the ABA's instructional requirements. The Legal Studies program offers legal specialties in an accelerated, hybrid, and online format. Legal Specialty courses are designated with (LS) below; however, they can also be identified by course description and by the Basic Course Information provided on the website. 

Face-to-Face Requirement

Students must take a minimum of 10 credits of legal specialty courses through traditional, face-to-face classroom instruction. This requirement may be satisfied through any combination of semester, block, or hybrid courses.

Transfer Policy

The Legal Studies program may accept in transfer equivalent, legal specialty courses that are taken at another institution. A maximum of 21 credits of legal specialty courses may be accepted from ABA-approved institutions, and a maximum of 9 credits of legal specialty courses may be accepted from institutions which are not ABA-approved.

Credit Through Alternate Sources

The award of credit for legal specialty courses through Portfolio Assessment or by Examination is coordinated by the Legal Studies program Chair to ensure that the quality and integrity of the program are maintained. Any award of credit requires the approval of the program Chair upon demonstration that the credits can be classified as legal specialty, meets the course objectives and practical skills to be developed for the course for which credit is being awarded, meets the needs of the legal community the program serves, and is comparable to course work offered within the program. A maximum of 15 credits may be earned through Portfolio Assessment, and a maximum of 15 credits may be earned through Examination. For more information, please consult the Student Handbook section entitled "Alternative Credit Methods" or speak to the program Chair or an academic advisor.

Lambda Epsilon Chi Honor Society

Lambda Epsilon Chi (LEX) is a national honor society for paralegal students and one of the highest scholastic honors that can be achieved in the Wilmington University College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Invitation to membership in Lambda Epsilon Chi is based on application, grade point average (GPA), and formal recommendation of the Legal Studies Advisory Board.  It is the College’s way of recognizing the outstanding scholastic achievements of students completing a Bachelor of Science or Post-Bachelor’s Paralegal Certificate.

Minimum Grade Policy

The Legal Studies program has set a minimum passing grade of “C” for LES 200, 220, 225, 226, 228, and 390 (designated with an asterisk). Students receiving a grade lower than “C” in any of these courses must retake that course.

 

Express or Guaranteed Admission Program with Widener University Delaware Law School

Students earning a bachelor’s degree from Wilmington University who meet the following criteria are guaranteed admission to Widener University Delaware Law School’s juris doctor (J.D.) program:

  • Complete all the requirements for conferral of a Wilmington University baccalaureate degree
  • Earn a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or higher
  • Achieve an LSAT score that meets or exceeds the median LSAT score of the current Delaware Law first year entering class
  • Satisfy all law school admissions requirements relating to character and fitness
  • Submit a completed application to Delaware Law no later than April 1st of the calendar year in which the student plans to begin legal study

Curriculum

General Education Requirements (39-40 credits)

CTA 206Computer Applications

3

ECO 105Fundamentals of Economics

3

ENG 121English Composition I

3

ENG 122English Composition II

3

ENG 131Public Speaking

3

HIS 381/HUM 381Contemporary Global Issues

3

LES 226Legal Writing

3

MAT 205Introductory Survey of Mathematics

3

PHI 100Introduction to Critical Thinking

3

PSY 101Introduction to Psychology

3

OR

SOC 101Introduction to Sociology

3

Humanities Electives

Choose 2 of the following courses:
BBM 319Business Ethics

3

COM 245Writing for the Media

3

DSN 110Fundamentals of Drawing

3

TEC 215Basic Photography

3

or any course that begins CUL, DRA, ETN, ART, SPA, HIS, HUM, LIT, MUS, PHI, or REL

Natural Science Elective

Interdisciplinary Concentration (18 credits)

FIN 301Personal Finance

3

OR

FIN 101Financial Literacy

3

HIS 316American History

3

POL 300American Politics

3

OR

POL 326Public Policy and Social Issues

3

MAT 308Inferential Statistics

3

ORG 304/PSY 304Survey of Human Dynamics

3

CTA 326Integrating Excel into Business Problem Solving

3

Legal Studies Core (24 credits)

LES 200Legal Ethics

3

LES 220Introduction to Legal Studies

3

LES 225Legal Research

3

LES 228Civil Procedure

3

LES 350Interviewing & Investigating

3

LES 390Advanced Legal Writing

3

LES 440Advanced Litigation Skills

3

LES 491Capstone: Virtual Experience in Legal Studies

3

 

Directed Core Electives (21 credits)

Choose 7 of the following courses:

