Program Overview
Paralegal Studies - B.A.
Overview
The Bachelor of Arts in Paralegal Studies program combines legal theory and practical skills to prepare you for a career in the legal field.
Contact Information
- Amanda Paar-Conroy | |
- Speak with an Advisor
- Chat with an Admissions Counselor
Program Delivery
- Delivery: In person
- Location: Kent Campus
Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries
- Paralegals and legal assistants
- 10.5% much faster than the average
- 337,800 number of jobs
- $52,920 potential earnings
- Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- -2.6% decline
- 63,600 number of jobs
- $48,820 potential earnings
- Legal support workers, all other
- -1.2% decline
- 50,400 number of jobs
- $59,540 potential earnings
Accreditation
The B.A. degree in Paralegal Studies is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).
Admission Requirements
The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students.
- First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.
- First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.
- International Students: All international students must provide proof of proficiency of the English language (unless they meet specific exceptions) through the submission of an English language proficiency test score or by completing English language classes at Kent State’s English as a Second Language Center before entering their program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.
- Former Students: Former Kent State students who have not attended another institution since Kent State and were not academically dismissed will complete the re-enrollment process through the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center. Former students who attended another college or university since leaving Kent State must apply for admissions as a transfer or post-undergraduate student.
- Transfer Students: Students who attended an educational institution after graduating from high school or earning their GED must apply as transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.
Program Requirements
Major Requirements
- Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours
- PLST 18000 | INTRODUCTION TO PARALEGAL STUDIES AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS | 3
- PLST 28001 | LEGAL RESEARCH AND WRITING | 3
- PLST 28004 | CIVIL PROCEDURE | 3
- PLST 36792 | INTERNSHIP IN PARALEGAL (ELR) | 6
- PLST 38006 | APPLIED LEGAL RESEARCH AND LITIGATION (WIC) | 3
- Legal Specialty Electives, choose from the following: | 24
- PLST 28003 | FAMILY LAW AND PROCEDURE
- PLST 28007 | ESTATE AND PROBATE ADMINISTRATION
- PLST 35001 | ENVIRONMENTAL LAW FOR PARALEGALS
- PLST 35003 | HEALTH LAW
- PLST 35005 | LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW FOR PARALEGALS
- PLST 35007 | ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES LAW
- PLST 36001 | LAW OFFICE TECHNOLOGY
- PLST 38003 | ADMINISTRATIVE LAW AND PROCESS
- PLST 38005 | TORT LAW
- PLST 40095 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN PARALEGAL STUDIES
- PLST 42701 | EVIDENCE AND E-DISCOVERY
- PLST 42705 | BANKRUPTCY LAW I: BASIC FUNDAMENTALS
- PLST 42706 | BANKRUPTCY LAW II: CREDITOR-DEBTOR RELATIONS
- PLST 42708 | REAL ESTATE LAW
- PLST 48002 | CONTRACT LAW
- PLST 48300 | LAW OF CORPORATIONS AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS
- PLST 48401 | PATENT LAW
- PLST 48403 | PATENT PROSECUTION
- PLST 48404 | COPYRIGHT LAW I
- PLST 48407 | TRADEMARK LAW
- PLST 48408 | TRADEMARK PROSECUTION
- Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA)
- UC 10001 | FLASHES 101 | 1
- Foreign Language (see Foreign Language College Requirement below) | 10-16
- Kent Core Composition | 6
- Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning | 3
- Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each) | 9
- Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines) | 6
- Kent Core Basic Sciences (must include one laboratory) | 6-7
- Kent Core Additional | 6
- General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours) | 31
- Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 120
Graduation Requirements
- Graduation Requirements Summary
- Minimum Major GPA | 2.000
- Minimum Overall GPA | 2.000
Roadmap
This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. Students will work with their advisor to develop a sequence based on their academic goals and history. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.
