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Maryville University is proud to offer a degree with two excellent
options for students interested in the study of law and legal issues and
who may be interested in careers in the legal profession. These
options include the major in Legal Studies with a concentration in Law
and Society or a concentration in Paralegal studies.
Law and Society Concentration
This is an interdisciplinary program focusing on a broad
understanding of issues related to law and society. Courses within
the curriculum explore philosophic, political, literary, economic,
historical, sociological, criminal, ethical, scientific and religious
issues that are central to an understanding of law and legal
institutions in society. This degree is not just a degree for
those students who wish to pursue their studies in law school, but for
any student who wants to gain a better understanding of global issues.
It provides an excellent background for many career possibilities:
community organizer, corrections administration, criminal forensics,
labor organizer, law enforcement, probation officer, victim advocate,
activist, researcher, lobbyist in areas such as human rights, civil
rights, environmental issues, health issues, hunger and homelessness,
peace and justice, and public policy.
This program is designed to
introduce the student to a number of academic areas of study, how they
are interconnected, and how they can help us understand the
relationships between law and human behavior and the role of law in
society. Globalization, the expansion of the worldwide markets,
and instant universal communication require today's graduates to be
increasingly international in outlook.
Students who seek the Legal
Studies with Law and Society Concentration have the benefit of an
advisor in the areas of Legal Studies.
Your Legal Studies advisor will be an attorney familiar with the
requirements of law school admission, rigors of a legal education, and
options upon graduation.
Please see the degree planning sheets available on-line for specific
coursework.
Paralegal Certification
Paralegals, or legal assistants, are persons who are qualified, through
education, training, or work experience, to perform substantive legal
work requiring a sufficient knowledge of legal concepts, under the
direction and supervision of an attorney. Paralegals enjoy a wide
variety of employment opportunities including private law offices,
corporations, real estate and title companies, bank and trust agencies
and government and judicial offices.
The Bachelor's of Arts in Legal Studies with Paralegal
certification is a four-year degree program.
It is
designed both to prepare new entrants into the paralegal field and to provide
opportunities for practicing paralegal professionals to enhance their career
credentials. The program also provides an opportunity for students with an
Associate Degree in Paralegal Studies to continue their education.
The program's goal is to combine specialized legal training courses with a strong liberal arts foundation. Students are provided with the skills necessary to become career paralegals who can perform effectively in a variety of legal settings and can adapt to changes in the legal environment and law practice. The curriculum places emphasis on development of a common core of legal knowledge, as well as the acquisition of critical thinking, communication and organizational skills.
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Senior Seminar
Students in the paralegal studies program must complete a minimum of 36 credit hours in legal studies courses including a capstone course (Senior Seminar) and an internship. The Senior Seminar provides an opportunity for the student to assess and enhance their skills in relation to specified core competencies for paralegals. In addition, the students assemble a portfolio of their work that demonstrates those competencies.
Internship
The
internship experience enables the student to apply the skills and knowledge
gained in their coursework to a selected legal setting where they will work
under the direct supervision of an attorney. Graduates of the program will be
prepared to participate in a wide variety of legal exercises including
interviewing clients and preparing legal documents and cases for trial.
Maryville's Legal Studies program with
Paralegal certification is
approved by the American Bar Association (ABA). In addition, Maryville
is an institutional member of the American Association for Paralegal
Education (AAfPE).
If there are any questions, please contact the Department of Paralegal Studies at (314) 529-9457, or E-mail at
mparker@maryville.edu.
See
Schedules for the times courses are
offered.
A
degree in paralegal studies does not, however, enable a person to practice law
or give legal advice.
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The work of a professional paralegal (or legal assistant) has become
increasingly invaluable because of the demanding schedules held by most
attorneys today. The term "paralegal" is defined by the American Bar
Association to mean "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." The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the
paralegal profession is projected to grow faster than the average for
all occupations through 2012.
Because the attorney assumes responsibility for a paralegal's work, a
paralegal is allowed to perform many of the same functions that the
attorney would otherwise perform. Paralegals typically investigate the
facts of assigned cases, interview clients, conduct legal research and
prepare legal arguments and written reports for review by attorneys.
They may also draft documents, help prepare tax returns or estate plans,
and manage the law office. Paralegals enjoy a wide variety of employment
opportunities including private law offices, corporations, real estate
and title companies, bank and trust agencies and government and judicial
offices.
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 Bachelor
of Arts in Legal Studies
 Law and Society Concentration
Paralegal
Certification
Minor
in Legal Studies
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The program requires 54 hours
of general education requirements and 48 credit hours or 30 credit hours
plus a minor complementary to the concentration of Legal Studies.
The last thirty hours must be completed at Maryville University.
Please note that this major neither certifies the student as a paralegal
nor enables a person to practice law or give legal advice.
The Legal Studies major with certification in Paralegal Studies requires a minimum of 36 credits in
Legal specialty courses. Please see the degree planning sheets
available on-line for specific coursework.
Please see the degree planning sheets available on-line for specific
coursework.
A minor is required for a B.A. in Legal Studies with Concentration in
Paralegal Studies.
Course sequencing: Students should complete the Introduction to Law
course during their first year of study, as it is a prerequisite for
most of the other paralegal courses. During their second year of
study students should complete Legal Research and Writing I in the
fall semester followed by Legal Research and Writing II in the
spring semester. Students should also complete Civil Litigation in
the fall of their second year and Legal Ethics, Interviewing &
Investigation in the spring of their second year. Students must plan
to complete all required and elective coursework prior to their
senior year. In the fall of their senior year, students will
complete the Senior Seminar, followed by their Internship in the
spring. Any deviation from this sequencing must have the prior
approval of the Program Director.
Minor in Legal Studies
The minor in Legal Studies is an excellent option for all students
interested in the study of law and, in particular, those interested
in attending law school. It should be noted, however, that a minor
in Legal Studies will not adequately prepare a student for a career
as a paralegal. This minor neither certifies the student as a
paralegal nor enables a person to practice law or give legal advice.
A minimum of 18 credits is required for the minor, including LEGL 101 and 15 credits from
legal studies or other courses approved by the Legal Studies
Advisor. |
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