Paralegal Studies with Specializations in:
Associate in Science Degree (CIP# 1722030200)
(Articulated A.S. to B.A/B.S. Career Path)
Valencia’s Paralegal Studies Program is approved by the American Bar Association.
This program is designed to prepare students to work in the legal field for law firms, banks, corporations, and government agencies in the performance of delegated, substantive legal services under the supervision of a licensed attorney. Students receive instruction in the substantive and procedural law necessary to function in the legal environment under the direction and supervision of attorneys in areas such as civil litigation, real property, legal research and writing, business organizations, and legal technology. Students will understand the ethical framework within which they will work and will be able to analyze and communicate effectively in these areas. Instruction stresses practical applications.
The services paralegals provide include assisting in trial preparation, drafting court pleadings and related documents, performing legal research and informal investigations, preparing real estate documents and assisting in real estate closings, drafting contracts, and maintaining corporate books. Paralegals cannot give legal advice, accept a case, set a fee, or present a case in court and may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.
This program is designed for students who seek immediate employment in the legal environment and who may also decide to transfer as a junior to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies at one of the two Florida public universities to which this degree will transfer. Students may transfer through a statewide agreement to Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) or through a specific program agreement to the University of Central Florida (UCF). Additional general education and legal specialty courses will be required in the university program.
This program is approved by the American Bar Association (https://www.americanbar.org/). Per ABA requirements, students must take at least nine semester credits or the equivalent of legal specialty courses through synchronous instruction. Synchronous instruction includes traditional face-to-face courses as well as RTV (Real Time Virtual) courses. RTV courses provide remote synchronous instruction that includes real time faculty-to-student and student-to-student interaction.
Students are strongly encouraged to consult a Student Success Coach in the department office for assistance in determining the best education plan for their career goals.
In addition to credits included in the State of Florida’s common course numbering system, Valencia may accept up to nine legal specialty credits as credit toward PLA course requirements in the Paralegal Studies A.S. degree. All legal specialty courses transferred into the program must be reviewed and approved by the Paralegal Studies Program Director, in addition to the standard college award of credit process.
Students will select either a Transactional or Litigation specialization. The Transactional specialization provides additional course work relating to real estate and probate matters, while the Litigation specialization provides additional course work relating to civil court and bankruptcy proceedings.
Although scheduling may not always provide for the following progression of courses, students should use the foundation, intermediate and specialization course sequence as a guide in program planning. This is found at https://valenciacollege.edu/paralegal-studies/
All degree-seeking students must satisfy entry testing requirements and satisfactorily complete all mandatory courses in reading, student success, mathematics, English, and English for Academic Purposes in which the student is placed.
Start Right
Degree-seeking students enrolling at Valencia for the first time will have a limited range of courses from which to choose for their first 18 college-level credits. Within the first 18 college credit hours, you will be required to take ENC1101 (3 credits), and if applicable, SLS 1122 (3 credits) and a mathematics course appropriate to your selected meta-major (3 credits). The remaining courses will be chosen from the General Education Core Courses in humanities (3 credits), science (3 credits), or social science (3 credits), and/or the introductory courses within the A.S. degree programs. For specific courses see the Foundation Courses on the “Program Requirements” tab. For course sequencing recommendations, see your Student Success Coach or create an education plan by logging into Atlas, clicking on the LifeMap tab and clicking My Education Plan.
Potential Careers
- Paralegal
- Legal Assistant
Salary & Earnings Information
For career information related to this program, please visit O*Net OnLine.
Contacts
Future Students
To learn more about this program, contact Enrollment Services at enrollment@valenciacollege.edu or 407-582-1507 or visit valenciacollege.edu/paralegal-studies/.
Current Students
Your Student Success Coach contact information can be found in Atlas. Log into Atlas, click on the Courses tab, and check your Academic Profile information to find a link to your Coach.
Faculty Program Chair
Cathy Mestre, Program Chair, 407-582-2514
cmestre@valenciacollege.edu
Program Requirements
| ENC 1101 | FRESHMAN COMPOSITION I +*~ | 3 |
| POS 2041 | U.S. GOVERNMENT ~ | 3 |
| PLA 1003C | INTRODUCTION TO LEGAL PRACTICES AND ETHICS +* | 3 |
| PLA 1611 | REAL PROPERTY FUNDAMENTALS +* | 3 |
| PLA 2203 | CIVIL LITIGATION FUNDAMENTALS +* | 3 |
| SPC 1608 | FUNDAMENTALS OF SPEECH ~ | 3 |
| or SPC 1017 | INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION |
| PLA 2433 | BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS +* | 3 |
| +*~GR | 3 |
| ~ | 3 |
| PLA 1104 | LEGAL RESEARCH AND THEORY I +* | 3 |
| PLA 2732C | LEGAL TECHNOLOGY * | 3 |
| PLA 1730C | COMPUTER-ASSISTED LEGAL RESEARCH +* | 1 |
| BUL 2241 | BUSINESS LAW I * | 3 |
| ~ | 3 |
| PSY 2012 | GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY ~ | 3 |
| APA 1111C | COLLEGE ACCOUNTING * | 3 |
| or ACG 2021C | PRINCIPLES OF FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING |
| 3 |
| FRESHMAN COMPOSITION II +*~ | |
| BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS | |
| TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION * | |
| 15 |
| Total Credit Hours | 64 |
Litigation Specialization
Program Outcomes
- Research and analyze a legal issue under the supervision of a member of the Bar.
- Draft certain legal documents used in litigation and transactional matters, including bankruptcy and debtor-creditor filings, under the supervision of a member of the Bar.
- Apply the appropriate ethics rules to hypothetical ethical scenarios that may arise in the legal setting under the supervision of a member of the Bar.
- Describe practices and traits required to work effectively in a group or individually under the supervision of a member of the Bar.
| PLA 2223 | ADVANCED CIVIL LITIGATION * | 3 |
| PLA 1114 | LEGAL RESEARCH AND THEORY II +* | 3 |
| PLA 2192C | LEGAL RESEARCH AND THEORY III * | 3 |
| PLA 2465C | DEBTOR-CREDITOR/BANKRUPTCY * | 3 |
| or PLA 2560C | INSURANCE CASE MANAGEMENT FOR PARALEGALS |
| 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 15 |
Transactional Specialization
Program Outcomes
- Research and analyze a legal issue under the supervision of a member of the Bar.
- Draft certain legal documents used in litigation and transactional matters, including wills and trust documents, under the supervision of a member of the Bar.
- Apply the appropriate ethics rules to hypothetical ethical scenarios that may arise in the legal setting under the supervision of a member of the Bar.
- Describe practices and traits required to work effectively in a group or individually under the supervision of a member of the Bar.
| PLA 2612 | ADVANCED REAL PROPERTY * | 3 |
| PLA 2601C | FOUNDATIONS OF WILLS, TRUSTS, AND ESTATE ADMINISTRATION +* | 3 |
| PLA 1114 | LEGAL RESEARCH AND THEORY II +* | 3 |
| PLA 2192C | LEGAL RESEARCH AND THEORY III * | 3 |
| 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 15 |
Notes:
PLA prefix courses are offered on the East Campus
Specialized courses may not be offered every session or on every campus.
Expand your career opportunities with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Organizational Leadership (BASBOL) from Valencia. This degree builds on your skills, and prepares you for a supervisory or management role within your respective field. For more information, go to: Bachelor's Degree in Business & Organizational Leadership. Students who wish to continue their education should consult with a Student Success Coach to determine the best education plan for their career goals.
Students wishing to transfer credits from this program to another institution must accept responsibility for securing approval from the transfer institution for acceptance of this degree.
