Paralegal Studies Associate in Science
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The legal profession has evolved, like the medical profession, into a profession of specialties. Based on this development, lawyers need qualified assistants to better help them provide legal services to their clients. Paralegals are trained, professional technicians able to provide this needed legal assistance.
This degree program is specifically designed to prepare and provide students with the analytical skills and written abilities necessary to assist attorneys in the practice of law. The technical curriculum goals and objectives emphasize three primary areas:
- Legal Research, Analysis and Writing
- Ethics and the Mechanics of Law
- Integration of Substantive and Procedural Law
The successful paralegal degree candidate will possess a broad educational background with an opportunity to gain specialized skills in specific areas of law. The large curriculum offering also allows practicing paralegals to attend college refresher or new skills development courses.
This program does not prepare students for law school or the practice of law. Please note: Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Apply the research, analytical skills and college-level writing abilities necessary to assist attorneys in the practice of law.
- Conduct oneself in an ethical and professional manner when confronted with a law office related conflict scenario.
Career Opportunities
Claim Examiner
Compensation and Benefits Manager
Compliance and Enforcement Inspector
Contract Consultant1
Forms and Procedures Specialist
Freelance Paralegal
Labor Relations Specialist2
Law Clerk
Legal Aide
Legal Assistant
Legal Research Assistant
Legal Technician
Occupational Safety and Health Worker
Paralegal1
Patent Agent
Title Examiner
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Bachelor Degree normally recommended.
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Bachelor Degree or higher required.
It is recommended that incoming students complete C grade or higher in ESL-2B Advanced Accelerated Composition for English as a Second Language or placement into ENGL-120 College Composition and Reading or equivalent prior to taking any Paralegal Studies classes.
Associate in Science Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BOT-120 | Comprehensive Word, Level I | 1 |
| BOT-121 | Comprehensive Word, Level II | 1 |
| Select one of the following: | 1 | |
| Comprehensive Word, Level III | ||
| Using Microsoft Outlook | ||
| Essential Excel | ||
| BUS-125 | Business Law: Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| PARA-100 | Introduction to Paralegal Studies | 3 |
| PARA-110 | Civil Litigation Practice and Procedures | 3 |
| PARA-130 | Legal Research and Writing | 3 |
| PARA-132 | Computer Assisted Legal Research (CALR) | 3 |
| PARA-135 | Bankruptcy Law | 3 |
| Select at least six units from the following: | 6 | |
| Introduction to Administrative Law | ||
| Social Security Disability Law | ||
| Business Organizations | ||
| Introduction to Criminal Law and Procedures | ||
| Estate Planning | ||
| Probate and Administration of Estates | ||
| Family Law (Divorce, Separation, Nullity, and Paternity) | ||
| Family Law (Custody, Visitation, Support) | ||
| Personal Injury | ||
| Workers' Compensation | ||
| Electronic Discovery: Fundamentals and Procedure | ||
| Electronic Discovery: Advanced Practice | ||
| Internship 1 | ||
| Paralegal Studies Practicum | ||
| Total Units | 27 | |
Plus General Education Requirements as shown below
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Student must complete 18 units within the major to be eligible for this course.
