Support Justice. Shape Cases.
Our Law and Legal Studies, Associate of Applied Science program provides students with practical skills to perform legal work under attorney supervision. The curriculum covers legal research, document drafting, investigation, and litigation support while emphasizing ethical standards and technological tools. Fully approved by the American Bar Association, graduates are prepared for roles in law firms, corporate legal departments, government agencies, and other legal settings.
Career Opportunities and Income
Visit sanjac.edu for information regarding career opportunities and potential earnings in the Greater Houston region.
Learning & Career Pathway
The Law and Legal Studies, Associate of Applied Science is intended to provide students with all skills needed to enter the workforce. At this time, this award is what employers value and hire for job entry, so the College does not currently have other certificates or degrees related to this learning pathway.
Learning Outcomes and Career Skills
A student completing this award will be able to:
- Deploy legal terminology in the creation of documents and presentations.
- Analyze sources of law, including both primary and secondary sources.
- Research sources of law.
- Use and apply the rules of civil and criminal procedure.
- Distinguish the roles and ethical obligations of paralegals and attorneys.
- Compose correspondence and legal documents.
- Conduct client and witness interviews and factual investigations in a professional manner.
- Use common law office technology, including ProDoc, Westlaw, and e-filing.
Program Accreditation
The Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Law and Legal Studies program is approved by the American Bar Association:
American Bar Association
321 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60654
Phone: 800-285-2221
Email: Service@americanbar.org
External Learning Experiences
This program includes external learning experiences outside of the classroom, e.g., an internship, externship, clinical, practicum, or cooperative learning experience. Those experiences are typically on-site at a business or organization.
All students participating in external learning experiences are required to comply with the immunization requirements and policies of the external learning sites. Some learning sites outside the College have their own vaccination requirements. These rules come from those facilities and are not mandated by the College. Failure to meet those immunization requirements may limit a student’s ability to complete the program and/or may delay the student’s graduation date. San Jacinto College does not process exemptions, and students should address potential vaccination exemptions directly with the external learning site.
Locations
College Admission
San Jacinto College is an open admission institution. All students are welcome to apply and will be admitted to the College. You may begin the process on the College’s “How to Apply” webpage.
Program Admission
There are no additional admission requirements for this program; you only need to complete your application to the College, as noted in “College Admission” above, and follow the enrollment steps.
Plan of Study
3LAW-LGL
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Term | Credits | |
| LGLA 1311 | Introduction to Law | 3 |
| LGLA 1313 | Introduction to Paralegal Studies | 3 |
| LGLA 1345 | Civil Litigation | 3 |
| ENGL 1301 | Composition I | 3 |
| Mathematics | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Term | ||
| LGLA 1301 | Legal Research and Writing | 3 |
| LGLA 1317 | Law Office Technology | 3 |
| LGLA 1351 | Contracts | 3 |
| BCIS 1305 | Business Computer Applications | 3 |
| ENGL 1302 | Composition II | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Term | ||
| LGLA 1355 | Family Law | 3 |
| LGLA 2305 | Interviewing and Investigating | 3 |
| LGLA 2313 | Criminal Law and Procedure | 3 |
| LGLA 1359 or LGLA 2303 | Immigration Law or Torts and Personal Injury Law | 3 |
| Language, Philosophy and Culture (Humanities) or Creative Arts (Fine Arts) | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Term | ||
| LGLA 1353 | Wills, Trusts, and Probate Administration | 3 |
| LGLA 2335 | Advanced Civil Litigation | 3 |
| LGLA 2333 | Advanced Legal Document Preparation | 3 |
| LGLA 2380 | Cooperative Education-Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Texas Government (Texas Constitution and Topics) | ||
| United States History I | ||
| General Psychology | ||
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
External Learning Experience: LGLA 2380 Cooperative Education-Legal Assistant/Paralegal
Students must be TSI complete in order to graduate Math level 8.