Administrative Policies and Procedures for the Paralegal Program at Oakland University

Approved by the American Bar Association, the Paralegal Program at Oakland University is offered on both a credit and noncredit basis. Students must be enrolled as an undergraduate at Oakland University to take the courses for credit. (See the last page for details on credit registrations.)

Entry Requirements-Noncredit Students
Applicants for the program on the noncredit basis must:

1. Sit for the Personal Assessment Inventory (P.A.I). The inventory consists of three standardized tests of English language and reasoning skills designed to measure a student's potential for success in the Paralegal Assistant Program. The P.A.I. is scheduled one week before each term individually for prospective students. Following the P.A.I. all applicants will receive a letter stating whether or not they have been admitted to the program or requesting additional information. These letters will be sent out approximately four weeks after the start of the term.  (Applicants who have earned a baccalaureate degree with an overall "B" average are exempt from taking the P.A. I.)
2. Submit a one-page, double spaced, computer created or typed autobiographical writing sample. This should be representative of the applicant's best writing skills. A resume will not meet this requirement.
3. Complete a Program Application Form and return to the School of Business. Forms may be obtained at the inventory testing or downloaded from the web site.
4. Submit a certified transcript from an accredited college or university showing satisfactory completion of a minimum of 45 semester hours* or 60-quarter hours of college courses. (Certified transcripts are those mailed directly from the registrar or sealed by the institution.)

* Eighteen of these semester hours should be true general education courses selected from at least three disciplines, i.e. social and behavioral science, English composition and literature, foreign language, mathematics, humanities, natural science and the fine arts. Courses specifically designed to develop professional, vocational, and technical skills are not considered general education. Examples of courses not considered general education include, but are not limited to, physical education, performing arts, accounting, computers, technical writing, business mathematics, keyboarding, and business law.

Applicants to the OU Paralegal Program

Students wishing to apply to the OU Paralegal Program may register on a trial basis for up to two semesters (but no more than 5 courses in that time) before being admitted to the program. By the end of the student's second semester, all admission application requirements must be submitted in order to remain in the certificate program.

Individual Courses
Individual courses are open on a space-available basis to persons not admitted to the program as long as prerequisites are observed. Some legal or business professionals may be interested in taking paralegal program courses for professional development or to invigorate their professional legal skills. Courses identified as having prerequisites presume students have the advanced knowledge necessary to understand the material covered in that course. Admission requirements must be met in order to register for more than 5 additional courses. Once admission requirements are met, such courses will count toward the Program Certificate.

An audit option is available for those students who are already working in a legal setting. It offers the opportunity to broaden knowledge or expand into another area of law without the pressure of assignments and examinations. Regular attendance is the only requirement, and there is no cost difference. Audited courses do not apply to the requirements for the Program Certificate, and no grades or CEUs will be given for students who audit courses.

Applicants Without Requisite College Credits
A limited* number of program applicants who have not completed the requisite college education may be considered for admission to the program if their work experience in a legal setting has provided appropriate background. Applicants should describe this experience in a letter to the program director and, in addition, submit a letter from their employer(s) attesting to this experience and recommending the applicant for admission to the program. Legal secretaries and individuals with working experience in law offices, corporate law departments, and other law related positions would be considered primarily under this option.

* Under the American Bar Association terms for approval of legal assistant programs, admission of those students without the requisite college credits is limited to 10% of the total admitted. This total is not established until after the P.A.I. testing when all materials submitted by candidates for admission have been reviewed.

Applicants who are not accepted for a particular term may apply in a later term by writing to the program director requesting reconsideration.

Required Courses
The Program Certificate consists of nine (9) core courses. Each of these courses carries a specific Continuing Education Credit weight; most of them award 3 CEUs (except where noted) upon completion of a minimum passing grade in the course. The sequence in which courses are taken is determined by the prerequisite requirements for each course as specified in the brochure. Students are encouraged to contact the program director regarding scheduling concerns. This is especially important for those students who are planning to complete the program in one year.

