Type of Program: Open-Enrollment; you can earn:
Certificate of Completion - 45 credit hours consisting of 18 credit hours of Required Paralegal Core courses and 27 credit hours of Paralegal electives.
Associate of Applied Science Degree - 90 credit hours consisting of 18 credit hours of Required Paralegal Core courses, 27 credit hours of Paralegal electives, 18 credit hours of General Education crossing three discipline areas (see current catalog), and 27 credit hours of other electives.
Classes are mainly offered Fall, Winter, and Spring terms, with a limited number of classes during the summer session. Evening classes are held at Central Workforce Training Center, 1626 S.E. Water Avenue in Portland. Day classes meet at Cascade Campus. There are some Saturday classes at Sylvania. A student is permitted to sign up for any of these courses provided there is space and prerequisites are met. Courses are published in the term schedule under Paralegal program.
A. Paralegal is a technically trained nonlawyer who assists an attorney in the delivery of legal services to a client. Tasks performed by the paralegal often include client and witness interviewing, file management and calendaring, investigation, and drafting of correspondence, inter-office memos, and pleadings from forms.
A. -- excellent reading, writing, and communication skills
-- an interest in the processing of documents
-- a thorough and conscientious concern for detail
-- an ability to prioritize and work with minimum direction
-- facility in establishing rapport with people
-- ability to think critically and problem solve
A. For most classes, no department or instructor permission is required to register, but note that a conference with the department chair is required before first-time registration. Registration is by phone, mail, fax, or at any PCC Registration Office. Dates and times for registration are located in the front of each term schedule or call a Registration Office for dates and times.
A. Faculty of the Paralegal program consist of lawyers and other professionals qualified by training and experience in their field.
A. Very often courses completed at other schools can be applied toward a degree or certificate at PCC. Official transcripts must be submitted to PCC’s Student Records department for evaluation by that department and the paralegal department. For more information contact Student Records or the Paralegal Assistant Department.
A. Textbooks may be purchased at either Cascade or Sylvania campus bookstore.
A. College credit may be earned by challenging a course through examination. Permission to take the examination must be obtained from the Instructor. The student then follows through by petitioning the registrar and paying a non-refundable fee of $10.00 for each course challenged. No more than 24 credit hours may be earned through this procedure. Applicants must be enrolled in a certificate or degree-granting program before a course challenge can be initiated. If credits are to be used for transfer to a four-year institution, the student must assume responsibility for ascertaining that school's policy on credit earned by this procedure. Students may challenge a course in which they are presently enrolled as long as they have not completed more than three weeks of the course. Examination for a specific course may be taken only once. Student may not challenge a course in which they have been previously enrolled and have received either a grade, "W", or "I". If the challenge is successful, you must pay the course tuition rate in effect at the time of testing in order to receive credit. The $10.00 fee will be applied to the tuition.
A. It is extremely difficult to determine exactly how many paralegal positions will be available for graduates. Inexperienced applicants for paralegal positions are generally evaluated according to academic background and any related work experience. To enable the student to gain valuable experience, the program offers up to 6 credits in cooperative education to students who have completed at least 18 credits in the program. The Cooperative Education placement may be in a private law firm, public interest firm, government agency, corporate general counsel office, or any setting where the student can perform paralegal tasks and be supervised by a lawyer.