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Introduction to paralegal careers, including ethical and professional standards. Overview of learning to research, citations, legal documents, substantive areas of practice, legal analysis and investigation, and law office administration.

(Prereq. – ENG102) This course is designed to provide an introduction into the basic principals in the study and practice of legal research and writing. Students will learn the methods and tools necessary to conduct legal research and analysis and how to write legal documents. Students will take the Lexis+® Paralegal Certification exam as part of this course.

This course introduces the students to the fundamental concepts of family law as they pertain to marriage and divorce. Topics covered in the course include ethics, adoption, divorce, marriage, child support and custody, and the agreements encountered in family law.

(Prereq. – PLG102 and PLG207) This course goes through the general concepts of civil law and then proceeds to the intentional torts and defenses, followed by an in-depth examination of negligence law. From there, the student will learn about product liability, business torts, ethics, and an explanation of the impact of insurance coverage on bringing and defending tort cases. This course discusses how technology is impacting the day-to-day practice of law and the impact it can have on practitioners.

This course is designed to furnish the student with relevant and interesting experiences relating to the career of a legal office assistant. This course presents basic legal concepts in law and outlines the various documents used in these fields.

(Prereq. – PLG102 and PLG207) This course combines the theories and principles of law with the practical paralegal skills, ethics, and the goals and needs of the paralegal profession. Students will learn about client counseling and investigative techniques and processes, draft pleadings and motions, explore the discovery process, and learn about what the paralegal’s role is in assisting at trial. This course also examines how technology relates to the civil litigation arena.

(Prereq. – PLG102 and PLG207) A theoretical and practical survey of the statutory law of crimes, evidence, and criminal procedure including an examination of sample pleadings and motions. Topics include the elements of specific crimes, formal procedures from pre-trial to post-trial, actual courtroom strategies, and the practical concerns involved in both the prosecution and defense of criminal cases. Constitutional safeguards and procedures from arrest through trial, sentencing, punishment, and appeal are also studied.

This course provides an examination of the principles of law as they relate to contract and the application of the uniform commercial code as it relates to sale-of-goods contracts.

This course is divided into two parts. In the first 5 weeks, the students learn wills, trusts, and estate administration. During this time, students learn the responsibilities and duties that a paralegal performs under the supervision of an attorney when drafting a will, trust, or assisting with the administration of a decedent’s estate. Students also learn the terminology and general principles of law that are the bases for drafting wills and trusts or planning and administering an estate. This course includes material on inheritance rights for same-sex couples, estate tax changes, and the disposition of assets. In the last 5 weeks of the course, students learn the terminology and legal framework of Elder Law. Topics discussed in the course include advance directives, guardianships/conservatorships, social security, Medicare, Medicaid, estate planning, housing, discrimination, end-of life issues, and ethics.

(Prereq. – PLG207) This course will provide students with a basic understanding of the legal protections afforded in intellectual property. Students will learn the four traditional regimes of intellectual property law – patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets – along with the more recently recognized right of publicity and the neighboring doctrines of hot news misappropriation and idea protection. Students will explore the international and trade aspects of intellectual property.

(Prereq. – PLG207) This course examines employment law and its impact on the employer-employee relationship. This course provides guidance as to the federal and state laws regarding employment law and will examine workers’ compensation and unemployment compensation.

(Prereq. – PLG207) The course explores the underlying policies and basics of immigration law. Students will learn from real-life examples and will walk the student through the entire background, process, and tools needed to master immigration law.

(Prereq. – PLG207) This course provides the student with the fundamentals of bankruptcy law. Students will learn the substantive law of bankruptcy, the rules of procedure that control how the substantive law of bankruptcy is implemented, and ethics.

(Prereq. – PLG207, PLG229, PLG250 and must be taken in the last two terms) This course offers paralegal students the opportunity to obtain practical experience and apply paralegal theory in practical settings by working 120 hours in a business or organization under supervision of experienced legal/paralegal professionals.

This is an introductory course that provides a comprehensive study of The Microsoft® Office. This course is a combination of lecture and hands-on training.

