The American Bar Association (ABA) approves Coastline’s Paralegal Studies Program. The Paralegal Program prepares personnel for the intermediary position between the legal secretary and the attorney, performing work under the supervision of an attorney. Paralegals work in law offices and other legal and law related environments, and many interact with clients. A paralegal shall not provide legal advice or engage in conduct that constitutes the unauthorized practice of law, including contracting with a natural person other than an attorney for the performance of paralegal services (California Business & Professions Code, Sections 6450 et seq.). This program is not intended to prepare students for law school or the practice of law.

Students who do not already possess an Associate of Arts or bachelor degree from a regionally accredited college or university must complete the associate degree (60 units) as specified below. These requirements are in compliance with the ABA Guidelines for paralegal programs.

Degree candidate students are required to attend a paralegal orientation or a counseling session and complete the English and Math Placement Testing and Group A General Education requirements prior to entering LAW C105 Civil Litigation 1, LAW C118 Legal Analysis and Briefing, LAW C121 Legal Research/CALR, and/or any major elective with a “LAW” designation. The remaining general education units are to be completed concurrently with the remaining paralegal courses. Students must achieve a grade point average of 2.0 or higher in each paralegal studies course.

Paralegal studies course work taken at other institutions in an ABA-approved program, with approval by the paralegal studies department, will qualify for no more than six (6) units of transfer credit in legal specialty courses in the paralegal studies certificate program. Paralegal studies courses taken for other than a letter grade are limited to seven (7) units within the 27 unit total, and 21 units of paralegal course work must be completed at Coastline College. (Credit by examination is not available for courses within the Paralegal Studies Certificate.) Upon completion of the degree program, students will be awarded an associate degree in Paralegal Studies and a Certificate of Achievement in Paralegal Studies approved by the American Bar Association.

Students possessing a transferable Associate of Arts or bachelor degree from a regionally accredited college or university, with official transcripts on file at Coastline, will be awarded a Certificate of Achievement in Paralegal Studies approved by the American Bar Association upon completion of the 27 units of required paralegal courses. All students are required to attend a paralegal orientation or a counseling session and must achieve a grade point average of 2.0 or higher in each paralegal studies course. All students are required to demonstrate computer proficiency (see Requirements).

Program Level Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

1. Analyze and communicate conclusions both orally and in writing.
2. Apply legal concepts to the clients’ problems.
3. Apply legal ethics in the paralegal field.

Review the Associate in Science and Associate in Arts Graduation Requirements and General Education requirements. 

Course List Units

Course	Title	Units
Required Core
Complete the following:
LAW C100	Introduction to Paralegal Studies	3
LAW C127	Legal Procedure 1	3
LAW C128	Legal Procedure 2	3
LAW C105	Civil Litigation 1	3
LAW C118	Legal Analysis and Briefing	3
LAW C121	Legal Research/CALR	4
LAW C290	Legal Clinic Practicum/Ethics	2
Program Elective
Select six units of the following:		6
LAW C110	Civil Litigation 2	1.5
LAW C115	Criminal Litigation	1.5
LAW C126	Legal Aspects of Health Care Administration	3
LAW C130	Law Office Management	1.5
LAW C135	Family Law	1.5
LAW C142	Probate Administration/Estate Planning	3
LAW C144	Forensic Science and the Law for Paralegals	3
LAW C148	Elder Law	1.5
LAW C150	Corporate/Business Organizations	3
LAW C152	Conflict Analysis and Resolution	3
LAW C154	Immigration Law	3
LAW C155	Bankruptcy Law and Procedures	3
LAW C158	Intellectual Property	3
LAW C160	Civil Trials and Evidence	1.5
LAW C161	Tort Law	3
LAW C164	Contract Law	3
LAW C170	Computer Applications for the Paralegal	3
Units Required for Major		27

(1)

American Bar Association Computer Proficiency Requirement. Computer proficiency may be demonstrated by the satisfactory completion of LAW C170 Computer Applications for the Paralegal; by completion of similar courses; by transfer credit course work; by workplace substantiation; by Microsoft Certification; or by other computer industry certification.

GENERAL EDUCATION, Paralegal Program

Students are required to complete at least 24 units in courses required by local general education Areas 1-7 with the following limitations. Course work in Group 1A is limited to ENGL C100 Academic Reading and Writing. Course work in Group 3A is limited to ART C100 Survey of Art: Prehistory through Late Gothic, ART C101 Survey of Art: Renaissance to Contemporary or MUS C100 History and Appreciation of Music. All course work in 3B is acceptable. This represents an Option I general education plan. A Cal-GETC general education plan may be utilized and required additional units. 

Unit Requirements

Requirement	Units
Local General Education or CalGETC pattern	Varies
Electives to satisfy unit requirement	Varies
Total Degree Units	60