Paralegal Studies Class Schedule and Curriculum

Our Paralegal Studies program is an eight-course, 24-academic-unit, online certificate program that provides instruction in practical legal skills and substantive law. You also have the opportunity to participate in an internship — a practical on-the-job work experience in a supervised setting that makes a valuable addition to a resume. Courses are conducted at the upper-division level and are taught by attorneys and paralegals who have practical experience in the field.

Students are required to take five three-unit courses that develop the following paralegal skills:

• interviewing clients and others involved in legal matters
• performing legal research, including checking the validity of authority and cite-checking
• performing legal research electronically through computerized legal systems and the Internet
• gathering and analyzing legal and other documents
• drafting internal memoranda, correspondence, and legal forms
• drafting legal memoranda reflecting the results of research
• drafting a variety of litigation-related documents
• assisting in the preparation of cases for trial
• resolving ethical dilemmas by applying rules and law to determine the appropriate ethical conduct
• making effective oral presentations

Prerequisites

PLS 300 and PLS 320 must be taken concurrently in the first semester and be completed with a grade of C or better before a student may take PLS 395 (Pleadings and Motions); PLS 305 (Investigation, Discovery and Trial Prep); and PLS 380 (Paralegal Internship).

Required Courses

• PLS 300: Introduction to Law/Civil Procedure
• PLS 305: Investigation, Discovery and Trial Preparation
• PLS 310: Communication Skills and Legal Ethics
• PLS 320: Legal Research and Writing
• PLS 395: Pleadings and Motions

Students may choose any electives to complete the 24-unit program. Elective courses offer in-depth instruction in a variety of practice areas and advanced skills in litigation and research. The range of elective options allows students to gain exposure to several different areas of law practice or to concentrate their studies in a cluster of courses that prepare them for a particular kind of employment.

The electives listed below are grouped according to the kind of practice for which these courses are most relevant. Students may concentrate in one area or take any combination of electives suited to their particular interests.

Note: All electives are offered on a rotating basis. Some electives are offered once a year and some are offered less frequently. Electives are three units.

1. Corporate and Business Practice:
   These electives relate to corporate and business practice areas typically handled by large, mid-sized and specialized "boutique" law firms serving the business sector and by in-house counsel of corporations.
2. Advanced Litigation:
   These electives enhance the skills provided in the required core courses with more sophisticated and complex skills in civil litigation. Specialties: More than 70 percent of paralegals work in litigation, usually focusing in one or two particular areas, such as Tort or business litigation. Students interested in litigation should also take some specialized practice courses to complement their general litigation skills. Note: Those interested in large law firms should take business-oriented courses; those interested in small firm practice should take Family Law, Criminal Law, and Evidence.
3. Estate Planning:
   Some attorneys, in both large and small law firms, specialize in the planning and handling of wills, trusts, and estates. Students interested in this area should take Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning, and Probate Procedures; also of particular value in this area are Real Estate Practice and Torts, Contracts, and Elder Law.
4. Recommended for all areas, particularly for those without prior legal experience:
   Two courses are highly recommended regardless of the chosen area of law practice. Field Experience/Internship gives students practical on-the-job work experience in a supervised setting and makes a valuable addition to a résumé. Computer Applications in Law Practice enhances the student's basic computer skills with hands-on instruction in specific legal applications and is recommended for students who are not already working in a legal setting.

Electives and Their Specialty Areas

^*required for students who do not have a BA, highly recommended for non-native English speakers.

You must complete at least 9 semester credits of legal specialty courses through synchronous instruction. Online classes taught in real time count as synchronous.

PLS 380 Internship Class

Internships are highly recommended for all students and are essential career building blocks for students who do not have legal experience. The requirements are:

• 120 hours of internship work which can be stretched over two semesters with prior arrangement
• Attendance at monthly Saturday seminars
• An internship journal

PLS 380 is graded credit/no credit. All paralegal certificate students take the required courses for a letter grade and may take elective courses on a credit basis.

An internship is not required for graduation.

Internship FAQ

Do you provide assistance in finding an internship placement for students who want to take PLS 380 Field Experience course? Or do students need to find their own placements?

We have a list of placements that are shared with candidates when they meet with the instructor to have their 30-minute call.  However, if you know of a firm or legal non-profit that you would like to ask about interning, please tell the instructor for information on how to proceed.

Are there any requirements for the student who would like to take the PLS 380 Field Experience course? Do students need to secure an internship before registering for PLS 380?

If you would like to intern at a law firm, you must have completed your five required courses.  If you want to intern at a non-profit or public agency, you need to complete PLS 300 and PLS 320.

Students don’t need to secure their internship before registering for PLS 380, but they should start their search early to secure a placement in time.

When is the deadline for registering for the PLS 380 course?

Registration is the same as any other class in the program. Students must provide a signed agreement between the host and the intern before the Add/Drop date of the semester, or you will be dropped.

Two-Semester Certificate Plan

Fall Cohort

Semester One: 

• PLS 300: Introduction to Civil Procedure
• PLS 320: Legal Research and Writing
• PLS 310: Communication Skills and Legal Ethics
• Elective of your choice 

Semester Two:

• PLS 395: Pleadings and Motions
• PLS 305: Investigation, Discovery, and Trial Preparation
• Elective of your choice or
  • PLS 414: Introduction to Professional Business Writing, if required
• Elective of your choice

Three-Semester Certificate Plan

Fall Cohort 

Semester One:

• PLS 300: Introduction to Civil Procedure
• PLS 320: Legal Research and Writing
• PLS 310: Communication Skills and Legal Ethics…or
  • PLS 414: Intro to Professional Legal Writing, if required

Semester Two:

• PLS 395: Pleadings & Motions
• Elective of your choice…or
  • PLS 310: Communication Skills and Legal Ethics, if not taken earlier
• Elective of your choice

Semester Three:

• PLS 305: Investigation, Discovery and Trial Preparation
• Elective of your choice 

Spring Cohort

Semester One: 

• PLS 300: Introduction to Civil Procedure
• PLS 320: Legal Research and Writing
• PLS 310: Communication Skills and Legal Ethics…or
  • PLS 414: Intro to Professional Legal Writing, if required  

Semester Two: 

• PLS 395: Pleadings and Motions
• Elective of your choice 

Semester Three: 

• PLS 305: Investigation, Discovery, and Trial Preparation
• Elective of your choice…or
  • PLS 310: Communication Skills and Legal Ethics, if not taken earlier
• Elective of your choice

Summer Cohort

Semester One: 

• PLS 300: Introduction to Civil Procedure
• PLS 320: Legal Research and Writing 

Semester Two: 

• PLS 395: Pleadings and Motions
• PLS 310: Communication Skills and Legal Ethics
• Elective of your choice 

Semester Three: 

• PLS 305: Investigation, Discovery, and Trial Preparation
• Elective of your choice…or
  • PLS 414: Introduction to Professional Legal Writing, if required
• Elective of your choice

Four-Semester Certificate Plan

Semester One: 

• PLS 300: Introduction to Law/Civil Procedure
• PLS 320: Legal Research and Writing 

Semester Two: 

• PLS 395: Pleadings and Motions
• Elective of your choice 

Semester Three: 

• PLS 305: Investigation, Discovery and Trial Preparation
• Elective of your choice…or
  • PLS 414: Introduction to Professional Legal Writing, if required 

Semester Four: 

• PLS 310: Communication Skills and Legal Ethics
• Elective of your choice