Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies (BSLS)

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Only the Herzing University paralegal programs at New Orleans and Atlanta are approved by the American Bar Association. (ABA). The Herzing Legal Studies program offered online is not approved by the ABA.

(Please see the Undergraduate Program Offerings by Campus chart in the catalog or on the Herzing Website at www.herzing.edu/career-programs/downloads for a list of Herzing campuses offering this program.)

Program Description

This program is designed to provide in-depth understanding of the legal system as it relates to the law, the courts, clients, and lawyers. The core curriculum provides a solid foundation of legal, ethical, technical, and communication skills. Students will be prepared for entry-level or management training positions in office administration or other business enterprises requiring a legal studies background.

Special Admissions

Students at the Atlanta and New Orleans campuses must complete all paralegal courses at the campus in a traditional classroom format.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student should be able to:

Describe the US legal system.
Describe the changing functions of the paralegal as the delivery of legal services evolves.
Demonstrate proficiency of standard technology and research tools used in legal environments
Evaluate ethical decision making practices in a legal environment.
Draft a variety of legal documents
Evaluate alternatives to litigation.
Formulate appropriate business solutions.

Potential Occupational Titles

Potential occupational titles for this program include, but are not limited to, paralegal and legal assistant.

Program Content

A minimum of 126.00 semester credit hours is required for graduation.

Required Management Core Courses

All courses, 30.00 semester credit hours, are required.

AC 107 - Accounting I 3.00 semester credit hours
AC 220 - Finance 3.00 semester credit hours
BU 106 - Introduction to Management 3.00 semester credit hours
BU 204 - The Digital Firm and Business Communications 3.00 semester credit hours
BU 220 - Principles of Marketing 3.00 semester credit hours
BU 302 - Leadership and Organizational Behavior 3.00 semester credit hours
BU 305 - Administrative Law 3.00 semester credit hours
BU 407 - Quantitative Decision Making 3.00 semester credit hours
(Prerequisites/Corequisites MA 204 or MA 225 or MA 320)
EC 111 - Principles of Microeconomics 3.00 semester credit hours
EC 121 - Principles of Macroeconomics 3.00 semester credit hours

Required Introductory Legal Studies Courses

All courses, 34.00 semester credit hours, are required.

IS 102 - Computers and Application Software 4.00 semester credit hours *
PL 100 - Introduction to Legal Assisting 3.00 semester credit hours
PL 106 - Legal Research 3.00 semester credit hours
PL 115 - Contract Law 3.00 semester credit hours
PL 131 - Torts 3.00 semester credit hours
PL 132 - Family Law 3.00 semester credit hours
PL 140 - Ethics and Paralegal Professionalism 3.00 semester credit hours
PL 180 - Law Office Procedures 3.00 semester credit hours
PL 215 - Civil Litigation 3.00 semester credit hours
PL 250 - Legal Writing 3.00 semester credit hours
PL 298 - NALA Certification Review 3.00 semester credit hours

Note:

* IS 102 : The American Bar Association does not consider this a general education course.

Required Advanced Legal Studies Courses

All courses, 9.00 semester credit hours, are required.

PL 300 - Legal Office Administration 3.00 semester credit hours
PL 425 - Business Organizations 3.00 semester credit hours
PL 450 - Advanced Legal Research 3.00 semester credit hours

Elective Courses

A minimum of 12.00 semester credit hours is required. At least 9.00 semester credit hours must be paralegal (PL) courses.

BU 206 - Business Law I 3.00 semester credit hours
BU 403 - Constitutional Law 3.00 semester credit hours
HR 100 - Introduction to Human Resource Management 3.00 semester credit hours
HR 230 - Employment Law and Labor Relations 3.00 semester credit hours
HR 340 - Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Essentials 3.00 semester credit hours
IS 120 - Word Processing 4.00 semester credit hours
IS 160 - Spreadsheets 4.00 semester credit hours
PL 139 - Wills, Trusts and Estates 3.00 semester credit hours
PL 220 - Bankruptcy 3.00 semester credit hours
PL 225 - Criminal Law 3.00 semester credit hours
PL 235 - Property Law and Intellectual Property Law 3.00 semester credit hours
PL 246 - Environmental Law and Administrative Agencies 3.00 semester credit hours

Required Project Management

3.00 semester credit hours are required.

BU 345 - Project Management 3.00 semester credit hours

Required Capstone or Internship

3.00 semester credit hours are required.

PL 491 - Capstone Project 3.00 semester credit hours
PL 494 - Legal Studies Internship 3.00 semester credit hours *

Note:

* Online students in some states may not be allowed to take this internship due to state restrictions.

Required Courses in General Education

Students enrolled in this bachelor’s degree must complete a minimum of 33.00 semester credit hours in general education distributed among the following disciplines. A minimum of 9.00 semester credit hours must be upper level (300-400 level courses). Refer to the General Education section of the catalog for Herzing University courses that would satisfy these requirements. *

3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Cultural Diversity
6.00 Semester Credit Hours in English Composition or Literature
3.00 Semester Credit Hours of General Education Electives ♦
3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Humanities With a Critical Thinking Focus ** ♦
1.00 Semester Credit Hour in Information Literacy
7.00 Semester Credit Hours in Mathematics (College Algebra or Above)
4.00 Semester Credit Hours of Natural Science With a Lab Component
3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Social or Behavioral Science
3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Speech

* Transfer students may transfer courses that are within 1.00 semester credit hour of the courses listed above to meet these discipline requirements. Any resulting deficiency in the total of 33.00 semester credit hours required in general education may be made up with general education electives from any of the listed disciplines.

** A course with a critical thinking focus would be a course that addresses the theories and application of critical analysis with an emphasis on developing sequential reasoning skills. Examples may be courses in critical thinking, philosophy, logic, or science.

♦ Minnesota students must complete at least 4.00 semester credit hours of general education in the humanities.

Personal and Professional Development Courses

2.00 semester credit hours are required. Students taking the BU 495 Internship must also take PD 214 .

PD 121 - Professional Development I (Semester Credit Hour Course) 1.00 semester credit hour
PD 202 - Professional Development II (Semester Credit Hour Course) 1.00 semester credit hour