2024-2025 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog
Paralegal Studies Certificate
Requirements for a Certificate in Paralegal Studies
Students seeking a certificate in paralegal studies must complete 30 credit hours. Students who have not yet earned a bachelor's degree must complete a bachelor's degree to earn the certificate; the certificate will be awarded when the degree is awarded. Students who have already completed a bachelor's degree must submit an application for admission to the legal studies program. An overall GPA of at least 2.7 is required for admission. Although most courses taken at other colleges and universities may be accepted for full credit, only a limited number will be counted toward the major. Student must take at least two-thirds of the credits constituting the major at Grand Valley State University, and a maximum of nine designated legal specialty credits can be earned through transfer. In addition, at least nine credits of legal specialty courses must be taken through synchronous instruction. When a student makes a request for credit by transfer, an official transcript from the institution where those credits were awarded must be presented to Grand Valley State Universitys Registrars Office. The program coordinator will review the course description and syllabus from the institution that awarded the credits and determine whether the credit appears to cover substantially the same material as the course at Grand Valley State University. Courses that have already been reviewed and approved can be found on the Course Equivalency Guide. The Legal Studies program does not award legal specialty credit by examination.
The paralegal studies certificate is approved by the American Bar Association. Students in this program can play an important role in the delivery of legal services but they are not permitted to practice law. To practice law, learners must obtain a law school degree and satisfy other state requirements for admission to the bar.
Paralegals can play an important role in the delivery of legal services, but they are not permitted to practice law. To practice law, one must obtain a law school degree and satisfy other state requirements for admission to the bar.
Student Learning Outcome
Click here for the student learning outcomes.
A minimum of 30 credit hours is required, including the following core courses:
- LS 101 - Law in our Lives (3 credits)
- LS 224 - Legal Research (3 credits)
- LS 324 - Legal Writing (3 credits)
- LS 226 - Civil Litigation I (3 credits)
- LS 320 - Property and Probate Law (3 credits)
- LS 322 - Commercial Law (3 credits)
- LS 428 - Civil Litigation II (3 credits)
- LS 490 - Legal Studies Internship (1 to 6 credits)
- CIS 150 - Introduction to Computing (3 credits)
In addition, students must complete two of the following courses:
- CJ 302 - Criminal Law (3 credits)
- CJ 305 - Constitutional Rights and Civil Liberties (3 credits)
- LS 350 - Family Law (3 credits)
- LS 370 - Women and the Law (3 credits)
- LS 380 - Special Topics in Legal Studies (1 to 4 credits)
- LS 399 - Independent Reading in Legal Studies (1 to 3 credits)
- LS 499 - Independent Study and Research (1 to 3 credits)
- MGT 334 - Employment and Labor Law (3 credits)
Suggested Order of Coursework
Please visit the website of the College of Education and Community Innovation Advising Center for a curriculum plan for the certificate in paralegal studies. Taking courses in the sequence recommended in the curriculum plan will help you avoid delays in completing the certificate.