Paralegal Studies - BA (BDP)

The baccalaureate degree in Paralegal Studies will create a more highly skilled paralegal who is better prepared by education to perform substantial legal work under the direction and supervision of an active member of the State Bar of California, as defined by section 6450 of the California Business and Professions Code, or an attorney practicing law in the federal courts of this state that has been specifically delegated by the attorney to him or her. As an additional benefit, it will prepare the paralegal to take the NALA Certified Paralegal Exam. This program is approved by the American Bar Association. The upper division course work will provide more in-depth training in specific areas of professional paralegals, including civil litigation, discovery and administration of electronically stored information, trial preparation and presentation, legal project management, advance technology issues such as privacy and security, advanced electronic research, contract management, regulatory compliance, legal investigations, clinic and work experience opportunities, and advanced legal ethics.  

This degree is not designed to prepare students for the practice of law.  

Program Prerequisites -  A student must possess one of the following: 

1. 1. Associate Degree from an ABA-approved paralegal program and regionally accredited institution.  

2. 2. Or Certificate from an ABA-approved paralegal Program and regionally accredited institution, with any associate or baccalaureate degree from any regionally accredited institution.

To complete the Bachelor of Arts in Paralegal Studies, students must:  

1. 1. complete all upper division course requirements with a grade of “C” or better;   

2. 2. complete the General Education Requirement with either IGETC lower division general education coursework or CSU GE Breadth lower division general education coursework. 

1. Students will demonstrate advanced proficiency in paralegal roles and duties, including client communication and legal ethics as established by the California Business and Professions Code Section 6450 and the California Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys.  

2. Students will have technical and practical skills to evaluate, create, and safeguard information that is electronically created, stored, collected, reviewed, produced, and encountered in the criminal and civil litigation process, as part of transactional work, or within the legal profession.  

3. Students will critically analyze and evaluate legal systems and sources of law, apply advanced electronic research techniques, manage complex legal projects, and create comprehensive strategies for civil discovery processes.

The proposed baccalaureate degree in Paralegal Studies is an extension of the long-standing Paralegal associate degree.  SAC has offered a highly regarded, ABA-approved paralegal program for over forty years, and the department is prepared to support a baccalaureate degree with the same rigor that it currently supports the associate degree.  The curriculum builds upon the skills and outcomes that students have developed in their associate degree to create higher level skills that will produce higher wages when they enter the job market.  The development of this new baccalaureate degree is based off of existing technology resources, an engaged advisory committee, and faculty expertise in this area.   

This is a natural extension of the department's current program and curriculum.   For years, SAC's paralegal students have not had a transfer option in the State of California to a public institution with a credit-bearing baccalaureate program; students had to cobble together some sort of transfer alternative to earn a BA or BS degree so they could command a higher salary.  This degree path will give students the ability to earn a baccalaureate from a public institution that is regionally accredited in the state of California.  This program builds on SAC's existing course inventory, while at the same time being completely innovative.

The degree will be housed in the Legal Studies department where the current paralegal associate degree is located.  The department is a member of the Business Division at Santa Ana College.