Paralegal – Major #2550

Certificate of Achievement Program Map
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The program map below represents an efficient and effective course taking sequence for this program. Individual circumstances might require some changes to this path. It is always recommended that you meet with your pathway counselor to develop a personalized educational plan.


This curriculum is designed for the student who desires employment and advancement in the field of paralegal work.

Upon completion of the program, students will:
  1. 1. Describe the nature and historical development of the field of paralegalism, the ethical rules applicable to paralegals and the role of the paralegal in today’s law office.
  2. 2. Demonstrate basic legal research, analysis and writing skills in preparing basic legal documents.
  3. 3. Define basic legal terminology and explain the basic substantive and procedural concepts applicable to American civil and criminal law.
  4. 4. Demonstrate basic proficiency in certain selected computer software programs used in the law office for: legal forms preparation, time and billing, calendaring, litigation support and case management.
Effective Term: 2024 Fall Semester

Term 1

9 units

BA 20
Law and the Legal System

3 units
Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
What every educated citizen should know about law as a social process and about American law and legal institutions. The historical origins of law as well as the role law plays in modern western and non-western societies. Institutional sources of law; legal reasoning; judicial decision making and remedies; an overview of the civil and criminal litigation process; administrative law and procedure; alternative dispute resolution mechanisms; ethics and the legal system. (A, CSU, UC)
Course Details:
  1. Advisory: ENGL C1000
    1. D8 - Political Science, Government, and Legal Institutions
    1. B - Social and Behavioral Sciences

    You must take BA 20 and PLEGAL 1 in your first semester in order to graduate in 2 years.

    PLEGAL 1
    Introduction to Paralegal Studies

    3 units
    Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
    This is a survey course of the paralegal profession, including its historical development, employment, ethics, job responsibilities, the litigation process, legal analysis, and legal research and writing. (A, CSU)

    You must take BA 20 and PLEGAL 1 in your first semester in order to graduate in 2 years.

    PLEGAL 7
    Law Office Administration and Ethics

    3 units
    Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
    The course explores the fundamental principles of law office management and operation including human relations, general office procedures, and office supervision; with particular attention devoted to ethics and the legal profession. (A, CSU)

    Term 2

    9 units

    PLEGAL 2A
    Legal Research and Writing I

    3 units
    Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
    This course focuses on the development of legal research skills through the use of primary and secondary sources, and the development of legal writing skills through the preparation of various legal writing assignments. (A, CSU)

    You must take PLEGAL 2A in your second semester in order to graduate in 2 years.

    PLEGAL 14
    Law Office Computing

    3 units
    Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
    This course introduces students to the use of various legal-specific computer software programs (litigation support forms creation, docketing, document management, etc.) commonly found in law offices; and provides hands-on training on use of selected programs. (A, CSU)

    Major Course

    3 units

    Select one of the following: 

    PLEGAL 3
    Family Law

    3 units
    Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
    This is a survey course exploring the law with regard to marriage, dissolution, nonmarital cohabitation, invalid marriages, separation, annulments, client interviewing, commencing the proceedings, orders pending trial, support, child custody and visitation, martial property, adoption, and parentage. (A, CSU)

    PLEGAL 4
    Probate

    3 units
    Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
    This course is a survey of the law relevant to estates, trusts, wills, probate procedure, property (real and personal), sales, taxes, and formal and informal probate administration. (A, CSU)

    PLEGAL 5
    Business Organizations

    3 units
    Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
    This is a course exploring the law applicable to corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, and sole proprietorships; and the exploration of legal problems associated with the various forms of business organization including formation, management, control, securities, capitalization, taxation, reorganization, and dissolution. (A, CSU)

    PLEGAL 8
    Torts/Contracts

    3 units
    Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
    Students in this course will examine the substantive areas of tort law and contract law. Tort law concepts include negligence, strict liability, intentional torts, and defenses and immunities. Contract law areas covered include mutual assent, consideration, enforcement issues, performance and discharge, and contract interpretation. (A, CSU)

    PLEGAL 10
    Criminal Law and Procedure

    3 units
    Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
    This course introduces students to the substantive/procedural aspects of criminal law including crimes against persons and property, defenses to crimes, motions to suppress evidence, jury and court trials, sentencing, and appeals. (A, CSU)

