Location(s): GE courses for this program are offered at all BC locations. The Paralegal Studies (PLA) courses are only offered at the Judson A. Samuels South Campus, and the North Campus. Please consult the course schedule for specific semester locations.
Program Entrance Requirements: HS Diploma or GED

Program Description:  The Associate of Science degree in Paralegal Studies (Legal Assisting) is a program designed for students seeking a career in a law-related field as a paraprofessional. The program is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA). Upon successful completion of this program, a student will be able to work under the supervision of an attorney and perform many vital functions as a paralegal. Paralegals may be responsible for interviewing, investigation, research, document preparation, and other tasks. They cannot, however, engage in the actual practice of law by doing such activities as giving legal advice, setting fees, negotiating, or representing clients in court. Paralegals work in law firms, legal departments of major corporations, government agencies (federal, state and local), real estate departments of large businesses, trust departments of banks, brokerage houses, and insurance companies. 

ADDITIONAL PROGRAM INFORMATION

Transfer Credits

Broward College’s Paralegal Studies Program honors credits for courses taken at other institutions that are fully accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, participate in the Florida statewide course numbering system, and are judged by the appropriate common course designation and numbering system faculty task forces to be academically equivalent to legal specialty courses offered at Broward College. All other legal specialty courses that are completed and transcribed from either an accredited institution or an ABA-approved program will be evaluated by the Program Manager for specific course equivalencies and how accepted credit(s) will be applied toward specific degree requirements. No student shall be awarded credit for legal specialty courses by exam or experiential learning.

Program Graduation Requirements

• Meet BC’s graduation requirements as listed in the Academic Programs and Graduation Requirements section of the College Catalog.
• Completion of 64 semester credit hours curriculum plan listed below with a degree GPA of 2.0 or higher.
• Complete all courses with a grade of “C” or higher.
• At least 25% of the total credits for the Associate of Science Degree in Paralegal Studies must be earned at Broward College, of which at least 12 credit hours must comprise Broward College legal specialty courses.

Per the American Bar Association (ABA), which approves this program, students must take at least:

nine semester credits, or the equivalent, of legal specialty courses through synchronous instruction. This requirement can be satisfied by taking classes in the following modalities:

a. Synchronous face-to-face courses  

b. Blended courses (with only the synchronous/classroom hours counting towards the equivalent of nine semester credits)  Flexible learning courses that include faculty-to-student and student-to-student interaction in real time."   Please consult with your advisor regularly to ensure your compliance with this program requirement.

Internships

The Paralegal Studies Program offers the possibility of participating in an internship as a Program elective. For specific information, please contact the Program Manager or a Program advisor.

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
ENC1101	COMPOSITION I	3.00
PLA1003	INTRODUCTION TO PARALEGAL STUDIES 1	3.00
BUL2241	BUSINESS LAW I	3.00
PLA1104C	LAW LIBRARY/RESEARCH 1	3.00
CGS1060C	COMPUTER AND INTERNET LITERACY 2	3.00
PLA1303	CRIMINAL LITIGATION 1	3.00
GE Course	General Education Mathematics Core 3	3.00
PLA2114C	LEGAL WRITING AND DRAFTING 1	3.00
PLA1201C	CIVIL LITIGATION 1	3.00
OST1103C	BASIC KEYBOARDING	1.00
PLA1435	CORPORATIONS 1	3.00
GE Course	General Education Speech	3.00
PLA1841C	IMMIGRATION LAW 1	3.00
Elective	Elective Course 4	3.00
PLA1610C	PROCEDURES FOR REAL ESTATE TITLE CLOSING 1	3.00
PLA2762C	PARALEGAL OFFICE SYSTEMS 1	3.00
GE Course	General Education Humanities Core	3.00
PLA1600C	PROBATE PRACTICE 1	3.00
PLA1800C	DOMESTIC RELATIONS 1	3.00
PLA2466C	DEBTOR/CREDITOR RELATIONS 1	3.00
AMH2020	HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES SINCE 1877	3.00
or POS2041	NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
GE Course	General Education Science Core	3.00
Total Credits		64

¹

These courses have pre-requisites or co-requisites that must be met. 

²

Students must satisfy the Digital Literacy requirement by testing out, completing a Credit for Prior Learning portfolio, or passing CGS1060C COMPUTER AND INTERNET LITERACY.  Students who test out are required to take an approved elective.

³

The recommended General Education Math is MGF1106 FOUNDATIONS OF MATHEMATICAL REASONING or MGF1107 SURVEY OF MATHEMATICS .

⁴

Program Electives - PLA2940 PLA PRACTICUM or PLA2930 SELECTED TOPICS IN PARALEGAL STUDIESor any GEB*, MAN*, ECO2013 PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS or OST2053 SUCCESSFUL JOB SEARCH - If 1-credit is needed after taking a 5-credit math course.  

Notes: See General Education course information here.

In accordance with Florida Statute and Florida Administrative Code, students may need to satisfy the Civic Literacy Graduation Requirement. Visit the Civic Literacy Graduation Requirement page at broward.edu/civic-literacy.

Students are strongly encouraged to meet with an advisor to create a personalized educational plan.

Program Highlights

Credit for Prior Learning

Accelerate your path to completion with these options:

• Credit by exam
• Earned industry certifications
• Prior Learning Assessment
• And much more…

Related Industry Certifications

Upon completing this program, graduates will be eligible to sit for the following industry certifications/licenses:

• The Certified Paralegal Exam (CP exam) through the Association of Legal Assistants/Paralegals (NALA)
• The Paralegal CORE Competency Exam (PCCE) through the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA)

Get an Internship

After completing your first year of coursework make sure to visit Employment Solutions for internship opportunities and helpful tools like virtual job shadow, to help take your career to the next level!

• Get an Internship
• Virtual Job Shadow Tool

Median Wage and Job Growth Outlook

Broward College has Career Coach! It is designed to help you find a good career by providing the most current local data on wages, employment, job postings, and associated education and training.

Fund Your Education

This program is Financial Aid eligible. Scholarships may be available. This program is part of the Career Source Broward ITA List.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates from this program will:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the ethical and professional standards of the paralegal.
• Demonstrate ability to utilize legal research materials and apply knowledge in legal writing.
• Demonstrate basic knowledge of tort law, constitutional law, and criminal law concepts and their application to factual situations.
• Demonstrate knowledge of all phases of trial practice and procedure.
• Demonstrate knowledge of real property law and its application to real property transactions.
• Demonstrate knowledge of estate planning and probate administration concepts and their application to probate procedures.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the fundamental principles of the law of business organizations.
• Demonstrate knowledge of principles of contract law including the Uniform Commercial Code.
• Demonstrate knowledge of, and ability to perform, techniques and procedures utilized as part of case preparation and development.
• Demonstrate knowledge of law office management procedures.
• Demonstrate knowledge of family law, rules, and procedures.
• Demonstrate employability skills.
• Describe and explain the various uses of computers and software in law offices and how the legal assistant uses them.