Paralegal BAS

The Paralegal program educates and trains students to perform substantive and procedural legal work under the supervision of a lawyer. Paralegals are non-lawyers who assist attorneys in their professional duties. Two options are available in the Paralegal program: an 63-credit AAS degree program and a 30-credit Intermediate Technical Certificate program.  Upon completion of the Paralegal AAS degree, students will:

  • Be able to think critically
  • Demonstrate organizational skills
  • Work effectively with a variety of legal office professionals and clients
  • Understand and apply legal ethics as required by law
  • Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the legal system and its various agencies
  • Demonstrate solid interviewing and investigation skills
  • Draft legal documents and memoranda pertinent to specific areas of law
  • Demonstrate excellent writing, listening, and speaking skills
  • Demonstrate knowledge in legal research and writing skills
  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a variety of computer programs
  • Maintain confidentiality

Completion of a Technical Skill Assessment is required.

BAS Requires the following:

  • Earned AAS Degree in same major as BAS
  • Gen Ed Core 37 credits
  • AAS program courses for a maximum of 50 credits (note: this can be less than 50 credits)
  • 33 credits of approved upper-division coursework
  • Total Credits Required for BAS is 120
Written Communication
Select one of the following:6.00
WRITING AND RHETORIC I
and WRITING AND RHETORIC II
COLLEGE WRITING AND RESEARCH
Oral Communication
Select one of the following:3.00
FUNDAMENTALS OF ORAL COMMUNICATION
SMALL GROUP COMMUNICATION
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Mathematical Ways of Knowing
Select one of the following:3.00-5.00
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE
MATH IN MODERN SOCIETY
ALGEBRAIC REASONING AND PROBLEM-SOLVING
PRECALCULUS I: ALGEBRA
PRECALCULUS
STATISTICAL REASONING
CALCULUS I
STATISTICAL METHODS FOR THE SCIENCES
MATHEMATICS FOR ELEMENTARY TEACHERS II
FINITE MATHEMATICS
MATH FOR TECHNOLOGY
STATISTICAL REASONING
Humanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing
Select two courses from two different categories (Literature, Arts, Language):6.00-7.00
Literature
LITERATURE AND IDEAS
WORLD CLASSICS
INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE (*)
NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE (*)
MYTHOLOGIES
Arts
INTRODUCTION TO ART
THE ART AND HISTORY OF THE MOTION PICTURE
INTRODUCTION TO THE ARTS
SURVEY OF MUSIC
MUSIC IN AMERICA
WORLD MUSIC
HISTORY OF MUSICAL THEATER
HISTORY OF JAZZ AND POPULAR MUSIC STYLES
SURVEY OF THE THEATER
Language
NEZ PERCE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE (*)
NEZ PERCE LANGUAGE AND HISTORY (*)
ELEMENTARY SPANISH I (*)
ELEMENTARY SPANISH II (*)
Scientific Ways of Knowing
Select two courses from two different disciplines; one course must include a lab:7.00-8.00
INTRODUCTION TO BIOINFORMATICS
CONCEPTS OF BIOLOGY
PLANTS AND PEOPLE
BIOLOGY IN FILM
HUMAN BIOLOGY
HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I
CONCEPTS OF CHEMISTRY
GENERAL, ORGANIC AND BIOCHEMISTRY
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I
SEMICONDUCTORS, SCIENCE, AND SOCIETY
INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC SCIENCE
PHYSICAL GEOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO EARTH SYSTEMS
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
WATER AND ENERGY
INTEGRATED SCIENCE II
INTEGRATED SCIENCE I
INTRODUCTION TO NATURAL SCIENCES
NATURAL SCIENCE FOR ELEMENTARY EDUCATOR
GENERAL PHYSICS I
GENERAL PHYSICS II
PHYS SCIENCES FOR ELEMENTARY EDUCATORS
DESCRIPTIVE ASTRONOMY
PHYSICS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS I
Social & Behavioral Ways of Knowing
Select two courses from two different disciplines:6.00
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY (*)
WORLD PREHISTORY (*)
INTRODUCTION TO NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES (*)
PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS
PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS
INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHY (*)
WORLD HISTORY I (*)
WORLD HISTORY II (*)
UNITED STATES HISTORY I (*)
UNITED STATES HISTORY II (*)
DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS (*)
DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS
HUMAN RELATIONS IN ORGANIZATIONS
or SS-185
HUMAN RELATIONS IN ORGANIZATIONS
AMERICAN NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT (*)
INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY
LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY (*)
SOCIAL PROBLEMS
Global Perspectives
Select one of the following:3.00-4.00
Courses above designated with an asterisk (*) are eligible to fulfill the Global Perspectives requirement. Please note that an asterisked course may not be used to satisfy more than one core requirement.
RACE AND ETHNICITY
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
NATIVE AMERICAN WRITTEN LITERATURE
ETHICS AND IDENTITY
SOCIAL-CULTURAL ASPECTS OF SPORTS
INTERMEDIATE SPANISH I
INTERMEDIATE SPANISH II
Integrative Seminar: Ethics & Values
Select one of the following:3.00
ANIMALS AND SOCIETY
ART AND CENSORSHIP
ETHICS AND ECOLOGY
ETHICS AND TECHNOLOGY
GENDER AND CULTURE
HEALTH INTEGRATIVE SEMINAR
LAW AND SOCIETY
TERRORISM CONTEMPORARY ERA
VALUES AND SPORTS
VIETNAM
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
WILDERNESS
DISEASES AND SOCIETY
ECONOMICS OF GOOD AND EVIL
LEADERSHIP AND ETHICS
NORTHWEST CULTURE/HISTORY/LITERATURE
PROPAGANDA
WOMEN IN THE 20TH CENTURY
GANDHIAN ETHICS AND VALUES
ETHICS OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
ETHICS: CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTS
SALMON RIVER GEOLOGY, BIOLOGY, HUMAN HISTORY
HELLS CANYON INSTITUTE
Foreign/Heritage Language
Select 16 credits of language if selecting Bachelor of Arts Degree
Total Credits37.00-42.00

