Administrative Support Technology: Legal Specialization, AAS

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(Christanna and John H. Daniel Campuses)

Award: Associate of Applied Science

Length: Sixty-five credit hour program

Purpose: This curriculum is designed to provide specialized administrative support technology education in the legal field. It is recommended for students interested in a professional career as a legal assistant to an attorney or judge; assistant in a legal office of a corporation, of a university, or of an insurance company; or for employment with municipal, state and federal government agencies. In addition, the program offers basic skills training and advanced training complementary to the information systems demands of the electronic office. This specialization includes training in word processing of legal documents, microcomputer usage, and human relations.

Occupational Objectives:

Legal Clerk
Office Clerk
Office and Administrative Support Worker
Paralegal and Legal Assistant
Receptionist and Information Clerk

Admission Requirements: In addition to the admission requirements established for the college, entry in the Administrative Support Technology: Legal Specialization program requires competency in English and Math Essentials (MTE 1-3) as demonstrated through the placement and diagnostic tests, or by satisfactorily completing the required MTE units or equivalents.

Program Description: The two-year program combines instruction in many subject areas required for competence as a legal office assistant, legal transcriptionist, legal records clerk, or legal research assistant or paralegal. The curriculum includes courses in general education, administrative support, computers, electives, and five legal courses. Due to prerequisite requirements, the legal and administrative support technology classes should be taken in a specific order. Students are encouraged to consult with faculty advisor to plan their program and to select electives. Upon satisfactory completion of program requirements, the student will be awarded an Associate of Applied Science degree in Administrative Support Technology: Legal Specialization.

Required Courses

First Semester

SDV 100 - College Success Skills 1 credit(s)
ENG 111 - College Composition I 3 credit(s)
LGL 110 - Introduction to Law and the Legal Assistant 3 credit(s)
LGL 115 - Real Estate Law for Legal Assistants 3 credit(s)
AST 101 - Keyboarding I 3-4 credit(s) (3)
AST 107 - Editing/Proofreading Skills 3 credit(s)

Health or Physical Education Elective: Choose One of the Following

HLT 100 - First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation 2 credit(s)
PED 101 - Fundamentals of Physical Activity I 2 credit(s)
HLT 110 - Concepts of Personal and Community Health 3 credit(s)
HLT 121 - Introduction to Drug Use and Abuse 3 credit(s)

Total Credits: 17

Second Semester

AST 102 - Keyboarding II 3-4 credit(s) (3)
ITE 115 - Introduction to Computer Applications and Concepts 3-4 credit(s) (3)
ENG 112 - College Composition II 3 credit(s) (Approved Course Substitutions: CST 110 )
MTH 130 - Fundamentals of Reasoning 3 credit(s) (Approved Course Substitutions: MTH 132 , MTH 154 , MTH 161 , MTH 162 )
ITE 140 - Spreadsheet Software 3-4 credit(s) (3)

Total Credits: 15

Third Semester

AST 141 - Word Processing I 3 credit(s)
AST 205 - Business Communications 3 credit(s)
AST 234 - Records and Database Management 3-4 credit(s) (3)
AST 247 - Legal Machine Transcription 3 credit(s)
LGL 127 - Legal Research and Writing 3 credit(s)

Approved Social Science Elective: Choose One of The Following

Students should consult with the institution to which they are transferring to see which social science and humanities courses are required. Please see General Education Elective Course Selection for a list of acceptable social science and humanities electives.

PSY 126 - Psychology for Business and Industry 3 credit(s)
SOC 200 - Principles of Sociology 3 credit(s)
PSY 200 - Principles of Psychology 3 credit(s)
SSC 101 - Contemporary Social Problems I 3 credit(s)

Total Credits: 18

Fourth Semester

AST 298 - Seminar and Projects 3 credit(s)
AST 265 - Legal Office Procedures I 3 Credit(s)
ITE 150 - Desktop Database Software 3-4 credit(s) (3)

Approved Humanities Elective: Choose One of the Following

ART 100 3 credit(s)
ART 101 - History and Appreciation of Art I 3 credit(s)
PHI 220 - Ethics 3 credit(s)
HUM 100 - Survey of the Humanities 3 credit(s)

Approved Electives: Choose One of the Following

ACC, AST, BUS, FIN, ITE or MKT

ACC 211 - Principles of Accounting I 4 credit(s)
AST 236 - Integrated Software Applications (Specify Software) 3 credit(s)
BUS 100 - Introduction to Business 3 credit(s)
FIN 107 - Personal Finance 3 credit(s)
MKT 100 - Principles of Marketing 3 credit(s)

Total Credits: 15

Total Credits for Degree: 65

¹Students should consult with the institution to which they are transferring to see which social science and humanities courses are required. Please see General Education Elective Course Selection for a list of acceptable social science and humanities electives.