College of Arts and Sciences
Legal Assistant Studies
Assistant Professor Karen McGuffee, Coordinator
The Legal Assistant Studies Program is a specialized program of study preparing students for employment in law-related occupations in one of the fastest growing professions in the country. The legal assistant is trained work under the general supervision of an attorney, and handles tasks consistent with the legal assistant’s professional stature. In the performance of these duties, the legal assistant, often as a part of a legal team, works to provide increased efficiency in the delivery of legal services to the client. In carrying out these activities, legal assistants are employed in a variety of settings including: law firms, government, courts, corporations, non-profit organizations, banks, financial institutions, educational institutions, insurance companies, hospitals, and other health care facilities.
The program also welcomes students who hold a two-year degree or who have had some legal and/or college courses. Students in the program must complete the University General Education requirements or transfer the equivalent and 51 hours of Legal Assistant Studies course work and electives to total a minimum of 120 hours.
Continuation and Graduation Standards:
In view of the nature of legal assistance and the fact that individual rights may be affected by individuals providing legal assistance, the following standards will be applied by the Legal Assistant Studies faculty:
- To progress in Legal Assistant
Studies, students are required to:
- maintain a 2.5 (4.0 = A) grade point average in all legal assistant studies courses, and;
- maintain an active liability insurance policy for the legal assistant practicum.
- If in the judgment of the faculty there is a reason to question the academic, emotional, ethical, or professional fitness of a student, the faculty have the right to make recommendations regarding continuation in the program.
- Students who fail legal assistant studies courses may not be allowed to progress in the program. Students may only repeat a Legal Assistant Studies course(s) one time.
Transfer Students
Transfer students majoring in Legal Assistant Studies must take a minimum of 15 hours from approved Legal Assistant Studies courses at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Legal Assistant Studies (B.S.)
- General Education (see for list of approved courses)
- Rhetoric and Composition: 2 approved courses in rhetoric and composition (6 hours)
- Mathematics: One approved mathematics course (3 hours)
- Statistics: One approved statistics course (3 hours)
- Natural Sciences: Two approved natural science courses, at least one including a laboratory component (7-8 hours)
- Humanities and Fine Arts: Two approved humanities and fine arts courses, one from fine arts and one from either (6 hours)
- Cultures and Civilizations: Option A: Western Humanities I and II and Non-Western Cultures and Civilizations OR Option B: World Civilization I, II, III (9 hours total)
- Behavioral and Social Sciences: Two approved behavioral or social science courses in two different disciplines (6 hours)
Major and Related Courses
- Legal Assistant Studies Core Courses (27 hours) including LAS 101, 210, 235, 360, 390, 435, 470, 471
- Computer Science 110
Completion of one of the following concentrations:
2430 - Legal Assistant Studies
- 12 hours from Legal Assistant Studies 199r, 220, 225, 230, 240, 245, 250, 300, 350, 400, 410, 420, 425, 497r, 498r, 499 with at least 6 hours at the 300-400 level; and
- 12 hours from the following with at least
6 hours at the 300-400 level and no more than six hours from any one
discipline: Political Science 221, 321, 322, 323, 421; Criminal Justice
325, 400, 406, 430, 460; Business Accounting 201, 202, 307, 335, 336;
Finance 372; English 277; Environmental Sciences 410; Philosophy 425 .
- 2.0 average overall, 2.0 UTC average and 2.5 average in Legal Assistant Studies courses.
- Minimum of 15 hours LAS courses at UTC.
- Minimum of 39 hours of 300 and 400 level courses.
- Electives to complete 120 hours.
2435 - Legal Assistant Studies: Social Sciences
- One course from Human Services 205†, Psychology 201/204† or Sociology 250†
- One course from Sociology 314 or Criminal Justice 311;
- Psychology 401 and 425;
- Criminal Justice 325;
- Business Accounting 201;
- Psychology 202;
- Six (6) hours from Legal Assistant Studies
220, 225, 230, 240, 245, 250, 300, 350, 400, 410, 420, and 425
- 2.0 average overall, 2.0 UTC average and 2.5 average in Legal Assistant Studies courses.
- Minimum of 15 hours LAS courses at UTC.
- Minimum of 39 hours of 300 and 400 level courses.
- Electives to complete 120 hours.
Additional requirements.
†Also satisfies general
education requirement.