    PLEGAL 11
    Evidence

    3 units
    Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
    This course explores the legal concepts and terminology associated with the law of evidence, including relevance, hearsay, presumptions, cross-examinations, impeachment, and privileges. (A, CSU)

    PLEGAL 12
    Bankruptcy

    3 units
    Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
    This is an introduction to bankruptcy law course which explores bankruptcy proceedings, evaluating a client’s options in regard to such proceedings, and learning the rights/responsibilities of debtors and creditors. (A, CSU)

    PLEGAL 15
    Debt Collection and Enforcement of Judgments

    3 units
    Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
    This course explores the procedures and forms required for levying on real and personal property pursuant to judgments entered. Specific topics include enforcement strategies, filing judicial liens, issuing writs of execution, levying on personal and real property, preparing wage garnishment, claiming exemptions, and issuing and obtaining orders. (A, CSU)

    PLEGAL 17
    Administrative Law/Workers’ Compensation

    3 units
    Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
    This course serves as an introduction to basic concepts of administrative law and workers’ compensation law. Emphasis is placed on agency rulemaking, agency investigations, agency adjudications, judicial review, compensable injuries, temporary disability, permanent disability, and Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board proceedings. (A, CSU)

    PLEGAL 18
    Employment Law

    3 units
    Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
    This course explores the legal relationship between employer and employee. Emphasis is placed on basic understanding of employment-related laws, and federal and state regulatory environment. Subjects covered include pre-employment concerns, legal aspects of the employer/employee relationship, discrimination issues and actions, terminations, and ethical issues in employment law. (A, CSU)

    PLEGAL 20
    Civil Rights and Liberties

    3 units
    Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
    This course presents an overview of the constitutional interpretation of civil rights and liberties focusing on the Bill of Rights and landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions in these areas. Emphasis is placed on: speech, press, other forms of expressive conduct, obscenity, church/state relations, voting rights, various forms of discrimination, personal privacy, abortion, “right to die,” freedom of association, etc. (A, CSU)

    Legal Document Processing

    3 units
    BT 140
    Legal Document Processing
    3 units
    Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
    This course provides students with experience in producing and formatting business and legal correspondence and documents using a current word processing program. (A)
    or
    PLEGAL 156
    Legal Document Processing
    3 units
    Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
    This course provides students with experience in producing and formatting business and legal correspondence and documents using a current word processing program. (A)

    Term 3

    9 units

    BT 28
    Microsoft Word I

    1.5 units
    Effective Term: 2024 Spring Semester
    This course provides instruction on the basic features of Microsoft Word and is designed to equip students with the skills to prepare personal correspondence and reports. (A, CSU)
    Course Details:
    1. Advisory: BT 106
      1. CSU Transfer Course

        PLEGAL 2B
        Legal Research and Writing II

        3 units
        Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
        This course focuses on the continued development of advanced legal research skills using more sophisticated legal research tools, and of more sophisticated legal writing skills through preparation of more advanced and specialized legal writing assignments. (A, CSU)

        You must take PLEGAL 2B and PLEGAL 6A in your third semester in order to graduate in 2 years.

        PLEGAL 6A
        Litigation I

        3 units
        Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
        This course introduces the student to the role of the paralegal in the litigation process; including the court system and jurisdiction issues, types and forms of pleadings, calendaring pleadings, and forms of discovery. (A, CSU)

        You must take PLEGAL 2B and PLEGAL 6A in your third semester in order to graduate in 2 years.

        BT 29
        Microsoft Word II

        1.5 units
        Effective Term: 2024 Spring Semester
        In this course, students will learn the advanced features of Microsoft Word. Designed for office personnel using Microsoft Word on the job. (A, CSU)
        Course Details:
        1. Prerequisite: BT 28
          1. CSU Transfer Course

            Term 4

            10 units

            PLEGAL 6B
            Litigation II

            3 units
            Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
            This course continues to explore the role of the paralegal in the litigation process. The content in this advanced course includes forms discovery; calendaring discovery; law and motion; trial setting; arbitration; preparation for trial and trial procedures; judgments; post-trial motions and appeals; and provisional remedies. (A, CSU)

            PLEGAL 19
            Work Experience Education

            4 units
            Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
            This course consists of supervised employment extending the classroom based on occupational learning related to paralegal. Collaborative learning objectives established specific to paralegal. (A, CSU)

            To register, email registration@fresnocitycollege.edu from your school email. Ask for 4 units and include your student ID number.

