LGLA 1313 Introduction to Paralegal Studies

Special Fee: $13.00

Provides an overview of the paralegal profession including professional regulation, trends and issues, ethical obligations, and the paralegal's role in the delivery of legal services.

Recommended: Passing score on the TSI Assessment or concurrent enrollment in INRW 0402.

Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)

POFT 1393 Special Topics: Introduction to Keyboarding

Lab Fee: $15.00

Addresses topics recently identified current events, skills, knowledge, and/or attitudes and behaviors pertinent to the technology or occupation and relevant to the professional development of the student. Develops skill in keyboarding techniques with emphasis on alphabet, number, and symbol keys by touch and the development of acceptable speed and accuracy. Skills can be applied to computers and other equipment with keyboards. Emphasizes proper keyboarding technique. Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)

POFT 1309 Administrative Office Procedures I

Lab Fee: $10.00

Studies current office procedures, duties, and responsibilities applicable to an office environment including telephone skills, time management, travel and meeting arrangements, mail processing, human relations and interview skills are covered.

Offered only in fall semester.

Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)

POFT 1301 Business English

Lab Fee: $10.00

Introduces the practical application of basic language usage skills with emphasis on fundamentals of writing and editing for business.

Students will apply the basic rules of grammar, spelling, capitalization, number usage, and punctuation; utilize terminology applicable to technical and business writing; develop proofreading and editing skills; and teaches how to write effective sentences and paragraphs for business applications.

Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)

ENGL 1301 Composition I

Intensive study of and practice in writing processes, from invention and researching to drafting, revising, and editing, both individually and collaboratively.

Emphasis is on effective rhetorical choices, including audience, purpose, arrangement, and style. Focus is on writing the academic essay as a vehicle for learning, communication, and critical analysis.

Prerequisite: TSI complete in Reading and Writing or the equivalent.

Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)

BUSI 2301 Business Law

Provides the student with foundational information about the U.S. legal system and dispute resolution, and their impact on business. The major content areas will include general principles of law, the relationship of business and the U.S. Constitution, state and federal legal systems, the relationship between law and ethics, contracts, sales, torts, agency law, intellectual property, and business law in the global context.

Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)

LGLA 1311 Introduction to Law

Presents legal terminology relating to substantive areas of law and the federal and state judicial systems. Emphasizes the paralegal's role in the legal system.

Topics include: legal terminology, categorizing substantive areas of law and the federal and state judicial system, and identifying ethical considerations of the paralegal relating to the legal profession.

Offered only in spring semester.

Recommended: Passing score on the TSI Assessment or concurrent enrollment in INRW 0402. Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)

LGLA 1345 Civil Litigation

Presents fundamental concepts and procedures of civil litigation including pretrial, trial, and post-trial phases of litigation and emphasizes the paralegal's role in civil litigation.

Recommended: Passing score on the TSI Assessment or concurrent enrollment of INRW 0402. Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)

ITSW 1301 Introduction to Word Processing

Lab Fee: $15.00

Presents an overview of the production of documents, tables, and graphics.

Students will identify word processing terminology and concepts, create technical documents, format and edit documents, use simple tools and utilities, and print documents. Presents pagination, merging and storage of documents.

Prerequisite: POFT 1393 with a grade of C or better or a keyboarding skill of 30 words a minute using touch method. Semester Hours 3 (2 lec/2 lab)

POFI 2340 Advanced Word Processing

Lab Fee: $15.00

Presents advanced techniques in merging, macros, graphics, and desktop publishing. Includes extensive formatting for technical documents. Emphasis is on business applications. Students will design and create macros, use advanced formatting features, import data, and use graphic and special functions to enhance documents. Emphasizes advanced printing techniques. This course is designed to be repeated multiple times to improve student proficiency. Offered only in fall semester. Prerequisite: ITSW 1301 with a grade of C or better or consent of the program director. Semester Hours 3 (2 lec/2 lab)

ENGL 1302 Composition II

Intensive study of and practice in the strategies and techniques for developing research-based expository and persuasive texts.

Emphasis is on effective and ethical rhetorical inquiry, including primary and secondary research methods; critical reading of verbal, visual and multimedia texts; systematic evaluation, synthesis, and documentation of information sources; and critical thinking about evidence and conclusions.

Prerequisite: ENGL 1301 or its equivalent with a grade of C or better or consent of division chair.

Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)

ENGL 2311 Technical & Business Writing

Intensive study of and practice in professional settings. Focus on the types of documents necessary to make decisions and take action on the job, such as proposals, reports, instructions, policies and procedures, e-mail messages, letters, and descriptions of products and services.

