Paralegal Studies AAS

Program description (Major Code: PS13)

The Paralegal Studies program prepares students for assisting attorneys in the delivery of legal services. For almost 20 years, the program has not only prepared students with the substantive legal knowledge, but also the practical skills necessary to become a successful paralegal. Paralegals work in a variety of industries including technology, banking, manufacturing and entertainment. Dedicated, diverse and experienced instructors teach core general education and legal specialty courses including civil litigation, criminal law & procedure, family law, bankruptcy, real estate and contracts. In addition, students are trained in basic legal concepts such as ethics, research (both federal and local), drafting legal correspondence and the preparation & organization of legal documents for trial. All students are required to complete an internship. This experience provides practical, hands-on knowledge needed to get students ready to work as a skilled member of a legal team. Atlanta Technical College paralegal graduates work in government, private law firms and corporate legal departments throughout Atlanta. Upon completion of the program graduates, receive a Paralegal Studies Associate of Applied Science degree. The Paralegal Studies program is a member of the American Association for Paralegal Education (www.aafpe.org).

Unauthorized Practice of Law -According to the Official Code of Georgia 15-19-51, paralegals shall not engage in the unauthorized practice of law and must work under the supervision and direction of an attorney in good standing with the State Bar of Georgia.

Admissions requirements

• Must be 16 years of age
• Completion of high school or GED and submission of official transcript required to apply 
• Achievement of minimum program admission scores in Reading, English, and Math.
• A student must complete at least four legal specialty courses in a traditional classroom setting.
• Transfer of previous post-secondary credits will be determined by the Office of Enrollment Services. Any student seeking to transfer paralegal classes for credit, may be asked to provide the Paralegal Studies Program Director and the Office of Enrollment Services with a copy of a course description and syllabus for every class for which transfer credit is sought.

  Whether a paralegal course is transferable to Atlanta Technical College is subject to the discretion of the Paralegal Studies Program Director and the Office of Enrollment Services. Atlanta Technical College reserves the right to request additional course materials for any class for which transfer credit is sought. Transfer credit may only be given for courses that are equivalent in content and credit hours.

Student Performance/Graduation Requirements: Students must maintain a 2.0 grade point average and complete all required courses to graduate.

Course Outline

Curriculum

General Education Courses (18 Credits)

Area I – Language Arts/Communication (Both Required)

ENGL 1101	Composition and Rhetoric	3
SPCH 1101	Public Speaking	3

Area II – Social/Behavioral Science – Select two of the following

PSYC 1101	Introductory Psychology	3
ECON 1101	Principles of Economics	3
POLS 1101	American Goverment	3
SOCI 1101	Introduction to Sociology	3

Area III – Natural Sciences/Mathematics – Select one of the following

MATH 1100	Quantitative Skills&Reasoning	3
MATH 1101	Mathematical Modeling	3
MATH 1103	Quantitative Skills & Reasonin	3
MATH 1111	College Algebra	3

Area IV – Humanities/Fine Arts – Select one of the following

ARTS 1101	Art Appreciation	3
ENGL 2130	American Literature	3
HUMN 1101	Introduction to Humanities	3

Occupational Courses (42 Credits)

COMP 1000	Intro to Computers	3
PARA 1100	Introduction to Law and Ethics	3
PARA 1105	Legal Research&Legal Writing I	3
PARA 1110	Legal Research&Legal WritingII	3
PARA 1115	Family Law	3
PARA 1120	Real Estate Law	3
PARA 1125	Criminal Law & Criminal Proced	3
PARA 1130	Civil Litigation	3
PARA 1135	Wills, Trusts, Probate, and Adminstration	3
PARA 1140	Tort Law	3
PARA 1145	Law Office Management	3
PARA 1150	Contracts, Commerical Law and Business Organization	3
PARA 2210	Paralegal Internship I	6

Occupational Electives – Select 2-3 from the following (minimum 9 credit hours)

PARA 1200	Bankruptcy/Debt/Credit Relatio	3
PARA 1205	Constitutional Law	3
PARA 1210	Legal&Policy Issues/Healthcare	3
PARA 1215	Adminstrative Law	3
PARA 2215	Paralegal Internship II	6

Total Credit Hours: 69

Minimum Program Length in Semester Terms: 6 Credits

Estimated Program Cost: $12,650