            Major Course

            3 units

            Select one of the following: 

            PLEGAL 3
            Family Law

            3 units
            Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
            This is a survey course exploring the law with regard to marriage, dissolution, nonmarital cohabitation, invalid marriages, separation, annulments, client interviewing, commencing the proceedings, orders pending trial, support, child custody and visitation, martial property, adoption, and parentage. (A, CSU)

            PLEGAL 4
            Probate

            3 units
            Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
            This course is a survey of the law relevant to estates, trusts, wills, probate procedure, property (real and personal), sales, taxes, and formal and informal probate administration. (A, CSU)

            PLEGAL 5
            Business Organizations

            3 units
            Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
            This is a course exploring the law applicable to corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, and sole proprietorships; and the exploration of legal problems associated with the various forms of business organization including formation, management, control, securities, capitalization, taxation, reorganization, and dissolution. (A, CSU)

            PLEGAL 8
            Torts/Contracts

            3 units
            Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
            Students in this course will examine the substantive areas of tort law and contract law. Tort law concepts include negligence, strict liability, intentional torts, and defenses and immunities. Contract law areas covered include mutual assent, consideration, enforcement issues, performance and discharge, and contract interpretation. (A, CSU)

            PLEGAL 10
            Criminal Law and Procedure

            3 units
            Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
            This course introduces students to the substantive/procedural aspects of criminal law including crimes against persons and property, defenses to crimes, motions to suppress evidence, jury and court trials, sentencing, and appeals. (A, CSU)

            PLEGAL 11
            Evidence

            3 units
            Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
            This course explores the legal concepts and terminology associated with the law of evidence, including relevance, hearsay, presumptions, cross-examinations, impeachment, and privileges. (A, CSU)

            PLEGAL 12
            Bankruptcy

            3 units
            Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
            This is an introduction to bankruptcy law course which explores bankruptcy proceedings, evaluating a client’s options in regard to such proceedings, and learning the rights/responsibilities of debtors and creditors. (A, CSU)

            PLEGAL 15
            Debt Collection and Enforcement of Judgments

            3 units
            Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
            This course explores the procedures and forms required for levying on real and personal property pursuant to judgments entered. Specific topics include enforcement strategies, filing judicial liens, issuing writs of execution, levying on personal and real property, preparing wage garnishment, claiming exemptions, and issuing and obtaining orders. (A, CSU)

            PLEGAL 17
            Administrative Law/Workers’ Compensation

            3 units
            Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
            This course serves as an introduction to basic concepts of administrative law and workers’ compensation law. Emphasis is placed on agency rulemaking, agency investigations, agency adjudications, judicial review, compensable injuries, temporary disability, permanent disability, and Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board proceedings. (A, CSU)

            PLEGAL 18
            Employment Law

            3 units
            Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
            This course explores the legal relationship between employer and employee. Emphasis is placed on basic understanding of employment-related laws, and federal and state regulatory environment. Subjects covered include pre-employment concerns, legal aspects of the employer/employee relationship, discrimination issues and actions, terminations, and ethical issues in employment law. (A, CSU)

            PLEGAL 20
            Civil Rights and Liberties

            3 units
            Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
            This course presents an overview of the constitutional interpretation of civil rights and liberties focusing on the Bill of Rights and landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions in these areas. Emphasis is placed on: speech, press, other forms of expressive conduct, obscenity, church/state relations, voting rights, various forms of discrimination, personal privacy, abortion, “right to die,” freedom of association, etc. (A, CSU)

            Legal Document Processing

            3 units
            BT 140
            Legal Document Processing
            3 units
            Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
            This course provides students with experience in producing and formatting business and legal correspondence and documents using a current word processing program. (A)
            or
            PLEGAL 156
            Legal Document Processing
            3 units
            Effective Term: 2025 Fall Semester
            This course provides students with experience in producing and formatting business and legal correspondence and documents using a current word processing program. (A)
            Total: 37 units