The requirements for this program of study are effective beginning the semester shown above. If you began working on this program before the effective semester, you may not be affected by the changes. Consult with the program contact person or the department chair to determine your eligibility to complete the program under previous requirements.
Associate Degree Requirements:
The major is one of several requirements students need to fulfill in order to be awarded the Associate Degree, the highest level of academic achievement recognized by Santa Rosa Junior College. Please note that all of the following requirements must be met in order for the degree to be conferred:
For all students admitted for the Fall 2009 term or any term thereafter,
a grade of "C" or better, or "P" if the course is taken on a pass/no pass basis,
is required for each course applied toward the major.
The Santa Rosa Junior College Paralegal Studies Program is an academic Associate in Arts degree program for students seeking employment in the legal field and in business. The curriculum blends an understanding of legal theory and practical skills, based on actual paralegal job responsibilities. Classes are taught by practicing attorneys and paralegals primarily online in either synchronous or asynchronous formats.
The guiding principles of the program are two-fold: to offer a curriculum that teaches the practical applications of legal theory
and to advance the paralegal profession by offering a rigorous course of study that develops resourceful legal problem solvers. By completing this program, students will have met the educational requirements for paralegals as stated in the California Business and Professions Code, commencing with section 6450.
Students earn the Associate in Arts degree with 27 units of required
courses and 7 units of program electives, in addition to a minimum of
23 units of general education courses and 3 additional elective unit to total 60 units required of an associate degree. The program begins in January or August and can be completed within two years.
Program Student Learning Outcomes:Upon successful completion of this program, the student will be able to:
Locate statutes and case law by researching legal issues;
Compose legal documents and complete mandated legal court forms;
Apply learned critical thinking and analytical skills to client matters;
Compile and organize materials efficiently for trials;
Interview witnesses and conduct investigations on the behalf of clients; and
Complete specific, substantive tasks as delegated by the supervising attorney.
Program Requirements:
The requirements for the Paralegal Studies program are:
Complete 34.0 units from
Paralegal Studies Core Requirement
Paralegal Studies Elective
Paralegal Studies Core Requirement - complete 27.00 units
Courses in a program of study may have prerequisites or advisories;
that is, courses that must or should be completed before taking that course.
Please check for prerequisites or advisories by clicking on the course numbers
in the Program Requirements section.
It is important that students who are completing an Associate Degree and desire to transfer to a four-year institution meet with a counselor to plan their lower division coursework. While many majors at SRJC are intended to align with lower division major preparation required by California public universities, specific lower-division major requirements vary among individual campuses. See a counselor, visit the Transfer Center, and check Guides For Transfer in Specific Majors, and ASSIST to review transfer preparation guides for specific schools and majors.
Notes:
Students with a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher
Students who already possess a Bachelor’s Degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education may be awarded an Associate’s Degree upon completion of the following:
1 . All requirements in a major in a different field of study.
2 . Twelve units in residence.
3 . A Bachelor’s Degree or higher from a regionally accredited college in the United States will be accepted as fulfilling the General Education requirements for graduation.