LES 205State and Local Government

3

LES 206/POL 365U.S. Regulatory Compliance

3

LES 207/POL 335Global Financial Compliance

3

LES 213American Legal History

3

LES 216Environmental Compliance

3

LES 217/POL 413Food and Drug Law and Policy

3

LES 302Business Organizations

3

LES 304/POL 304Constitutional Law

3

LES 306Family Law

3

LES 309Bankruptcy

3

LES 311Estates, Trusts, and Probates

3

LES 317Contracts

3

LES 321Real Estate, Transfer, and Ownership Law

3

LES 323/PSY 323/SOC 323Law & Practice in Human Services

3

LES 327Intellectual Property

3

LES 328Personal Injury and Malpractice

3

LES 330Cyberlaw

3

LES 331Electronic Discovery

3

LES 340Topics in Legal Studies

3

LES 405Delaware Practice

3

LES 430Evidence

3

LES 490Internship in Legal Studies

3

 

Or With Approval of Chair:

CRJ 304Constitutional Law

3

CRJ 316Criminal Law

3

CRJ 411Criminal Evidence and Procedures

3

HRM 400Legal Aspects of Human Resource Management

3

HSC 325Healthcare Compliance

3

Free Electives (18 credits)

Students with less than 16 transfer credits are required to take FYE 101 as one of their electives.

Suggested Program Sequence

Freshman

1st Semester

CTA 206Computer Applications

3

ENG 121English Composition I

3

FYE 101First Year Experience Seminar

3

MAT 205Introductory Survey of Mathematics

3

PSY 101Introduction to Psychology

3

OR

SOC 101Introduction to Sociology

3

2nd Semester

ECO 105Fundamentals of Economics

3

ENG 122English Composition II

3

PHI 100Introduction to Critical Thinking

3

HUM Elective

3

Natural Science Elective

3 or 4 credits

Sophomore

1st Semester

LES 200Legal Ethics

3

LES 220Introduction to Legal Studies

3

LES 225Legal Research

3

ENG 131Public Speaking

3

HUM Elective

3

2nd Semester

HIS 381/HUM 381Contemporary Global Issues

3

LES 228Civil Procedure

3

LES 226Legal Writing

3

MAT 308Inferential Statistics

3

ORG 304/PSY 304Survey of Human Dynamics

3

Junior

1st Semester

CTA 326Integrating Excel into Business Problem Solving

3

FIN 301Personal Finance

3

OR

FIN 101Financial Literacy

3

LES 350Interviewing & Investigating

3

Legal Elective

HIS 316American History

3

2nd Semester

POL 300American Politics

3

OR

POL 326Public Policy and Social Issues

3

LES 440Advanced Litigation Skills

3

Free Elective

3

Legal Elective

Legal Elective

Senior

1st Semester

LES 390Advanced Legal Writing

3

Free Elective

3

Free Elective

3

Legal Elective

Legal Elective

2nd Semester

LES 491Capstone: Virtual Experience in Legal Studies

3

Free Elective

3

Free Elective

3

Legal Elective

Legal Elective

Legal Studies Completion Degree

Curriculum

As a transfer student who holds an associate's degree from a partner institution, the following courses are required

Required Courses

LES 350Interviewing & Investigating

3

LES 390Advanced Legal Writing

3

LES 440Advanced Litigation Skills

3

LES 491Capstone: Virtual Experience in Legal Studies

3

CTA 326Integrating Excel into Business Problem Solving

3

FIN 301Personal Finance

3

MAT 308Inferential Statistics

3

ORG 304/PSY 304Survey of Human Dynamics

3

LES
Upper Level Legal Studies Elective

LES
Upper Level Legal Studies Elective

LES
Upper Level Legal Studies Elective

LES
Upper Level Legal Studies Elective

LES
Upper Level Legal Studies Elective

LES
Upper Level Legal Studies Elective

LES
Upper Level Legal Studies Elective

The following courses are pre-requisites for a degree in Legal Studies

CTA 206Computer Applications

3

ENG 121English Composition I

3

ENG 122English Composition II

3

ENG 131Public Speaking

3

MAT 205Introductory Survey of Mathematics

3

LES 200Legal Ethics

3

LES 220Introduction to Legal Studies

3

LES 225Legal Research

3

LES 226Legal Writing

3

LES 228Civil Procedure

3

What is a Completion Degree?

A Completion Degree is a personalized version of a Bachelor's degree created exclusively for students who have completed an Associate's degree at an ABA-approved paralegal or legal studies program. A student who expects to transfer a completed Associate's degree should communicate with a Wilmington University Academic Advisor before registering for courses. A transcript with documentation of the conferred degree must be received by Wilmington University to confirm eligibility.