LAP2500 Introduction to the Law and Legal System
LAP2506 Substantive Law-Contracts
LAP2507 Substantive Law-Torts
LAP2516 Ethics and Law Practice Management
LAP2510 Legal Research and Writing I
LAP2511 Legal Research & Writing II
LAP2575 Computer Aided Legal Research  (CALR)  *2 CEUs
LAP2540 Litigation I: Case Preparation Before Trial
LAP2541 Litigation II: Case Preparation Before Trial

In addition to taking core courses, students may select three (3) legal specialty courses according to personal interest, course scheduling or employment goals. 

It is recommended that students complete one semester of study prior to selecting specialty courses.

LAP2520 Real Property Transactions

LAP2521 Criminal Law
LAP2530 Business Organizations
LAP2531 Contract Negotiation and Administration

LAP2535 Employment Law

LAP2547 Litigation III: Anatomy of a Lawsuit
LAP2550 Probate Administration

LAP 2551 Probate II
LAP2568 Estate Planning and Documents
LAP2578 Auto Accident Law and Cases

LAP2570 Constitutional Law
LAP2579 Family Law
LAP2576 Patent, Copyright & Trademark Law

LAP2583 Introduction to Medical Terminology, Records and Summaries

LAP2599 The Paralegal Internship is the last course requirement of the program. This course meets formally only once, although students will have advising, and it carries 9 CEUs. It is completed when the course internship requirements have been met.  

The Internship
The internship is an 80-hour field experience in a legal office environment under the supervision of an attorney, whether it be in a corporation or large or small private firm. Paralegal Internships are arranged through the program director after the student has completed the admissions process, all of the course work, the computer competency requirement, and has begun the course LAP 2599. This course provides students with an orientation to internship policies, procedures, and expectations. Internships must be served within one year of completing the course work.

Alternatives to the Internship: students who elect not to serve an internship must meet with the program advisor and complete two additional specialty courses to satisfy this legal experience requirement.

Computer Competency
COMPUTER BASED OFFICE SKILLS COURSES - Level 1 and Level 2 - These two courses will cover computer office skills using Microsoft Word and Excel software at the beginning and advanced levels.  Students are required to complete through Level 2 to achieve the computer requirement and to achieve a certificate of achievement.

Beginning in Fall 2009 all newly admitted  students and those students who have not previously provided evidence of formal computer training must complete our pass/fail Office Skills Course placement assessment test prior to graduation.  Students that pass the exam will be required to take the Level 2 course only.  All others will take both Level 1 and Level 2 courses.

The courses will provide Word modules covering topics such as navigation, multi-level lists, margins and columns, table formatting, graphics, charts and importing techniques at the beginning or advanced level.  The Excel workshops will include topics such as using Excel in the workplace, creating formulas, approaching complex functions, and creating charts at the beginning or advanced level.

Registration for Courses
To assure a place in the classes they desire, students are advised to register no later than two (2) weeks before the term begins. Registrations are processed on a first come, first served basis. Any scheduled class may be canceled if the enrollment is too low.

Handicap Services
Students with special needs who require accommodation should call the program director as soon as they are aware of the need (248)370-4386.

Refund Policy
As indicated in the Paralegal Program brochure, students will receive a full refund for withdrawals prior to first class meeting, after the first class meeting the refund is 75% of the course fee. There is no refund after the second meeting.

Course Withdrawal Policy
To officially withdraw from a course, students must call (248-370-3177or Email (sba-ce@lists.oakland.edu)  the School of Business and state their request. Students may withdraw any time before the last class meeting. Students who do not officially withdraw and who have missed more than two (2) class meetings will have a failing grade entered on their student record.

Waiver of Courses Based on Previous Experience
Certain courses may be waived on the basis of work experience. Students must request a waiver by letter to the director. Reply to waiver requests will be by letter. #2500 Introduction to the Law may be waived for those with five or more years experience as a legal secretary. #2515 Introduction to Accounting may be waived for those with accounting (not bookkeeping) experience. (Students will be required to complete an Accounting assignment.) Waiver requests based on work experience must be accompanied by:

1.  Description of relevant work experience.
2.  Supporting letter from employer.

All students applying for graduation must satisfy the Paralegal Program's current CEU (Continuing Education Unit) requirement for course
work. The requirement, not including the internship, is 34 CEUs. Students waiving out of classes based on experience will need to select additional
specialty courses to meet the 34 CEU requirement.