(Prereq. – COM151) Students taking this course will learn how to use Microsoft® Access and Microsoft® Excel to prepare databases and spreadsheet applications.

(Prereq. – ENG090 if applicable) Students taking this course will study and discuss rhetoric, style, and composition, with special emphasis on written communication skills.

Students taking this course will develop the ability to express themselves effectively in public and private settings.

This course introduces students to the process of critical thinking and offers knowledge and experience that can be applied to academic, professional, and personal growth. Students will learn to examine and evaluate the information they are exposed to, confidently select appropriate evidence from conflicting data, and craft that evidence into viable answers, arguments or solutions.

(Prereq. – MAT090 if applicable) Students taking this course will examine the fundamental principles of mathematical theory and grow to understand the logic and inter-relationship of various mathematical functions.

(Prereq. – MAT090 if applicable) Students will learn algebraic problem solving, radicals, quadratic equations, polynomials, inequalities, and applied problem solving.

(Prereq. MAT090, if applicable) This course introduces algebra topics and basic elements of exploratory data analysis. This course will cover constructing, evaluating and analyzing mathematical models, specifically linear and exponential functions, to represent relationships in quantitative data.

Students taking this course will study ethical thought and ideals, with emphasis on the central assumptions of personal and social morality. Students will also investigate ethics and related problems in industry, civil society, and the typical American community.

The need for cultural awareness doesn’t just apply to one’s relationship with others; conflicting cultural perspectives often exist within the individual. Students will learn to appreciate their own heritage and understand how their heritage influences their perspectives while gaining an appreciation for the cultural heritage of those around them. Students will be challenged to think and discuss their beliefs and opinions in light of cultural influence and understand how those values affect their work ethic and working relationships. Course content will incorporate experiences similar to those that will occur in the vocation’s students have chosen to study.

This course documents the exciting political, social, and corporate events that forged the United States’ industrial and technological power from 1945 to the present.

This course provides the student with the means and opportunity to engage their government as a concerned individual. Global political systems and principal theories will be examined and compared to events and decisions affecting each student at the local level. Throughout the course, students will be encouraged to become participants in their local government and to recognize and understand the various challenges that influence local decisions. The information and skills students learn in this course may be applied to many professional fields.

This course provides students with an overview of the fundamental principles and methods of psychology. Topics for discussion include biological basis of behavior, sensory and perceptual processes, learning, motivation, developmental changes, personality, social behavior, and behavioral disorders.

This course is designed to study human growth and development across the life span with emphasis upon normal growth and milestones achieved in the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional systems. Professional consideration is given to understanding changes that occur at different stages of development, and how care and interaction with individuals needs to be appropriate for their stage of development.

This course is a combination of applied sociology, communications and interpersonal relations designed to acquaint the student with the tools for self-examination and understanding of business and social relationships.

Environmental Science is a general course for non-biology majors in which students will explore the following basic principles: concepts required to understand interrelationships of the environment and the natural world; environmental problems both natural and man-made; risks associated with air, water, land pollution; health of humans and ecosystems; deforestation and climate change; overpopulation, and environmental law, economics, and ethics.

Introduction to Biology is a general biology class for non-biology majors in which the following basic principles are explored: Characteristics of Life, Basic Biochemistry, Cell Structure and Function, Cell Metabolism and Reproduction, Genetics and Heredity, and Scientific Method. This class is intended for students who have never studied biology or who need to review basic biology.

A study of the anatomy, physiology and medical terminology of the skeletal, muscular, respiratory, cardiovascular, lymphatic, immune, hematological, digestive, and reproductive systems. This course covers human development, birth and genetics.

(Prereq.-BIO201) Students taking this course will study the anatomy, physiology and medical terminology of the cell, tissues, membranes, and structures of the nervous system, the sensory system, the integumentary system, the digestive, the urinary system, and the endocrine system. This course will discuss the basic chemistry, water acids, bases, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids and classes of macromolecules in cells.

This course covers an introduction to general principles of chemistry providing an integrated approach to aspects of general, organic, and biochemistry. The course is designed to provide a background for students in nursing and other related allied health areas.