Paralegal Studies Program
The Paralegal Studies Program at Volunteer State is designed to educate students to assist attorneys in support of their practice of law. It offers two degrees and one certificate. The Associate of Applied Science degree is designed to prepare students for immediate entry or career growth in the paralegal field. The Associate of Science degree is designed for those students wishing to transfer to a four-year institution, after completion of their course work at Vol State. The Technical Certificate is a one-year course of study for students who already hold a bachelor's degree and wish to transition to a new career field.
The Paralegal Studies Program offers day, night and weekend classes, and full time and part time students are enrolled. A full time student may complete the program in a two-year period.
Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.
The ABA defines a legal assistant or a paralegal as “a person qualified by education, training, or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency, or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible.”
Degree Advancement Program Agreement with MTSU
MTSU and Vol State have developed an AAS-to-BS program to allow students who earn an Associate of Applied Science in General Business Administration with a concentration in Paralegal Studies at Vol State to transfer the majority of those credits to MTSU toward the completion of a Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies with a concentration in Organizational Leadership. This degree is offered through MTSU’s University College in cooperation with the Tennessee Board of Regents.
MTSU provides a wealth of information about Degree Advancement Program on their website; including an information sheet about Paralegal Studies.
Paralegal Studies Certificate Gainful Employment Information
What job(s) might I get with this degree?
Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers
Legal Support Workers, All Other
How long will it take me to complete this program?
The program is designed to take one semester to complete.
There have been no graduates from this program at Volunteer State Community College within the 2010-2011 year, so average time tocompletion information is not available.
Normal time is defined as the number of semesters that a student would be enrolled in a program if they attended on a full-time basis and enrolled in at least 15 hours per semester. The percentage of students completing on time does not take into consideration that some students take fewer than 15 hours during a semester.
What are the chances of getting a job when I graduate?
There have been no graduates from this program at Volunteer State Community College within the 2010-2011 year, so job placement rates are not available.
(Note: Placement information is gathered in accordance with the standards of the Tennessee Board of Regents requirements. Placement data is gathered six months after graduation. Graduates are exempted from the placement rates in accordance with the standards of the Higher Education Authorization Act due to the following reasons: enrollment in further education, military service, a medical condition that prevents the graduate from working in his/her field of study, family or home responsibilities that prevent the graduate from working in his/her field of study.)
How much will this program cost?
| In-State | Out-of-State | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition and Fees | $1862.50 | $7234.50 |
Books and Supplies |
$500 |
$500 |
On-Campus Room and Board |
Not offered |
Not offered |
What are my financing options to pay for the program?
In addition to grant and scholarship aid for which they are eligible, many graduates used loans to finance their education. There have been no graduates from this program in the past two years, so median debt* for program graduates is not available.
Federal Loans n/a
Private Loans n/a