Offered in: Chicago

Program Description

The Bachelor of Arts in Paralegal Studies combines a liberal arts/general education background with law-related specialty courses that provide students with communication, critical thinking, and analytical skills. The Paralegal Studies Program has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1976 and offers courses which provide training in legal terminology, procedures and a variety of legal practice areas giving students a solid foundation with which to begin their career. This program is designed for students who wish to pursue a career as a paralegal or other related positions in the legal field and is also an excellent choice for students interested in attending law school. Upon successful completion of their degree requirements, students earn both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Paralegal Certificate.

Paralegals are professionals who are qualified through education, training and work experience to perform essential legal work. They work with attorneys to provide economical, quality legal services and to make legal services more available to the general public. Paralegals perform a wide range of tasks including conducting interviews with clients and witnesses, gathering facts, researching the law, managing databases, assembling records, analyzing documents, drafting legal pleadings, drafting discovery items such as complaints and interrogatories, and maintaining conflict-of-interest systems. Experienced paralegals often accompany counsel during trial and help with document organization, witness preparation, and research. Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.

Program Goals and Objectives

The goal of the program is to provide education and training that prepares students for the paralegal profession. The following objectives support this goal.

1. Understand the basic concepts of substantive and procedural law including the operation of the legal system and the theory of law.
2.  Be able to work competently as a paralegal under the supervision of an attorney, including proficiency in using legal technology and software.
3. Understand the ethical obligations of a paralegal.
4. Contribute to the advancement of the paralegal profession.

Curriculum

The program surveys paralegal employers, current students, and graduates to receive their insights on the curriculum and the needs of the legal community. The program also receives guidance from its board of advisors, composed of leading educators and members of the legal community. Students will know legal terminology, concepts, and procedures and will gain skills to draft a variety of legal documents. Students learn how to conduct legal research using both Lexis and Westlaw (commonly used legal databases). They will learn, through hands-on training, litigation support and e-discovery applications. Students will be better prepared for law school and will participate in an internship course as part of their curriculum. It is possible to complete the program fully online. Courses are conveniently offered on-campus, fully online (asynchronous), and remotely (synchronous). Remote courses are offered on weekday evenings and sometimes combine live (synchronous) class sessions with online (asynchronous) instruction. Pursuant to American Bar Association Guidelines, students must take at least 9 semester credits or the equivalent of legal specialty courses (300-level PARA courses) through synchronous instruction. 

Admission

Students may begin taking Paralegal Studies courses after completing 60 credit hours of coursework, with the exception of PARA 101 WHAT IS LAW? and PARA 301 ETHICS & PROFESSIONALISM. Students may take PARA 101 WHAT IS LAW? in their freshman year. Students may take PARA 301 ETHICS & PROFESSIONALISM in their sophomore year if they have completed the University Writing Requirement and have a 2.5 or higher grade point average. During the semester in which students will be completing the first 60 credit hours of their degree they must submit an application to the Paralegal Studies program. At this time, it is recommended that students have at least a 2.5 grade point average. The application form is available in the Admission Info section of the program's website. For questions or an appointment, contact Carrie Lausen, the program director at clausen@roosevelt.edu.

Lambda Epsilon Chi, National Paralegal Honor Society

Roosevelt University maintains a chapter of Lambda Epsilon Chi (LEX), a national paralegal honor society founded by the American Association for Paralegal Education. Members are inducted in April and October of each year and receive a commemorative certificate and membership pin. Their names are entered into the permanent records of the Lambda Epsilon Chi national paralegal honor society.

Students take the introductory course, What is Law?  In addition, the major requires 30 credit hours of paralegal courses. Grades of C or higher and a minimum GPA of 2.0 are required in all 300-level paralegal courses.

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Paralegal elective courses run on a rotating basis throughout the academic year determined by market demand and student interest. Not all elective courses are offered every semester. Contact the program director for more information.

CORE Requirements (General Education)

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Higher level of Math may be required by major

These quantitative requirements also apply to degrees.

• Students must earn a minimum of 120 semester hours.
• Students may apply no more than 60 credit hours of 100-level courses toward the degree.
• Students must apply no fewer than 60 credit hours of 200- and 300-level courses toward the degree.
• Students must have at least 18 credit hours (of the 60 credit hours above) at the 300 level.
• Students may transfer in no more than 70 credit hours from community colleges.
• Students earning less than 60 total hours in residence must take their final 30 hours at Roosevelt University. Note that some majors have additional requirements for RU hours.
• Students must have a grade point average of 2.0 or higher to graduate. Note that some majors have additional GPA requirements.
• Students may apply no more than 51 hours in the major (BA) or 57 hours in the major (BS)

TRANSFER OF PARALEGAL COURSES

Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Paralegal Studies who have completed 15 or more credit hours of paralegal courses from an ABA-approved paralegal program (with a grade of C or better) that are no more than 6 years old, will be required to take only 18 credit hours of upper-division (300-level) paralegal courses. The 18 credit hours of paralegal courses will be selected in consultation with an academic advisor in the Paralegal Studies program. Credit hours earned for the paralegal courses at the previous program may transfer as general elective requirements.

Your degree map is a general guide suggesting courses to complete each term on the academic pathway to your degree. It is based on the most current scheduling information from your academic program. Your program’s degree map is reviewed annually and updated as schedules change (although you retain the same course requirements as long as you are continuously enrolled in your degree program).

Always work closely with your academic advisor to understand curriculum requirements and scheduling, as each student’s academic plan can look slightly different.

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Or course towards an optional Minor.

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One Natural Science course must have a lab.

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Satisfies CORE Ideas of Social Justice requirement

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Satisfies CORE Experiential Learning requirement

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Experiential Learning class must be 200/300 level. Satisfies CORE Experiential Learning requirement. EXL courses can satisfy major requirements/electives or CORE requirement.

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Any course at the 300 level within the discipline.