The Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in Paralegal Studies is career-specific because it is designed to prepare people to work in support of attorneys. The program stresses the fundamentals of legal research, family law, probate, civil procedure, business organizations, law office management, real estate law, and constitutional law.
| Core Curriculum Courses | ||
| See the Core Curriculum Requirements | 42 | |
| Required courses in the major * | ||
| PLGL 222 | Introduction to Law | 3 |
| PLGL 223 | Legal Research | 3 |
| PLGL 310 | Law Office Management | 3 |
| PLGL 322 | Civil Procedure | 3 |
| PLGL 426 | Paralegal Internship | 3 |
| PLGL 427 | Torts and Personal Injury Law | 3 |
| Paralegal Electives (15 semester hours from the following): | 15 | |
| Constitutional Law for Paralegals | ||
| Bankruptcy For Paralegals | ||
| Probate | ||
| Business Law for Paralegals | ||
| Criminal Law & Procedure | ||
| Family Law | ||
| Real Estate Law for Paralegals | ||
| Choose BA or BS Option | ||
| (listed below) | 45 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
| BS ONLY (Non-Language) | ||
| Upper Level Political Science Courses, Excludes: PLGL 310, PLGL 311, PLGL 312, PLGL 321, PLGL 322, PLGL 323, PLGL 324, PLGL 325, PLGL 328, PLGL 426 and PLGL 427. | 3 | |
| HIST 265 | A Changing World: Global History | 3 |
| or HIST 305 | World History to 17th Century | |
| or HIST 306 | The Modern World | |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Minor Required | ||
| Minimum 18 hours in the Minor | 18 | |
| Additional Electives | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 45 | |
| BA ONLY (Lanugage) | ||
| Language Requirement | ||
| 12 hours of a foreign language* | 12 | |
| Minor Required | ||
| Minimum 18 hours in the Minor | 18 | |
| Additional Electives | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 45 | |
A declared Paralegal Studies Student must earn a grade of “C” or higher in all Paralegal Studies Major courses.
Note: In addition to fulfilling these requirements, students majoring in Paralegal Studies must submit a portfolio of their work in Paralegal Studies courses and complete a survey on their experiences in the program.
Paralegal students must complete an internship of 160 hours. Students must contact the Program Director at least two months prior to the semester the student plans to participate in the internship. PLGL 311, Constitutional Law for Paralegals, is not a legal specialty course for internship qualification purposes.
Courses in the Paralegal Studies Major are designated as:
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| ENG 1301 | College Reading & Writing | 3 |
| CID 1300 or CID 2301 |
The Student and The University or The Human Experience |
3 |
| MATH 1332 | Contemporary Mathematics | 3 |
| SPA 1311 | Elementary Spanish I | 3 |
| HIST 1301 | History of the United States through Reconstruction | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENG 1302 | Written Argument/Research | 3 |
| NON-SCIENCE MAJORS LIFE & PHYS. | 3 | |
| DEGREE PATHWAY FROM CORE LIST | 3 | |
| PSCI 2305 | United States Government and Politics | 3 |
| SPA 1312 | Elementary Spanish II | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Humanities Course from CORE LIST | 3 | |
| NON-SCIENCE MAJORS LIFE & PHYS. | 3 | |
| PSCI 2306 | Texas Government and Politics | 3 |
| SPA 2311 | Intermediate Spanish I | 3 |
| SOC/BEHAV from CORE LIST | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| SPA 2312 | Intermediate Spanish II | 3 |
| CREATIVE ARTS | 3 | |
| HIST 1302 | History of the United States Since Reconstruction | 3 |
| PLGL 222 | Introduction to Law | 3 |
| PLGL 223 | Legal Research | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| PLGL 310 | Law Office Management | 3 |
| Paralegal Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Paralegal Elective 2 | 3 | |
| MINOR 1 | 3 | |
| MINOR 2 | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| PLGL 322 | Civil Procedure | 3 |
| Paralegal Elective 3 | 3 | |
| Free Elective 1 | 3 | |
| MINOR 3 | 3 | |
| MINOR 4 | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| PLGL 427 | Torts and Personal Injury Law | 3 |
| Paralegal Elective 4 | 3 | |
| Paralegal Elective 5 | 3 | |
| MINOR 5 | 3 | |
| Free Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| PLGL 426 | Paralegal Internship | 3 |
| MINOR 6 | 3 | |
| Free Elective 3 | 3 | |
| Free Elective 4 | 3 | |
| Free Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