Recommended Elective: BUS-128 Business Communication
General Education Requirements for the Paralegal Studies Degree
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Area A - Language and Rationality | ||
| Select a minimum of 6 semester units. One course from each category: | 6 | |
1. Written Communication | ||
| College Composition and Reading | ||
2. Oral Communication and Analytical Thinking | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Public Speaking | ||
| Critical Thinking in Group Communication | ||
| Argumentation | ||
| Introduction to Engineering and Design | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Structure and Concepts of Elementary Mathematics I | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| Analytic Trigonometry | ||
| College Algebra | ||
| PreCalculus: Functions and Graphs | ||
| Calculus for Business, Social and Behavioral Sciences | ||
| Analytic Geometry and Calculus I | ||
| Discrete Mathematics | ||
| Analytic Geometry and Calculus II | ||
| Multivariable Calculus | ||
| Linear Algebra | ||
| Critical Thinking and Philosophical Composition | ||
| Logic | ||
| Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences | ||
| Area B-Natural Sciences | ||
| Select a minimum of 4 semester units, including one course that includes a laboratory: | 4 | |
| Introduction to Biological Anthropology | ||
| Descriptive Astronomy | ||
| General Astronomy Laboratory 1 | ||
| Contemporary Issues in Environmental Resources | ||
| Biology of Alcohol and Other Drugs | ||
| The Secret Life of Plants 1 | ||
| General Biology I | ||
| General Biology I Laboratory 1 | ||
| Human Anatomy 1 | ||
| Paramedical Microbiology 1 | ||
| Principles of Cellular, Molecular and Evolutionary Biology 1 | ||
| Principles of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology 1 | ||
| Introduction to General, Organic and Biological Chemistry 1 | ||
| Preparation for General Chemistry 1 | ||
| General Chemistry I 1 | ||
| Physical Geography: Earth Systems | ||
| Physical Geography: Earth Systems Laboratory 1 | ||
| Earth Science | ||
| Planet Earth | ||
| Planet Earth Laboratory 1 | ||
| Introduction to Oceanography | ||
| Oceanography Laboratory 1 | ||
| Introductory Physics 1 | ||
| Fundamentals of Physics 1 | ||
| Fundamentals of Physics 1 | ||
| Mechanics and Waves 1 | ||
| Electricity, Magnetism, and Heat 1 | ||
| Light, Optics, and Modern Physics 1 | ||
| Area C - Humanities | ||
| Minimum of 3 semester units. | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Aramaic I | ||
| Aramaic II | ||
| Aramaic III | ||
| Arabic I | ||
| Arabic II | ||
| Arabic Civilizations | ||
| Arabic III | ||
| Arabic IV | ||
| Conversational Arabic I | ||
| Conversational Arabic II | ||
| Art Appreciation | ||
| Two-Dimensional Design | ||
| Drawing I | ||
| Three-Dimensional Design | ||
| Survey of Western Art I: Prehistory through Middle Ages | ||
| Survey of Western ART II: Renaissance through Modern | ||
| Modern Art | ||
| Contemporary Art | ||
| Asian Art | ||
| American Sign Language I | ||
| American Sign Language II | ||
| Inside Deaf Culture | ||
| American Sign Language III | ||
| American Sign Language IV | ||
| Introduction to Literature | ||
| Women, Gender, and Sexuality in Literature | ||
| Introduction to Film as Literature | ||
| Masterpieces of Drama | ||
| Fantasy and Science Fiction | ||
| British Literature I | ||
| British Literature II | ||
| American Literature I | ||
| American Literature II | ||
| World Literature I | ||
| World Literature II | ||
| Early World History | ||
| Modern World History | ||
| Early Western Civilization | ||
| Modern Western Civilization | ||
| Principles of the Humanities | ||
| Arts & Culture of San Diego | ||
| Kumeyaay Arts and Culture I | ||
| Humanities of the Americas | ||
| World Mythology through the Humanities | ||
| Kumeyaay Language I | ||
| Kumeyaay Language II | ||
| Kumeyaay Language III | ||
| Great Music Listening | ||
| History of Jazz | ||
| History of Rock Music | ||
| Introduction to World Music | ||
| Introduction to Music History and Literature | ||
| A General Introduction to Philosophy | ||
| History of Philosophy I: Ancient and Medieval | ||
| History of Philosophy II: Modern and Contemporary | ||
| Problems in Ethics | ||
| World Religions | ||
| Introduction to Christianity | ||
| Spanish I | ||
| Spanish II | ||
| Spanish and Latin American Cultures | ||
| Hispanic Civilizations | ||
| Spanish III | ||
| Spanish IV | ||
| Conversational Spanish I | ||
| Conversational Spanish II | ||
| Introduction to the Theatre | ||
| Area D - Social and Behavioral Sciences | ||
| Minimum of 3 semester units. | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Changing American Family | ||
| Child Growth and Development | ||
| Child, Family and Community | ||
| Child Abuse and Family Violence in Our Society | ||
| Introduction to Mass Communication | ||
| Intercultural Communication | ||
| Economic Issues and Policies | ||
| Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics | ||
| World Regional Geography | ||
| Human Geography: the Cultural Landscape | ||
| Personal Health and Lifestyles | ||
