Legal Studies

Students will be introduced to college-level writing processes, particularly planning, writing, and revising essays. Emphasis will be placed on refining individual skills, exploring types of essays, developing effective writing styles, voices, and procedures, and gaining insight on personal growth as a writer. A minimum grade of C is required to pass this course.

The course is designed to develop the concepts needed for College Algebra II using graphs and applications to motivate students and provide real-world examples. The course covers the solution of systems of linear equations, exponents and polynomials, factoring, rational expressions, functions, and quadratic equations.

College Mathematics covers the fundamentals of several areas of mathematics, including set theory, logic, geometry, graph theory, probability, and statistics. MyMathLab or a comparable resource may be used for lecture, homework and assessment assignment delivery.

Statistics provides students with lecture and extensive practice in the concepts of descriptive and inferential statistics. The course emphasizes practical calculation and application. It begins with sample statistics and population parameters, proceeds to measures of central tendency, dispersion, and position, introduces the least-squares best-fit line and several key probability distributions, and concludes with the sampling distribution of sampling means, and hypothesis testing. MyStatLab or a comparable resource may be required in the course.

Principles of Biology I is the first in a two-course sequence in biology. The course introduces scientific methods, biological chemistry, cells, energy for life, basic genetics, biotechnology, and the principles of evolution. Students will also complete writing assignments that develop their skills as scientifically literate citizens.

Principles of Biology II is the second course in a two course sequence in biology. This course continues the study of human biology with the role of endocrine and nervous systems in homeostatic regulation. Other topics covered are human reproduction, development, evolution, and advanced genetics. Ecological concepts are also discussed. The student will complete writing assignments that serve to increase knowledge of the scientific literature.

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to fundamental chemistry concepts and their applications.  Students will explore essential terminology, the scientific method, atomic structure, chemical kinetics, and radioactivity, while learning  how to classify matter, understand ideal gas law relationships, and identify acids, bases, and salts. Students will gain a solid foundation in chemistry, preparing them for further scientific studies.

This course introduces students to the American Government. By examining the struggle for power-the participants, the stakes, the processes, and the institutional arenas — this course introduces the students to the political struggles that drive democracy.

This course exposes the student to social problems in the United States and globally. Students will explore major social issues through a sociological lens. Topics include behavioral deviance, social inequality (race/ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class), global social problems, and sociological theories. Students will learn how these issues impact individuals and communities and gain insight into potential solutions through discussions and case studies.

Principles of Biology I is the first in a two-course sequence in biology. The course introduces scientific methods, biological chemistry, cells, energy for life, basic genetics, biotechnology, and the principles of evolution. Students will also complete writing assignments that develop their skills as scientifically literate citizens.

Principles of Biology II is the second course in a two course sequence in biology. This course continues the study of human biology with the role of endocrine and nervous systems in homeostatic regulation. Other topics covered are human reproduction, development, evolution, and advanced genetics. Ecological concepts are also discussed. The student will complete writing assignments that serve to increase knowledge of the scientific literature.

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to fundamental chemistry concepts and their applications.  Students will explore essential terminology, the scientific method, atomic structure, chemical kinetics, and radioactivity, while learning  how to classify matter, understand ideal gas law relationships, and identify acids, bases, and salts. Students will gain a solid foundation in chemistry, preparing them for further scientific studies.

Organized by period, genre and theme, this course explores global viewpoints as expressed in novels, poems, plays, short fiction, and philosophical and theological works from the very first written texts up until the middle ages. Parallels and contrasts will be drawn between cultures and across time.

Organized by period, genre and theme, this course explores global viewpoints as expressed in novels, poems, plays, short fiction, and philosophical and theological works from the period of the late 17th century to the present day. Parallels and contrasts will be drawn between cultures and across time.

Organized by period, genre, and theme, this course explores viewpoints expressed in American literature, including prose and poetry from 1845 to the present. Parallels and contrasts will be drawn both synchronically and diachronically among different genres and themes.

Organized by period, genre and theme, this course explores contemporary viewpoints as expressed by select film screenings from the Criterion Collection through Alexander Street Press (subscription held by South University), which can range from the crusading pastiche by Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal (1957) to the sardonic humor of Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) and even the postmodern and magical realism of Being John Malkovich (1999). Parallels and contrasts will be drawn between intellectual history and cultures across flexible time stamps. Further, this course is designed to provide a foundation for future film study; exposure to a wide range of cinematic styles and approaches; and to move the student from a passive observer toward a critical, active "reader" of film. Students will learn the elements of cinematic language (including narrative, mise-en-scene, cinematography, acting, editing, and sound) and will use that knowledge to analyze the way filmmakers convey information, story, and meaning, develop style, and elicit audience response within a single scene and over the course of an entire feature film. Students should be aware that that the films they will watch will hold a variety of ratings, from G to R, and that some films will contain scenes with sexual and violent content.

