Overview
The Law and Paralegal Studies degree program prepares students for an exciting career in the legal world as a Paralegal, equipped with the technical, communication, and critical thinking skills required to assist attorneys, judges, and other legal professionals in delivering legal services to a variety of clients.
While earning an Associate of Applied Business degree, students gain knowledge and abilities needed to provide competent, ethical, and in-demand paralegal services.
Through practical application of legal concepts to “real life” projects, students learn to investigate facts, conduct research on legal issues, interview clients, organize and evaluate case materials, draft legal documents, and communicate effectively with legal professionals. Students also gain knowledge of substantive and procedural law, concentrating on the most prevalent and cutting-edge areas of legal practice.
Students must complete at least nine credits of legal specialty courses through online (synchronous) education. These courses include: LAW 120 (Legal Research and Writing), LAW 130 (Family and Probate Law), and LAW 210 (Litigation).
Cooperative education experience provides practical hands-on training to help students begin a career as a Paralegal.
After graduation, graduates are prepared to excel in a variety of sectors including law firms of all sizes, corporations, charitable and other non-profit organizations, government agencies, courts, and various management companies.
Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Define legal terminology in numerous areas of the law.
- Identify major legal systems and functions of the law in American society.
- Discuss ethical rules and considerations applicable to the legal profession and non-attorney professionals.
- Draft a variety of documents, including case briefs, pleadings, discovery requests, office memoranda, correspondence, and legal forms.
- Analyze applicable case and statutory law for a variety of law-related topics and client scenarios.
- Apply legal research skills to support case law and statutory analysis, legal document preparation, and fact gathering in a variety of law-related situations.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of e-filing, and how to locate local court rules and the civil rules of procedure.
- Demonstrate oral communication skills in a variety of educational and professional settings.
- Utilize law and office related technology resources in a variety of law office procedures, including file management, timekeeping, document management, document creation, eDiscovery, and social media.
Transfer Policy for Legal Specialty Courses
Contacts
Program Chair
Co-op Coordinator
Advisor
Career Outlook
Graduates Are Prepared To
- Assist attorneys, judges, and other legal professionals in many legal practice settings
Representative Job Titles For Graduates
- Paralegal
- Legal Assistant
Graduate Employment Outlook
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that jobs for paralegals will increase about 14 percent through 2031, which is faster than the average for all professions. Opportunities are expected to grow as law firms attempt to lower expenses by using the cost-effective services provided by paralegals. Due to the rise of electronic discovery, formally trained paralegals with strong computer and database management skills should have the best job prospects. Employment opportunities for paralegals in Cincinnati are very good.
$45,341 - $52,900 annual salary (full-time paralegals and legal assistants) Earnings vary depending upon education, experience, and type of employer
Graduate Starting Salary Projections
Contacts
Program Chair
Co-op Coordinator
Advisor
Curriculum
Effective 2025-2026 academic year
| Semester 1 | Lec | Lab | Credits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENG 101 | English Composition 1 ( G) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| IM 165 | Legal Office Environment ( T) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| LAW 101 | Business Law ( B) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| FYE 1XX First Year Experience Elective (B) | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| IM 111 | Computer Applications ( B) | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Semester 2 | ||||
| BUS 190 | Professional Practices ( B) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| IM 130 | Electronic Word Processing: Microsoft Word ( T) | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| ENG 102 | English Composition 2: Contemporary Issues ( G) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| LAW 130 | Estate Planning, Family and Probate Law ( T) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| ACC 101 | Financial Accounting ( B) | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Semester 3 | ||||
| LAW X9X Cooperative Education Elective 1 – Paralegal (T) | 0 | 40 | 2 | |
| MAT 1XX Mathematics Elective (G) | 2 | 2 | 3 | |
| Semester 4 | ||||
| LAW 120 | Legal Research and Writing ( T) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| XXX XXX Social Science Elective 1 (G) | 3 | 0 | 3 | |
| XXX XXX Legal Specialty Elective 1 (T) | 3 | 0 | 3 | |
| IM 225 | Legal Document Formatting ( T) | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Semester 5 | ||||
| LAW X9X Cooperative Education Elective 2: Paralegal (T) | 0 | 40 | 2 | |
| XXX XXX Social Science Elective 2 (B) | 3 | 0 | 3 | |
| Semester 6 | ||||
| LAW 210 | Litigation ( T) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| LAW 290 | Paralegal Capstone ( T) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| XXX XXX Legal Speciality Elective 2 (T) | 3 | 0 | 3 | |
| XXX XXX Arts/Humanities Elective (G) | 3 | 0 | 3 | |
| Total Credits: | 51 | 93 | 60 | |
Electives
| First Year Experience Elective | ||
| FYE 100 | Essentials for College Success | 1 |
| FYE 105 | Skills for College and Personal Success | 2 |
| FYE 110 | Intensive College Success Strategies | 3 |
| FYE 120 | College Success Strategies: Campus Integration | 4 |
| Mathematics Elective | ||
| MAT 105 | Quantitative Reasoning | 3 |
| MAT 131 | Statistics 1 | 3 |
| MAT 151 | College Algebra | 4 |
| Legal Specialty Elective (6 credit hours required) | ||
| CRJ 120 | Introduction to Courts | 3 |
| LAW 150 | Bankruptcy, Debt Collection, and Secured Transactions | 3 |
| LAW 110 | Employment and Administrative Law | 3 |
| LAW 298 | Second Year Special Topics in Law | 1-9 |
| RE 105 | Real Estate Law | 3 |
| Arts/Humanities Elective | ||
| Any OT36 course from ART, MUS, THE, or ART 120, CULT, FRN, ITP, LIT, PHI, REL, SPN | 3 | |
| Social Science Elective (6 Credit Hours) | ||
| Any OT36 course from ECO, GEO, HST, LBR, POL, PSY, SOC | 3 | |
| Cooperative Education Electives (4 credit hours required) | ||
| LAW 191 | Part-Time Cooperative Education 1: Legal Assistant | 1 |
| LAW 192 | Part-Time Cooperative Education 2: Legal Assistant | 1 |
| LAW 193 | Part-Time Cooperative Education 3: Legal Assistant | 1 |
| LAW 194 | Part-Time Cooperative Education 4: Legal Assistant | 1 |
| LAW 195 | Part-Time Cooperative Education 5: Legal Assistant | 1 |
| LAW 196 | Part-Time Cooperative Education 6: Legal Assistant | 1 |
| LAW 197 | Part-Time Career Education Project: Legal Assistant | 1 |
| LAW 291 | Full-Time Cooperative Education 1: Legal Assistant | 2 |
| LAW 292 | Full-Time Cooperative Education 2: Legal Assistant | 2 |
| LAW 293 | Full-Time Cooperative Education 3: Legal Assistant | 2 |
| LAW 297 | Full-Time Career Education Project: Legal Assistant | 2 |
G = General Education course in this curriculum
B = Basic Skills course in this curriculum
T = Technical course in this curriculum
• This curriculum displays only course numbers without the added letter.
• The alternative version, when available, meets the requirements of the course version without the added letter.