Paralegal Studies (Accelerated) Bachelor of Arts

Total Credit Hours: 128
Major Credit Hours: 54

Program Entrance Requirements

Applicants must be at least 24 years of age; have earned a minimum of 12 semester (18 quarter) hours of transferable credit at a regional, accredited post-secondary institution; have earned a minimum of 2.0 (on a scale of 4.0) cumulative transfer GPA for all transferable courses; and have at least three years of full-time work experience. Credits earned through Prior Learning Assessment cannot be used for satisfying the 12-hour transfer credit hour requirement for admission into an accelerated degree program. The Paralegal Program is housed in the Department of Justice, Law, and Public Safety Studies.

Requirements for the B.A. in Paralegal Studies

  • Successful completion of a minimum of 128
  • Completion of the final 32 semester graded credit hours at Lewis University, including four core and/or specialty upper-division courses in the major (12 semester credit hours).
  • Achievement of an overall grade point average of at least 2.00 (“C”) for all courses taken at Lewis University and a 2.00 average for courses in the major.
  • Completion of all General Education and Mission-related requirements.

Paralegal students in the accelerated program with an interest in criminal law are encouraged to take the substantive and procedural criminal law courses (LX-430 and LX-445) as part of their related electives. Those with an interest in business law are encouraged to take LB-250 Business Law.

Degree Requirements

I. Core Courses (33)

A. Required Courses

LV-101Introduction to Paralegal Studies

3

LV-201Fundamentals of Litigation for Paralegals

3

LV-202Law Office Management and Computer Use for Paralegals

3

LV-301Legal Research, Analysis and Writing

3

LV-302Interviewing and Investigating for Paralegals

3

LV-303Ethics and Professional Responsibility for Paralegals

3

LV-401Paralegal Capstone: Practicum

3

B. Select four Paralegal Specialty Electives:

LV-310Torts and Personal Injury Law for Paralegals

3

LV-312Basic Contract Law for Paralegals

3

LV-314Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning for Paralegals

3

LV-316Real Estate Transactions and Property Law for Paralegals

3

LV-318Family Law for Paralegals

3

90-320Sole Proprietorship, Corporations, and Partnerships for Paralegals

3

90-322Commercial Law for Paralegals

3

90-324Elder Law for Paralegals

3

90-326Bankruptcy Law for Paralegals

3

90-328Environmental Law for Paralegals

3

90-330Immigration Law for Paralegals

3

90-332Intellectual Property for Paralegals

3

90-334Taxation for Paralegals

3

II. Select two Law-Related Courses: (6)

L8-371Constitutional Law

3

L8-372Civil Liberties

3

LB-250Business Law I

3

LX-260Juvenile Justice System

3

LX-430Elements of Criminal Law

3

LX-445Criminal Procedure/Rules of Evidence

3

III. Select two courses in the Context and Role of Law in Society: (6)

L8-361History of Political Thought I

3

L8-362History of Political Thought II

3

L8-363American Political Thought

3

LY-310Philosophy of Law

3

IV. Select two additional Program Electives from courses listed below: (6)

L9-325United States Since 1941

3

L8-321Comparative Government

3

L8-331International Relations

3

LC-350Sociology of Criminal Behavior

3

LC-345Sociology of Delinquent Behavior

3

LX-200Court Systems and Probation

3

V. Paralegal majors must select an American Government course as a General Education course in Social Studies. Select one American Government course (3):

L8-200American National Government

3

-
OR

L8-210State and Local Government

3

VI. The advanced writing requirement of the General Education curriculum is satisfied by successful completion of LV-301 Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing for Paralegals.