This course covers the major themes and events in world history from prehistoric times to 1500. The course will focus on history from a variety of perspectives: social, cultural interactions, environmental, political, economic, and the people and events that shaped our world's history. Various themes that appear across time will be explored from the perspective that all cultures and all events are influenced by the interactions with other peoples, geography, and the environment; and in turn these events influence and shape future events.

This course covers the major themes and events in world history from 1500 to the present. The course focuses on history from a variety of perspectives: social, cultural interactions, environmental, political, economic, and the people and events that shaped our world's history. Various themes that appear across time will be explored from the perspective that all cultures and all events are influenced by the interactions with other peoples, geography, and the environment; and in turn these events influence and shape future events.

This course introduces students to philosophical thinking. Students will confront fundamental questions of self and identity, of freedom and determinism, of belief and truth, and of ethics and morality. Critical thinking activities will challenge students to incorporate philosophy into their personal and professional lives by applying the questions of philosophy to themselves and their world.

This course introduces students to the American Government. By examining the struggle for power-the participants, the stakes, the processes, and the institutional arenas — this course introduces the students to the political struggles that drive democracy.

This course exposes the student to social problems in the United States and globally. Students will explore major social issues through a sociological lens. Topics include behavioral deviance, social inequality (race/ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class), global social problems, and sociological theories. Students will learn how these issues impact individuals and communities and gain insight into potential solutions through discussions and case studies.

Business Law I provides a foundation of the U.S. legal system and its interrelationship to business and ethics the legal and ethical considerations of business operations. Topics include the legal environment, operation of the legal system, completion of contracts, torts, constitutional law, criminal law, and intellectual property.

This course covers the law of business entities, including agencies, partnerships, and corporations. This course will also cover property concepts, sales, negotiable instruments, agency and employment law.

This course familiarizes the student with substantive criminal law and criminal procedures. It enables the student, under the supervision of a lawyer, to prepare pre-trial pleadings, interview witnesses, and conduct trial and post-trial proceedings. This course shall contain a survey of the vast field called "criminal law." The course will begin with a discussion of the source of much of today's criminal law, the great English legal tradition of the "common law." A general review of the guiding legal principles of the criminal law, the principles of criminal liability, including the liability of multiple actors; uncompleted crimes and defenses will be carefully examined. Specific crimes such as murder, burglary, rape, arson, theft, and various "public disorder" crimes will be studied, also. Theories of prosecution and punishment will be analyzed. A discussion on computer and Internet related crimes will be discussed as well. This course should give each student a practical, useful understanding of criminal law, criminal procedure, and the criminal justice system. The use of the actual criminal laws of the state will be stressed. The roles of the various participants in the system will be explained and examined (judges, lawyers, victims, peace officers, etc.). Invited speakers will provide the students with personal accounts of their role within the system. Class discussions will stress the relationship between the material being studied by the class and the material's application to the daily functions of our community's and nation's courts.

This course develops the student's understanding of ownership, deeds, mortgages, easements, landlord/tenant relations, liens and eviction procedures. An examination is made of the mechanics of transferring interest in real property. It deals with the nature of real property interests, sources of law, methods of conveyance, the financing of real estate transactions, contracts for sale, methods of encumbering property, the role of the real estate broker, title searches, title insurance and real estate closings. Emphasis is placed upon local laws and methods of practice, including the use of present-day technology. Further, the course is designed to teach the prospective paralegal how to assist an attorney in closing a real estate transaction.

This course is designed for paralegal and legal studies majors to validate their skills through a 60-hour supervised internship experience local to them in a private legal office, government legal department, corporate legal department, or other legally related site where they perform legal and administrative duties appropriate to the field in a professional manner. Students are required to attend regularly scheduled class meetings to interact with other paralegal interns and the internship coordinator. Here, they will complete assignments and submit a final written report. Students are required to find the internship site and seek approval from the department chair a quarter or term before enrolling in the course. A final grade of “C” or better is required.

This course is a supervised practical experience in a law firm, corporate legal department, or government entity. It provides the student with the opportunity to make a transition from classroom knowledge and theory to practical applications. This course is highly recommended for students who have never worked in a legal setting. The goal of this class is to assist legal studies students in bridging the gap between the classroom and the world of legal offices, corporations, public agencies, and organizations, i.e. the legal assistant's "work world." Students are expected to complete 120 total hours at the internship site.