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Paralegal Studies (AA) Business Total Units: 37
A newer version of this program is available. View the latest version here.

Catalog rights may apply, see a counselor for more information.

Term Effective: Fall 2011

Description:

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 in the evenings and on weekends.

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. It meets 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 31 units of required courses and 7 units of program electives, in addition to a minimum of 23 units of general education courses. The program begins in January, June or August and can be completed in four semesters and a summer session.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this major, the student will be able to:

  1. Locate statutes and case law by researching legal issues;
  2. compose legal documents and complete mandated legal court forms;
  3. apply learned critical thinking and analytical skills to client matters;
  4. compile and organize materials efficiently for trials;
  5. interview witnesses and conduct investigations on the behalf of clients; and
  6. complete specific, substantive tasks as delegated by the supervising attorney.

Recommended Sequence of Courses

Students interested in a suggested order for taking classes in this program, please view the recommended course sequence.

Transfer Preparation

Program Requirements:

The requirements for the Paralegal Studies (AA) program are:

  • Complete 37 units from
    • Paralegal Studies Core Requirement
    • Paralegal Studies Elective Requirement
    • Information Learning Resources Requirement

Paralegal Studies Core Requirement - complete 29.00 units
PLS 50Introduction to Law3.00
PLS 51Legal Research3.00
PLS 52Legal Writing3.00
PLS 53Civil Procedure: Pleadings3.00
PLS 54Civil Procedure: Discovery3.00
PLS 55Legal Ethics2.00
PLS 99IParalegal Occupational Work Experience Internship2.00
BGN 71Business English Grammar3.00
BOT 85.1Legal Professions1.00
BOT 85.4Civil Litigation Practices and Procedures1.50
BOT 85.5Discovery Practices and Procedures1.50
CS 65.11Microsoft Office3.00
 
Paralegal Studies Elective Requirement - complete 7.00 units
Complete any combination totaling at least 7.00 units from the following:
CourseDescriptionUnits
PLS 60Legal Calendaring1.00
PLS 61Intellectual Property Law3.00
PLS 62Torts3.00
PLS 63Contracts3.00
PLS 64The American Jury System1.00
RE 55Legal Aspects of Real Estate3.00
 
Information Learning Resources Requirement - complete 1.00 units
Complete any combination totaling at least 1.00 units from the following:
CourseDescriptionUnits
LIR 10Introduction to Information Literacy1.00
LIR 30Introduction to Information Literacy for Research Projects1.00

Term Effective: Fall 2011

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.

Term Inactive: Spring 2012

Previous Versions:

Paralegal Studies - effective Fall 2010

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.

Course Prerequisites and Advisories:

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:

This major will have a new version in Spring 2012 that will not require LIR 10 or LIR 30 because PLS 51 satisfies the requirement.

Contact
Information
Phone Email Website
(707) 527-4693
srjcmajor001052@santarosa.edu