Transferring Courses From Other Institutions
Students beginning Oakland University's Paralegal Program may transfer up to five courses from another legal assistant program. Courses accepted in transfer must be evaluated on the basis of their equivalency to program requirements. Requests to transfer courses must be made in writing and accompanied by:

1. Transcripts listing courses upon which request is based.
2. A copy of the catalogue description of the course or the course syllabus.
(Once students have begun a course of study in Oakland University's Paralegal Program they may not take legal courses at another institution to satisfy program requirements.)

Courses accepted in transfer toward the Program Certificate may not be more than six years old at the time of completion of the program. This includes any course work taken in satisfaction of the computer requirement.

CEUs (Continuing Education Units)
Noncredit students earn CEUs (Continuing Education Units). CEUs are a measure of noncredit learning experiences recognized nationwide by employers and professional associations. They are not transferable to regular college credits in baccalaureate or graduate degree programs.

To earn a Program Certificate from Oakland University's Paralegal Program students must complete a minimum of 34 CEUs in course work plus satisfy the internship requirement.

Grading Policy
In the 1983 fall term the Legal Assistant Program adopted the grading system used for Oakland University undergraduate programs. It is a 32 point system of numerical grades, with passing grades ranging from 1.0 to 4.0 by tenths:

3.6 to 4.0 = A                                      I = Incomplete

3.0 to 3.5 = B                                      W = Withdrew

2.0 to 2.9 = C                                      P = Progress

1.0 to 1.9 = D                                      S = Satisfactory

0.0 = No credit/CEU                          U = Unsatisfactory

Z = Audit

To receive the Paralegal Program Certificate students must have a minimum 2.0 or a "C" in each course. Students who have questions about a grade received in a course should write the instructor or program director within twelve (12) weeks from the date the grade was issued.

Attendance Policy
Attendance is a factor in awarding CEUs. Students are allowed a maximum of two absences from 20 to 30 hour courses. Fewer absences are allowed in shorter courses.

Course Evaluation
At the conclusion of each course instructors will ask students to complete a course evaluation. To insure confidentiality, evaluations will be collected by a student in the class and sealed in a stamped, self-addressed envelope. The student or the instructor then mails or delivers the envelope to the School of Business.  Evaluations are also available on our website for those that would like complete anonymity.

Job Referral Service
The School of Business cannot make any guarantee of job placement to graduates. However, firms and agencies seeking qualified legal assistants are contacting the College. To respond to these requests, we maintain files of graduates and students who are seeking employment. Those who would like their resume sent to prospective employers, please Email your resume to lwallace@oakland.edu.   Students must have completed all the core courses to be eligible for the service. Program graduates will be considered first in responding to request for resumes.

Occasionally attorneys express interest in hiring a student who is still taking program courses, usually at close to minimum wages, but in situations which provide for learning on the job. From time to time, some part-time positions are also available. These opportunities, in conjunction with program courses, can provide useful experience. Students who would like to be considered for such opportunities should prepare a resume and discuss their plans with the program director.

Graduation from the Program
Students have a six-year time limit to complete the requirements for the Program Certificate, beginning with the first course taken in the program. The program may be completed in one year taking classes full time. (Students wishing to complete the program in one year are encouraged to discuss their plans with the program director.)

The Program Certificate is awarded to those who have been admitted into the program and who satisfy the computer competency requirement, complete, with a 2.0 grade or better, the (9) core courses, the three (3) legal specialty courses and the internship. (Total CEU requirement for course work, not including the internship is 34 CEUs.) While students may finish program requirements any time during the year, there are only three official graduation dates -- May 31, August 31 and January 31.

Transcripts and Program Certificates
Graduates will receive one (1) free copy of their transcript upon graduation. Program Certificates and Legal Specialty Certificates suitable for framing will be mailed out at a later date. Students and graduates who need additional transcripts should make their requests in writing to the office of Academic Records, 102 O'Dowd Hall, Oakland University, Rochester MI 48309-4401.