| Introduction to Public Health | ||
| Early American History | ||
| Modern American History | ||
| U.S. History: Chicano/Chicana Perspectives I | ||
| U.S. History: Chicano/Chicana Perspectives II | ||
| Women in Early American History | ||
| Women in Modern American History | ||
| History of California | ||
| Kumeyaay History I: Precontact - 1845 | ||
| Kumeyaay History II: 1846 - Present | ||
| U.S. History and Cultures: Native American Perspectives I | ||
| U.S. History and Cultures: Native American Perspectives II | ||
| U.S. History: Black Perspectives I | ||
| U.S. History: Black Perspectives II | ||
| Introduction to Politics and Political Analysis | ||
| Introduction to U.S. Government and Politics | ||
| Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics | ||
| Introduction to International Relations | ||
| Introduction to California Governments and Politics | ||
| Introductory Psychology | ||
| Cross-Cultural Psychology | ||
| Human Sexuality | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Physiological Psychology | ||
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Abnormal Psychology | ||
| Learning | ||
| Introductory Sociology | ||
| Marriage, Family and Alternative Lifestyles | ||
| Contemporary Social Problems | ||
| Area E - Cultural Diversity Graduation Requirement | ||
| Minimum of 3 semester units. | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Chicanx Art | ||
| Intercultural Communication | ||
| Chicana/o Literature | ||
| Black Literature | ||
| History of Race & Ethnicity in the United States | ||
| Introduction to Race & Ethnicity | ||
| U.S. History and Cultures: Native American Perspectives I | ||
| U.S. History and Cultures: Native American Perspectives II | ||
| Chicana/o Literature | ||
| Black Literature | ||
| History of Race & Ethnicity in the United States | ||
| Comparative History of the Early Americas | ||
| Comparative History of the Modern Americas | ||
| U.S. History: Chicano/Chicana Perspectives I | ||
| U.S. History: Chicano/Chicana Perspectives II | ||
| Kumeyaay History I: Precontact - 1845 | ||
| Kumeyaay History II: 1846 - Present | ||
| U.S. History and Cultures: Native American Perspectives I | ||
| U.S. History and Cultures: Native American Perspectives II | ||
| The Modern Middle East | ||
| U.S. History: Black Perspectives I | ||
| U.S. History: Black Perspectives II | ||
| Culture, Art & Ideas of the United States | ||
| Introduction to Native American Politics and Policy | ||
| Introduction to the Politics of Race and Gender | ||
| Introduction to Native American Politics and Policy | ||
| Cross-Cultural Psychology | ||
| Psychology of Health | ||
| Introduction to Race & Ethnicity | ||
| Introductory Sociology | ||
| Marriage, Family and Alternative Lifestyles | ||
| Latinx Communities in the United States | ||
| Additional Requirements | ||
| Select two additional courses from two different areas, minimum 6 semester units: | 6 | |
Area B - Natural Sciences | ||
Area C - Humanities | ||
Area D - Social and Behavioral Sciences | ||
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This course includes a laboratory.
Degree Requirements
Cuyamaca College will confer the Degree of Associate in Science in Paralegal Studies upon students who successfully complete the following requirements:
- A minimum of 60 semester units of college work.
- Competency Requirements
- Completion of ENGL-120 College Composition and Reading with a grade of “C” or better or “P”1.
- Completion of any mathematics course numbered MATH-160 Elementary Statistics or higher, or statistics course from another discipline with intermediate algebra as a prerequisite, such as PSY-215 Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences, with a grade of “C” or higher or a grade of “P”.
- Exercise Science Degree Requirements
Two activity courses in exercise science are required for graduation from Cuyamaca College. These courses are marked with an asterisk in the Course Descriptions section.- If medical reasons necessitate exclusion from exercise science, a medical statement must be on file with the Admissions and Records Office. Adaptive exercise science classes are available.
- Veterans who have completed at least one year of honorable active service will receive up to three units of credit for exercise science which will satisfy the activity requirement for graduation. To receive credit for military service, a DD-214 and appropriate military records must be submitted to the Admissions and Records Office.
- Achievement of a “C” average (2.0 GPA) in all college work counted toward general education requirements.
- Achievement of a “C” grade or higher or "Pass" in all courses counted toward the major.
- A maximum of 12 “P”1 semester units taken in regular course work at this institution may be counted toward the 60 semester units required for graduation.
- A minimum of 12 semester units of Legal Specialty courses must be completed at Cuyamaca College.
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A grade of “P” (Pass) represents a “C” grade or better.
For more information regarding degree requirements, see Degree Requirements and Transfer Information section.