Practice of individual and collaborative processes involved in the creation of ethical and efficient documents.

Prerequisite: Passing score on writing portion of TSI Assessment or credit for ENGL 0301.

Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)

PHIL 1301 Introduction to Philosophy

A study of major issues in philosophy and/or the work of major philosophical figures in philosophy.

Topics in philosophy may include theories of reality, theories of knowledge, theories of value, and their practical applications.

Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)

PHIL 2306 Introduction to Ethics

The systematic evaluation of classical and/or contemporary ethical theories concerning the good life, human conduct in society, morals, and standards of value.

Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)

CRIJ 1301 Introduction to Criminal Justice

This course provides a historical and philosophical overview of the American criminal justice system, including the nature, extent, and impact of crime; criminal law; and justice agencies and processes, and an overview of the criminal justice system, including law enforcement and court procedures.

Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)

LGLA 2313 Criminal Law and Procedure

Presents fundamental concepts of criminal law and procedures from arrest to final disposition, including principles of federal and state law, emphasizing the role of the paralegal in the criminal justice system.

Offered only in the fall semester.

Recommended: Passing score on the TSI Assessment or concurrent enrollment in INRW 0402. Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)

LGLA 1391 Practice of Family and Property Law

Presents topics address recently identified current events, skills, knowledge, and/or attitudes and behaviors pertinent to the technology or occupation and relevant to the professional development of the student. This course was designed to be repeated multiple times to improve student proficiency.

Property topics include the nature of property, rights and duties of ownership, conveyances and document recording. Family law topics include marriage, divorce, marital property and the parent-child relationship.

Offered only in the fall semester.

Recommended: Passing score on the TSI Assessment or concurrent enrollment in INRW 0402.

Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)

LGLA 2307 Law Office Management

Presents fundamental principles and structure of management, administrative and substantive systems in the law office. Includes law practice technology as applied to paralegals.

Recommended: Passing score on the TSI Assessment or concurrent enrollment in INRW 0402. Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)

ITSW 1304 Introduction to Spreadsheets

Lab Fee: $15.00

Introduces the concepts, procedures and importance of electronic spreadsheets.

Semester Hours 3 (2 lec/2 lab)

LGLA 1301 Legal Research and Writing

Presents the fundamentals of legal research and writing emphasizing the paralegal's role, including resources and processes used in legal research and writing.

Topics include: locating primary and secondary legal authority, implement researching strategies using standard and electronic research tools, drafting legal documents, and analyzing the ethical considerations of the paralegal relating to legal research and writing.

Offered only in spring semester.

Recommended: Passing score on the TSI Assessment or concurrent enrollment in INRW 0402. Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)

LGLA 2388 Internship-Paralegal/Legal Assistant

Establishes a work-based learning experience that enables the student to apply specialized occupational theory, skills and concepts. A learning plan is developed by the college and the employer.

This may be a paid or unpaid experience. This course serves as the Capstone experience for paralegal students. Students must meet Guidelines for Internships and have approval of the program director to enroll in this course.

Prerequisites: LGLA 1311, 1313, ITSW 1301 with minimum grade of C or concurrently enrolled. An approved workstation and consent of program director.

Semester Hours 3 (1 lec/15 lab)

GOVT 2306 Texas Government

Origin and development of the Texas constitution, structure and powers of state and local government, federalism and inter-governmental relations, political participation, the election process, public policy, and the political culture of Texas.

NOTE: Must have passed the reading portion of the TSI Assessement or have credit for INRW 0402. Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)

LGLA 2333 Advanced Legal Document Preparation

Lab Fee: $15.00

Introduces the use of office technology skills in preparation of legal documents by paralegals based on hypothetical situations drawn from various area of law.

Topics will include: terminology related to legal document preparation, drafting transaction and litigation documents based on hypothetical situations, distinguishing among the various transaction and litigation documents, and analyzing the ethical considerations of the paralegal relating to legal document preparation.

Offered only in spring semester.

Recommended: Passing score on the TSI Assessment or concurrent enrollment in INRW 0402. Semester Hours 3 (2 lec/2 lab)

SPCH 1318 Interpersonal Communication

Application of communication theory to interpersonal relationship development, maintenance, and termination in relationship contexts, including friendships, romantic partners, families, and relationships with co-workers and supervisors.

Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)

SPCH 1315 Public Speaking

Application of communication theory and practice to the public speaking context, with emphasis on audience analysis, speaker delivery, ethics of communication, cultural diversity, and speech organizational techniques to develop students' speaking abilities, as well as ability to effectively evaluate oral presentations.

Semester Hours 3 (3 lec)