- Plan of Study Grid | Semester One | Credits
- PLST 18000 | INTRODUCTION TO PARALEGAL STUDIES AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS | 3
- UC 10001 | FLASHES 101 | 1
- Foreign Language | 4
- Kent Core Requirement | 3
- Kent Core Requirement | 3
- | Credit Hours | 14
- Semester Two
- PLST 28004 | CIVIL PROCEDURE | 3
- Foreign Language | 4
- Kent Core Requirement | 3
- Kent Core Requirement | 3
- Kent Core Requirement | 3
- | Credit Hours | 16
- Semester Three
- PLST 28001 | LEGAL RESEARCH AND WRITING | 3
- Legal Specialty Electives | 6
- Foreign Language and/or General Elective | 3
- Kent Core Requirement | 3
- | Credit Hours | 15
- Semester Four
- PLST 38006 | APPLIED LEGAL RESEARCH AND LITIGATION (WIC) | 3
- Legal Specialty Electives | 6
- Foreign Language and/or General Elective | 3
- Kent Core Requirement | 3
- | Credit Hours | 15
- Semester Five
- Legal Specialty Electives | 6
- Kent Core Requirement | 3
- Kent Core Requirement | 3
- Kent Core Requirement | 3
- | Credit Hours | 15
- Semester Six
- Legal Specialty Electives | 6
- Kent Core Requirement | 3
- Kent Core Requirement | 3
- General Elective | 3
- | Credit Hours | 15
- Semester Seven
- ! PLST 36792 | INTERNSHIP IN PARALEGAL (ELR) | 3
- General Electives | 12
- | Credit Hours | 15
- Semester Eight
- ! PLST 36792 | INTERNSHIP IN PARALEGAL (ELR) | 3
- General Electives | 12
- | Credit Hours | 15
- | Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 120
University Requirements
All students in a bachelor's degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.
- Flashes 101 (UC 10001) | 1 credit hour
- Course is not required for students with 30+ transfer credits (excluding College Credit Plus) or age 21+ at time of admission.
- Diversity Domestic/Global (DIVD/DIVG) | 2 courses
- Students must successfully complete one domestic and one global course, of which one must be from the Kent Core.
- Experiential Learning Requirement (ELR) | varies
- Students must successfully complete one course or approved experience.
- Kent Core (see table below) | 36-37 credit hours
- Writing-Intensive Course (WIC) | 1 course
- Students must earn a minimum C grade in the course.
- Upper-Division Requirement | 39 credit hours
- Students must successfully complete 39 upper-division (numbered 30000 to 49999) credit hours to graduate.
- Total Credit Hour Requirement | 120 credit hours
Kent Core Requirements
- Bachelor's Requirements Requirement | Credits/Courses
- Kent Core Composition (KCMP) | 6
- Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning (KMCR) | 3
- Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (KHUM/KFA) (min one course each) | 9
- Kent Core Social Sciences (KSS) (must be from two disciplines) | 6
- Kent Core Basic Sciences (KBS/KLAB) (must include one laboratory) | 6-7
- Kent Core Additional (KADL) | 6
- Total Credit Hours: | 36-37
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Analyze a legal problem as well as identify and evaluate alternative solutions.
- Formulate logical solutions to problems and construct logical arguments in support of specific positions as well as evaluate solutions and arguments.
- Determine which areas of law are relevant to a particular situation.
- Apply principles of professional ethics to specific factual situations.
- Identify interrelationships among cases, statutes, regulations and other legal authorities.
- Apply recognized legal authority to a specific factual situation.
- Analyze factual situations to determine when it is appropriate to apply exceptions to general legal rules.
- Apply exceptions to general legal rules.
- Distinguish evidentiary facts from other material and/or controlling facts.
- Identify factual omissions and inconsistencies.
Program Policies
Foreign Language Requirements
In general, students may elect any foreign language taught through the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies. However, certain majors, concentrations and minors require specific languages or limit the languages from which students may choose. In addition, students who plan to pursue graduate study may need particular languages for that study. In such cases, students should seek the advice of the appropriate department before selecting a language.
Progress Toward Fulfillment
College of Arts and Sciences students are encouraged to begin meeting the foreign language requirement as early as possible in their program to ensure timely degree completion.
Mandatory Outcomes Assessment
In addition to the other General Requirements of the college, candidates for an undergraduate degree in the College of Arts and Sciences are required, as a condition of graduation, to participate in an outcomes assessment. These outcomes assessments are conducted by each undergraduate degree program in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Full Description
The Bachelor of Arts degree in Paralegal Studies combines a liberal arts background with law-related specialty courses to provide students with communication, critical reasoning and analytical skills; knowledge of the legal system; and practical hands-on experience.
The program prepares students for the Certified Paralegal exam from the National Association of Legal Assistants. Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public except as permitted by law.
Professional Licensure Disclosure
This program is designed to prepare students to sit for applicable licensure or certification in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure or certification and contact information for state licensing boards at Kent State's website for professional licensure disclosure.