Program Requirements

AAS Program Courses
Apply up to 45 credits from an earned AAS in Paralegal45.00
BAS Program Requirements
LAWPT-321REAL ESTATE LAW AND PROCEDURES3.00
LAWPT-324ADVANCED CIVIL LITIGATION3.00
LAWPT-332WILLS, TRUSTS, AND ESTATES3.00
LAWPT-341BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS2.00
LAWPT-342FAMILY LAW3.00
LAWPT-345TORT LAW3.00
JS-499RESEARCH PROJECT AND SEMINAR IN JUSTICE STUDIES3.00
SS-385RESEARCH METHODS3.00
Select 15 credits at the 300/400 level15.00
Total Credits83.00
Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredits
COREMathematical Ways of Knowing 3.00
COREOral Communication 3.00
COREScientific Ways of Knowing 3.00
ENGL-101 WRITING AND RHETORIC I 3.00
GNBPT-110 BUSINESS COMPUTER SKILLS 3.00
 Credits15.00
Spring
ENGL-102 WRITING AND RHETORIC II 3.00
LAWPT-219 LEGAL TERMINOLOGY 3.00
LAWPT-233 BANKRUPTCY LAW AND PROCEDURES 3.00
COREHumanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing 3.00
CORESocial & Behavioral Ways of Knowing 3.00
 Credits15.00
Second Year
Fall
COREGlobal Perspectives 3.00
COREHumanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing 3.00
COREScientific Ways of Knowing 4.00
LAWPT-294A INTERNSHIP IN LAW I 3.00
ElectivesElective Credits at 300/400 level 3.00
 Credits16.00
Spring
COREIntegrative Seminar: Ethics & Values 3.00
CORESocial & Behavioral Ways of Knowing 3.00
GNBPT-185 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION 3.00
GNBPT-200 BUSINESS DOCUMENT PROCESSING 3.00
LAWPT-224 INTRODUCTION TO LAW 3.00
 Credits15.00
Third Year
Fall
ACCPT-101 BASIC ACCOUNTING I 3.00
GNBPT-222 BUSINESS EDITING 3.00
GNBPT-233 OFFICE PROCEDURES 3.00
ElectivesElective Credits at 300/400 level 3.00
ElectivesElective Credits at 300/400 level 3.00
 Credits15.00
Spring
ElectivesElective Credits at 300/400 level 3.00
LAWPT-230 LEGAL RESEARCH AND WRITING I 3.00
LAWPT-265 BUSINESS LAW I 3.00
LAWPT-274 LEGAL PROCEDURES 3.00
LAWPT-322 3.00
 Credits15.00
Fourth Year
Fall
ElectivesElective Credits at 300/400 level 3.00
LAWPT-324 ADVANCED CIVIL LITIGATION 3.00
LAWPT-331 3.00
LAWPT-341 BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS 2.00
LAWPT-345 TORT LAW 3.00
 Credits14.00
Spring
LAWPT-321 REAL ESTATE LAW AND PROCEDURES 3.00
LAWPT-332 WILLS, TRUSTS, AND ESTATES 3.00
LAWPT-342 FAMILY LAW 3.00
SS-385 RESEARCH METHODS 3.00
JS-499 RESEARCH PROJECT AND SEMINAR IN JUSTICE STUDIES 3.00
 Credits15.00
 Total Credits120.00

Graduates from Paralegal programs go on to obtain careers in a variety of fields:

  • Legal Assistant
  • Law Clerk
  • Litigation or Judicial Assistant
  • Legal Practice Assistant
  • Court Clerk
  • Title/Abstract Examiner
  • Legal Researcher
  • Contract Specialist
  • Claims Adjuster
  • Court Assistance Program Specialist
  • Limited Practice Officer