Paralegal StudiesParalegal StudiesCertificate in Paralegal Studies
The Paralegal Studies curriculum is intended to provide a firm grounding in legal skills and in specific substantive areas of law for the undergraduate student as well as the person who is interested in becoming a paralegal. All course work is conducted at the upper division level. The population served is adult, usually employed full-time, has considerable formal education (including the baccalaureate degree, in most cases) and has accumulated more life and work experience than the typical undergraduate.
All courses in this program are taught by attorneys and/or paralegals with practical experience in their respective fields.
Paralegals are employed in private and public interest law firms, corporations, banks, securities firms, government agencies, and regulatory bodies. The Bureau of Labor Statistics ranks the paralegal occupation as one of the fastest growing in the country through the year 2005.
To be admitted to the certificate program, students should have completed 56 units of academic credit or have sufficient experience to demonstrate they can perform upper division work. Students who do not have 56 units may be accepted on probation and are encouraged to apply. Students may enroll in up to nine units before applying to the certificate program.
The certificate program's course content requires excellent writing skills. Certificate students are asked to demonstrate their writing ability soon after admission to the certificate program to satisfy the university literacy requirement. Those who do not have the necessary writing skills are referred to a course offered regularly through the continuing education program: ENG 414, Elements of Writing.
A certificate is awarded upon successful completion of 30 units. The 30 units required to earn the certificate consist of five required courses and fifteen units of elective courses.
Each course carries three units credit unless otherwise noted. For complete course descriptions, contact the program director.
Required Courses: Foundation Courses and Basic Litigation
Introduction to Law/Civil Procedure
Investigation, Discovery, and Trial Preparation
Legal Research and Writing
Pleadings and Motions
Communications Skills and Legal Ethics
Elective Courses: Advanced and Specialized Practical Courses
Administrative Law
Advanced Legal Research and Writing
Bankruptcy: Debtors' Rights and Creditors' Remedies
Case Law Research: Print, On-line, and CD-ROM (1)
Computer Applications in Law Practice
Computer-Assisted Legal Research
Corporations Law
Criminal Law
Employment Discrimination
Environmental Litigation and Compliance
Evidence for Paralegals
Factual Legal Research (1)
Family Law
Field Experience in Paralegal Studies
Immigration Law
Intellectual Property: Copyright, Trademarks, and Patents
Labor Law
Post-Trial Procedures
Probate Procedures
Real Estate Practice
Statutory Legal Research (1)
Torts, Contracts, and Remedies
Wills, Trusts, and Estate Planning
Workers' Compensation Law (2)
Students may concentrate their elective courses in one area of law practice or may select electives in a variety of areas to suit their interests.
If students are not interested in the certificate, but want to take selected individual courses in the program, they may register for those courses, with the consent of the director, without applying for admission to the program.