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Description
The Bachelor of Science degree in Paralegal Studies is approved by the American Bar Association. A paralegal, as defined by the American Bar Association, is "a person qualified by education, training, or work experience, who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity, and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible." The goal of the program is to prepare students for entry-level paralegal positions in the common areas of law practice. Paralegals are nonlawyers, and therefore, are prohibited from the unauthorized practice of law. This program trains paralegals and is not a program for training lawyers or legal administrators. Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Paralegal Studies are required to submit a paralegal portfolio at an exit interview with the program coordinator prior to degree conferral.
Program Objectives
The objectives of the Paralegal Studies Program are to:
- Provide students with a broad-based education in both liberal arts and paralegal studies
- Provide paralegal courses that enable students to obtain substantive legal knowledge, develop analytical skills, and apply the knowledge they have learned to tasks routinely performed by paralegals
- Be responsive in course offerings to the needs of paralegals and attorneys
- Ensure that students are familiar with the ethical guidelines for paralegals
- Provide students with the opportunity to utilize software that is used in most offices dealing with law-related issues
- Familiarize students with the paralegal profession and the opportunities that are available to them upon completion of the program
What Does a Paralegal Do?
Paralegals perform many vital and useful functions for law firms, the business community, and government agencies. Some of the services that paralegals perform are:
- Research and investigation
- Document preparation and organization
- Client interviewing
- Title searches, closings, foreclosures, and other real estate work
- Litigation support and assistance
- Law office management
What Makes NSU's Paralegal Studies Program Unique?
- The program is approved by the American Bar Association
- The program houses a chapter of Lambda Epsilon Chi, a national academic honor society for paralegal students
- All legal courses are taught by Florida Bar attorneys and Florida judges
- Concentration on practical, hands-on application
- Training in legal software applications used by Florida law firms
- Training in computerized legal research
- Internship opportunities with private law firms and government agencies
- Students leave with a professional portfolio to bring to employment interviews and to use as a resource manual on the job
- Convenient classes for working individuals, offering small, evening classes and selected online paralegal classes
- Opportunities for court observation
Learning Outcomes
A successful paralegal studies graduate is expected to:
- Explain the basic theories, doctrines, concepts, and associated principles that comprise the knowledge base of law, with specific emphasis on torts, contracts, wills and trusts, civil procedure, litigation, family law, business organizations, real estate, and criminal law;
- Use critical-thinking skills to analyze and evaluate relevant facts and supporting material;
- Use communication and interpersonal skills to effectively interact with clients, attorneys, judges, court personnel, and coworkers;
- Categorize, organize, prioritize, and evaluate complex factual and legal issues;
- Use legal-research skills to research and find statutes, cases, and other primary source material, and to draft legal documents.
Curriculum Requirements
Paralegal studies majors may take a maximum of 6 major elective credits in Special Topics courses and a maximum of 6 major elective credits in internship courses. LEGS courses offered online require proctored exams at approved sites.
General Education Requirements (30 credits)
Students are required to complete 30 credit hours as part of the General Education Program.
Paralegal Studies Major Requirements (54 credits)
Core Courses (45 credits)
LEGS 1150 Introduction to Law and the Legal Profession (3 credits)
LEGS 2100 Legal Research and Writing (3 credits)
LEGS 3050 Criminal Law and Procedure (3 credits)
LEGS 3210 Computer Applications for the Legal Profession (3 credits)
LEGS 3260 Real Estate Practice I (3 credits)
LEGS 3300 Torts and Civil Litigation (3 credits)
LEGS 3360 Wills, Trusts and Estates I (3 credits)
LEGS 3400 Business Relations and Organizations (3 credits)
LEGS 3550 Family Law (3 credits)
LEGS 4110 Legal Research and Writing II (3 credits)
LEGS 4270 Real Estate Practice II (3 credits)
LEGS 4310 Advanced Litigation (3 credits)
LEGS 4370 Wills, Trusts, and Estates II (3 credits)
LEGS 4410 Corporate Regulation and Change (3 credits)
SPCH 1010 Public Speaking (3 credits) OR SPCH 2020 Argument and Debate (3 credits)
Major Electives (9 credits)
Select 9 credits from the following courses:
LEGS 4060 Debtor and Creditor Relations (3 credits)
LEGS 4470 Emerging Technologies and the Legal Profession (3 credits)
LEGS 4560 Elder Law (3 credits)
LEGS 4900 Special Topics in Paralegal Studies (3 credits)
LEGS 4950 Internship in Paralegal Studies (3 credits)
Transfer Policy
As stated in the Nova Southeastern University Undergraduate Student Catalog, NSU will transfer a maximum of 90 eligible semester credits (grades of D or higher) toward a degree, including credit for CLEP, proficiency exams, and prior experiential learning. The transfer of these credits coincides with the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida articulation agreement entered into by the university. Remaining credits and at least 50 percent of credits in the student's major, minor, and/or certificate areas must be earned at NSU in regular academic offerings. See the "Academic Requirements and Progress" section.
In addition, the student must arrange for an official transcript to be sent from the college previously attended.
In regards to Legal Specialty Courses, legal specialty courses transferred from colleges which maintain an articulation agreement with NSU will automatically transfer pursuant to the established articulation agreement. References to Legal Specialty Courses only apply to courses offered through the Paralegal Studies Program. All legal specialty courses that are not enumerated in the articulation agreement will be transferred as LEGS 1999 elective credits. The agreements are subject to change or modification by mutual written consent between the parties hereto. It is understood between the institution and the college/schools that the agreement may be modified by the institution, in consultation with the college/school. Modification may be made if necessary to bring it within the purview of and in accord with the directives of the President or academic leadership at the institution, the statutes governing the institution, or the policies of the Board of Trustees of the institution. Each school/college has program specific agreements that are enumerated below.
Depending upon the articulation agreement held with the particular community college, between 58 and 63 credits is the minimum credits transferable towards a bachelor of science degree in paralegal studies. The maximum number of credits that are transferrable for colleges with articulation agreements is 90 credits. In order to ensure that at least 10 semester credits, or the equivalent, of legal specialty courses through traditional classroom instruction is provided, 4000 level courses are not transferable towards completion of the program course requirements.
Legal specialty courses from colleges that do not have an articulation agreement with NSU have to be evaluated by the program coordinator to ensure that the content of the course is comparable to the Nova Southeastern University course. Evaluations of legal specialty courses include the comparison of course descriptions between the transferring college and NSU and course syllabi provided by the transferring student. In order to ensure that at least 10 semester credits, or the equivalent, of legal specialty courses through traditional classroom instruction is provided, 4000 level courses are not transferable towards completion of the program course requirements.
Transfer credit is given for not more than six legal specialty courses (18 credits) to those seeking a Certificate in Paralegal Studies to satisfy the requirements that at least 10 semester credits, or the equivalent, of legal specialty courses through traditional classroom instruction is provided.
The program does not award transfer credit to students merely based on their certification as a Certified Legal Assistant. However, a student who is a Certified Legal Assistant and has completed courses in another college or university will be eligible to transfer course credits from their previous academic institution should the courses be eligible for transfer.
The academic program and curriculum requirements listed on this page are from the 2009-2010 edition of the NSU Undergraduate
Student Catalog. Students are bound by policies and curricula published in the catalog in effect the semester they enter
the university, unless an agreement is made with appropriate NSU administration officials allowing them to abide by policies
published in a later catalog.
