Legal Assistant Studies (LAS) Advisement Tips and Frequently Asked Questions
This information is provided to help you understand the advisement process at UTC. Final responsibility rests with the student to become familiar with degree requirements and university policies. Highlights of some of the general guidelines are summarized below.
Professor Karen McGuffee, Program Coordinator, is the advisor for all LAS majors/minors. It is important that you consult with your advisor regarding career goals, degree requirements, work schedule, and course selections to ensure that you receive accurate information and make good progress toward graduation. If you have questions please ask your advisor.
Frequently asked questions: (click on the question for the answer)
- What can I expect from my advisor?
- How do I know what courses to take?
- What do differences in course numbers mean?
- How do I register and/or drop or add a class?
- Does the LAS Major require a Minor?
- Can work experience within the field be used to meet degree requirements?
- What can I do if I do poorly in a course?
- Do I have to take an Internship?
- What other courses across campus relate to my major?
- Can I take courses in the evening?
- Do all courses taken from other colleges and universities transfer to UTC?
- What happens if I think I have already taken the same course at another institution but that UTC has not given me credit for an equivalent course?
- What do I need to do during my senior year for graduation?
Undergraduate Program
What can I expect from my advisor?
The academic advisor serves as the coordinator of your educational experience. In that role, the advisor can help you clarify
your goals, explore career options, plan an educational program, and schedule classes needed to meet the requirements of your
program. Also, the advisor monitors and evaluates your progress and attempts to match your needs with UTC's available resources.
In order for your advisor to be of assistance to you, you must clearly and consistently convey your intentions and academic-related
actions to your advisor. You should also be familiar with course descriptions and titles as well as the prerequisites for various
classes. Your advisor is just that - an advisor. You are responsible for making informed choices and for completing registration forms.
A few days before registration is NOT the best time for this activity because so many students, especially new ones, are seeking time
and assistance. To maximize the effectiveness of your advisor, plan ahead (which includes remembering to check -- and use -- the
specific office hours that are established by your professor each semester).
How do I know what courses to take?
Sign in to your MyMocs net on the UTC home page. Once you are logged on, click on the Academics tab. Then click on the link to MyMocsDegree link. You will enter your student ID and click view. Requirements that are met show with a green check mark. Courses and requirements that are in progress will display a curvy blue box. The overall number of hours listed at the top does NOT include the hours that you are currently taking.
At the top of the MyMocs Degree you will see a FAQ and Help button. The help button will take you to a Power Point that gives you a comprehensive overview of how your MyMocsDegree works.
You should be aware that occasionally, errors present themselves on your MyMocs. If you think there is a problem, talk to your advisor who can check things out for you.
What do differences in course numbers mean?
Courses are numbered from 1000 to the 4000 level. Course number on the 100 level are generally geared towards freshmen students
and are intended to provide an overview of the course material and to introduce the related vocabulary. Course levels numbered
2000 and 3000 are more specific in content, while 400-level courses integrate the vocabulary and concepts and introduce the
applications of information learned at the earlier levels. As course numbers ascend, professors assume that your knowledge and
experience will allow you to handle increasingly self-directed courses of study therefore more autonomous study is usually required
at the higher levels.
How do I register and/or drop or add a class?
You must meet with your advisor
and get your PIN number to register. Registration is done completely online.
There is a lot of information about the registration process online: http://www.utc.edu/Administration/Records/RegistrationInstructions.php There is also an excellent Power Point presentation at the bottom of this
page that will walk you through the process and has screen shots so you can see
exactly what the screen will look like.
Dropping a class does not require the signature of your advisor, but you may overlooking a degree requirement so be sure that this will not affect your degree plan and/or consult with your advisor before changing your schedule.
The Department does not keep waiting lists for closed classes, although some individual instructors may do so. If you are trying to register for a class and that class is closed, you will need to get permission from the instructor teaching the class. They will then send an email to the Ms. Thomas, the Departmental Administrative Assistant who will open you a place in the class via Banner. Give her a day or so to complete this process. Then you will register for the class just like any other class. You usually do NOT need approvel from the Department Head as long as the instructor has approved the addition of the class.
Does the LAS Major require a Minor?
No. It may be advantageous, however, to do so. Popular minors that work well with a LAS major are: Criminal Justice, Political Science, English, Psychology, and Sociology.
Can work experience within the field be used to meet degree requirements?
Yes. Individuals who have not earned a baccalaureate degree may be eligible to receive credit for work experience, in-service training and certified professional programs. There are restrictions on how these credits can be used toward your degree requirements so be sure to talk to your advisor about this process. You can also e-mail Dr. Hugh Prevost who coordinates this process.
What can I do if I do poorly in a course?
You may repeat a course and replace the grade. UTC allows a student a total of three
grade replacements for grades of "C" and lower. See this link for more
information: http://www.utc.edu/Departments/recreg/UndergraduateCatalog0910/064_0910UGCatalog.php
Do I have to take an Internship?
Internships are a rewarding way for students to get experience in the field and they are required for LAS students. Professor McGuffee determines appropriate placements and makes referrals. Ideally, you
should contact her the semester before placement to ensure a smooth transition. Students need to be aware that they will need to
devote a substantial amount of time to an internship placement.
What other courses across campus relate to my major?
The framework of the curriculum allows flexibility for students to explore and develop their interests. Special courses in forensics
are available through Chemistry and Anthropology. Several other disciplines also are a good fit including courses in Legal Assistant Studies, Political Science, Social Work, Psychology, Communication, Sociology, Women's Studies, Africana Studies and Spanish.
Can I take courses in the evening?
Most of the LAS coursework is offered in the evening.
Do all courses taken from other colleges and universities transfer to UTC?
The answer to this question is usually yes -- if the educational institution is accredited and if a passing grade was received.
Some courses may count as elective credit though rather than direct equivalencies toward your major.
What happens if I think I have already taken the same course at another institution but UTC has not given me credit for an equivalent course?
Admissions does their best to determine course equivalencies; however, what is
available for review is often quite limited. If you think you have taken a
course that is the same as a UTC course, consult with your advisor.
What do I need to do during my senior year for graduation?
The student is responsible for applying for a degree with the The Records Office.
Graduation application dates are listed at: http://www.utc.edu/Administration/Records/gengrad1.php.
There also are mandatory testing dates that are part of your graduation requirements. Some students are required to take the Criminal Justice Senior Exam and all students are required to take the UTC Senior Exam. Evaluative information obtained through testing is used to improve the educational experience for future students and allows us to assess the quality of our program. You will receive information about testing once you have applied for graduation.
