Discover the only Bachelor degree program in Northern California to be approved by the American Bar Association and in which you complete your Bachelor of Arts and earn a Paralegal Certificate at the same time.
This Bachelor of Arts degree program, offered at the Pleasant Hill and San Jose campuses, fosters critical thinking by focusing on effective written and oral communications as well as specific analytical skills. The Legal Specialty coursework is enhanced by a rich mixture of Bachelor of Arts courses in writing, history, government, and social justice.
Transfer of Legal Specialty Courses
This transfer policy only applies to students enrolled in the Bachelor's Degree in Legal Studies. At the discretion of the Legal Studies department, students may be given credit for other legal specialty courses taken at another school or university provided the course is also offered in this program. To be eligible to receive credit for a previously-taken legal specialty course all the following must exist:
Up to eight (8) Legal Specialty Courses may be credited towards the Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies.
Students completing the Paralegal Certificate or the Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies will be able to do the following:
Students must complete a minimum of 180 quarter units to graduate with a Bachelor’s in Legal Studies, including 40 quarter units of legal specialty courses, 40 quarter units on the theoretical study of law, and 10 units of Upper Division Breadth requirements.
Lower Division General Education Breadth Requirements (45 units)
COMPOSITION / Critical Thinking and Writing (9 units)
HUMANITIES Must have completed at least one 3-unit course in two areas (12 units)
NATURAL SCIENCE (9 units)
MATHEMATICS (3 units)
SOCIAL SCIENCE Must have at least one 3-unit course in two areas (12 units)
Core Requirements for Legal Studies Majors (20 units)
BUS 3180 - Math for Managers (3 units)
COR 3000 - Education, Self & Community (2 units)
COR 3100 - Critical Thinking and Writing (4 units)
BUS 3400 - Business Communication (4 units)
COR 3146 - Information Literacy (2 units)
PLS 3002 - Legal Research (4 units)
PLS 3011 - Capstone (1 units)
Major (58 upper division units)
PLS 3001 - Introduction to Law2 (4 units)
PLS 3003 - Legal Writing (4 units)
PLS 3004 - Ethics (2 units)
PLS 3005 - Tort Law (4 units)
PLS 3006 - Contract Law (4 units)
PLS 3008 - Litigation I (4 units)
PLS 3009 - Litigation II (4 units)
PLS 3010 - Legal Technology Applications (4 units)
PLS 3029 - Evidence (4 unit)
PLS 3033 - Public Benefits Law (4 units)
PLS 3105 - Jurisprudence (4 units)
PLS 3107 - History of the US since WWII (4 units)
PLS 3109 - Constitution, Supreme Court and American Democracy (4 units)
PLS 3111 - Law and Social Justice (4 units)
PLS 3113 - Social, Cultural & Political Issues in Business (4 units)
Electives (Select 12 units from the following courses)
PLS 3007 - Property Law (4 units)
PLS 3015 - Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning (4 units)
PLS 3019 - Bankruptcy Law (4 units)
PLS 3021 - Real Estate Law (4 units)
PLS 3023 - Criminal Law (4 units)
PLS 3027 - Family Law (4 units)
PLS 3031 - Intellectual Property (4 units)
PLS 3035 - Immigration Law (4 units)
PLS 3037 - Environmental Law (4 units)
PLS 3040 - Internship (4 units)
PLS 3042 - Skills Workshop (1 unit)
John F. Kennedy University is an affiliate of the National University System.