HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE
CURRICULUM PLANNING SHEET 2015-2016
PARALEGAL STUDIES CERTIFICATE
CERTIFICATE IN LEGAL STUDIES
NAME
Req’d
HCC
Trans. Mil./Test Remaining Requirements/
Credit Credit Credit
Credit
Comments
Students are required to have earned either an Associate or Baccalaureate Degree before enrolling. Check
SOATEST to ensure student has completed or demonstrated exemption from ENG003 and ENG012, or
ENG018 and MATH 020.
Required Courses
3
PL 105
3
PL 106
3
*PL 110
3
PL 122
3
PL 124
3
PL 203
3
PL 238
3
PL 242
3
**/***PL 248 OR **/***PL 273
3
****/#Paralegal Studies Electives
(Choose 5-7 Credits):
5-7
TOTAL
35-37
TOTAL CREDITS
REMAINING FOR DEGREE:
SEE REVERSE SIDE FOR CATALOG PROGRAM INFORMATION AND SPECIFIC COURSE REQUIREMENTS.
PREPARED BY________________________________DATE: ______________________
It is the student’s responsibility to APPLY FOR GRADUATION (degree or certificate) by the published deadlines:
March 1 for May graduation; June 1 for August graduation; and October 1 for December graduation.
PL 101 (GB) (same as PS 106)
CERTIFICATE IN LEGAL STUDIES
2015 - 2016
PARALEGAL STUDIES CERTIFICATE
Award: Certificate in Legal Studies
No. of credits required: 35-37
For more information: Contact Prof. AnnMarie Profili,443-412-2214,
aprofili@harford.edu, or Advising, Career, and Transfer Services, 443412-2301.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
A legal assistant or paralegal 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. ABA Guideline G-103(d). Paralegals may not provide legal
services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.
The objective of the Paralegal Studies Certificate of the Legal Studies
Program is to educate and train laypersons to assist attorneys and other
legal professionals in their daily tasks and thereby contribute to the fair,
economical and efficient delivery of legal services. The program meets
this objective by requiring students to successfully complete its curriculum.
The Certificate in Paralegal Studies is designed to permit those students
who desire to work in the legal field as paralegals, but who already have
an associate or baccalaureate degree, to earn a recognized credential that
would enhance their ability to secure employment.
PROGRAM GOALS
Upon completion of the AAS or Certificate in Paralegal Studies, students
will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Apply paralegal skills to assist attorneys and other legal
professionals in their daily professional tasks.
Decide ethical questions consistent with legal ethics.
Employ writing and verbal skills that enable them to perform
successfully in the legal profession.
Obtain employment as a paralegal.
REQUIRED COURSES
Number Title
Credits
PL 101
PL 105
PL 106
PL 110
PL 122
PL 124
PL 203
PL 238
PL 242
PL 248
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Introduction to Law (Same course as PS 106)
Legal Research
Legal Writing
Technology in the Legal Profession *
Torts and Insurance
Civil Litigation and Procedure
Contract Law
Law Practice and Professional Conduct
Real Estate Transactions
Internship in Paralegal Studies **/***
or
PL 273
Cooperative Education III: Paralegal **/***
Paralegal Studies Electives ****/#
Total Credits
# Paralegal Studies Electives****
(Choose five to seven credits)
BA 205
Business Law
CJ 104
Procedural Law and Evidence
CJ 111
Principles of Criminal Law
PL 201
Conflict Analysis and Resolution
PL 202
Bankruptcy and Collections Law
PL 204
Constitutional Law
PL 233
Probate Practice and Procedure
PL 244
Family Law and Litigation
PL 246
Administrative Law and Procedure
CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS
Students earning a certificate from HCC must complete or demonstrate
exemption from the following courses: ENG 003 and ENG 012, or ENG 018,
and MATH 020. See graduation requirement details in this catalog for
further information.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Permission of the Paralegal Program Coordinator is required to transfer
more than 8 credit hours of required paralegal courses into the program. A
maximum of 15 transfer credits will be allowed for all paralegal courses
(required and electives).
GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT
Paralegal Studies
Program Level - Undergraduate certificate
Program Length – 2 years
How much will this program cost me?*
Tuition and fees: $5,150
Books and supplies: $2,000
On-campus room & board: not offered
*The amounts shown above include costs for the entire program, assuming
normal time to completion. Note that this information is subject to change.
What financing options are available to help me pay for this program?
Financing for this program may be available through grants, scholarships,
loans (federal and private) and institutional financing plans. The median
amount of debt for program graduates is shown below:
Federal loans: *
Private education loans: *
Institutional financing plan: *
*Less than 10 graduates received loans. Median amounts are withheld to
preserve the confidentiality of the loan recipients.
How long will it take me to complete this program?
The program is designed to take 2 years to complete. Of those that
completed the program in 2013-2014, *% finished in 2 years.
*Less than 10 students completed this program in 2013-14. The number
who finished within the normal time has been withheld to preserve the
confidentiality of the students.
What are my chances of getting a job when I graduate?
The job placement rate for students who completed this program in 20132014 is *%.
* This institution is not currently required to calculate a job placement rate
for program completers. Date Created: 1/29/2015
EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION
3
5-7
35-37
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
3
* PL 110 is generally offered in the fall semester, in the evening.
** PL 248 and PL 273 require students to spend approximately 135 hours in
law office settings during normal business hours.
*** Students should contact Advising, Career and Transfer services for
permission to register for Cooperative Education courses, 443-412-2301.
**** Permission of the Paralegal Program Coordinator is required to transfer
more than 8 credit hours of required paralegal courses. A maximum of 15
transfer credits will be allowed for all paralegal courses (required and
electives).
Upon completion of the program, opportunities for employment include law
firms, legal departments of banks and other corporations as well as
government agencies. The demand for paralegals is growing on the
national, state, and local levels. The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of
Labor Statistics predicts a much faster than average rate of growth for
paralegal employment through 2018. In Harford County, rapid population
growth has brought about a related need for legal services. The
employment outlook for graduates of this program in Harford County and
the surrounding area is good.
Note: The following codes identify courses which satisfy the General
Education Degree Requirements:
Behavioral/Social Science
English Composition
Arts/Humanities
Interdisciplinary and Emerging Issues
Biological/Physical Laboratory Science
Mathematics
Biological/Physical Science