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 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; English 277; Environmental Sciences 410; Philosophy 425, or 3 hours from an LAS-related course as approved by the Coordinator.
- 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.
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.
LEGAL ASSISTANT STUDIES MINOR
18 hours including Legal Assistant Studies 101 and 210, and 12 hours of legal assistant studies electives (excluding LAS 470, 480, 497, and 498). At least nine (9) of the 12 hours must be at the 300-400 level.
Minimum 2.0 average required in all courses attempted for the minor.
LEGAL ASSISTANT STUDIES COURSES (LAS)
001 Legal Assistant Professional Experience (0)
Registered course for no credit to acknowledge employment as a full time legal assistant for at least one year in the past five years.
101 Law and The Legal Assistant (3)
Introduction to the study of law and the legal system the legal assistant in the legal system; an overview of the skills of the legal assistant including legal interviewing, investigating and professional ethics. Fall semester.
199r Special Projects (1-4)
Individual or group projects. Every semester. Prerequisites: approval of instructor.
210 Legal Research and Writing (3)
Introduction to primary and secondary legal sources including federal and state court reports; legal digests and Shepard's annotated law reports; federal administrative law; legal periodicals with indices; treatises and restatements; and research aids. Fall semester.
220 Real Property Law (3)
Review of substantive law relating to real estate transactions. On demand.
225 Commercial Law (3)
Introduction to the execution, validity and enforcement of contracts, mortgages, pledge assignments and other security devices. Overview of federal and state law regulating consumer credit and collection procedures. On demand.
230 Estate and Trust Law (3)
Introduction of Tennessee substantive law of successions and dominions, including wills and estate administration. On demand.
235 Litigation I (3)
Introduction and analysis of the litigation process in federal and state courts. Lectures are supplemented with drafting practice. Fall semester.
240 Business Organizations (3)
Analysis of sole proprietorship, partnerships and corporations from a legal perspective. On demand.
245 Family Law (3)
Review of substantive law relating to marriage, children and property. On demand.