Legal Specialty Certificates
In addition to the Program Certificate, students may elect to earn a Legal Specialty Certificate. Listed below are the specialty certificates available and the courses that may be applied to them. Students who complete a Legal Specialty Certificate should call the School of Business to request a file review.

Litigation Specialty

2547 Litigation III- Anatomy of a Lawsuit  (Required)
Select two from the following:
2578 Auto Accident Law & Cases
2579 Family Law
2535 Employment Law
2521 Criminal Law and Procedure

Business Specialty (Select three from the following:)

2520 Real Property Transactions
2530 Business Organizations
2576 Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law
2535 Employment Law
2531 Contract Administration

Probate Administration Specialty (Select the following:)

2550 Probate Administration
2551 Probate II
2568 Estate Planning and Documents

Academic Conduct Policy

All members of the academic community at Oakland University are expected to practice and uphold standards of academic integrity and honesty. Academic integrity means representing oneself and one’s work honestly. Misrepresentation is cheating, since it means students are claiming credit for ideas or works not actually theirs and are thereby seeking a grade that is not actually earned. Following are some examples of academic dishonesty:

1. Cheating on examinations. This includes using materials such as books and/or notes when not authorized by the instructor, copying from someone else’s paper, helping someone else copy work, substituting another’s work as one’s own, theft of exam copies, or other forms of misconduct on exams.
2. Plagiarizing the work of others. Plagiarism is using someone else’s work or ideas without giving that person credit; by doing this, students are, in effect, claiming credit for someone else’s thinking. Whether students have read or heard the information used, they must document the source of information. When dealing with written sources, a clear distinction should be made between quotations (which reproduce information from the source word-for-word within quotation marks) and paraphrases (which digest the source of information and produce it in the student’s own words). Both direct quotations and paraphrases must be documented. Even if students rephrase, condense, or select from another person’s work, the ideas are still the other person’s, and failure to give credit constitutes misrepresentation of the student’s actual work and plagiarism of another’s ideas. Buying a paper and handing it in as one’s own work is also considered plagiarism.
3. Cheating on lab reports by falsifying data or submitting data not based on the student’s own work.
4. Falsifying records or providing misinformation regarding one’s credentials.
5. Unauthorized collaboration on computer assignments and unauthorized access to and use of computer programs, including modifying computer files created by others and representing that work as one’s own.

Unless they specifically indicate otherwise, instructors expect individual, unaided work on homework assignments, exams, lab reports, and computer exercises, along with documentation of sources when used. If instructors assign a special project other than or in addition to exams, such as a research paper, or original essay, or a book review, they intend that work to be completed for that course only. Students must not submit work completed for a course taken in the past or for a concurrent course unless they have explicit permission to do so.

Instructors are expected to maintain the following standards in the context of academic conduct:

1. To inform and instruct students about the procedures and standards of research and documentation required to complete work in a particular course or in the context of a particular discipline.
2. To take practical steps to prevent and detect cheating.
3. To report suspected academic misconduct to the Dean of Students Office, 144 Oakland Center, for consideration by the Academic Conduct Committee of the University Senate.
4. To present evidence of plagiarism, cheating on exams or lab reports, falsification of records, or other forms of academic conduct before the Academic Conduct Committee.

Students are expected to maintain the following standards in the context of academic conduct:

1. To be aware of and practice the standards of honest scholarship.
2. To follow faculty instruction regarding exams and assignments to avoid inadvertent misrepresentation of work.
3. To be certain that special rules regarding documentation of term papers, examination procedures, use of computer-based information and programs, etc., are clearly understood.
4. To avoid the appearance of cheating.

If students believe that practices by the instructor are conducive to cheating, they may convey this message to the instructor, to the program director, or to any member of the student/faculty Academic Conduct Committee (either director or through the Dean of Students Office).

If academic misconduct is determined by the Academic Conduct Committee, the committee assesses penalties ranging from academic disciplinary reprimand, to academic probation, to suspension, to expulsion (dismissal) from the university. All conduct records are maintained in the Dean of Students Office.

General Information

Administrative Offices for Paralegal Program
The School of Business Center for Executive and Continuing Education office is located in 332 Elliott Hall on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. Hours are: Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Closed to walk-in traffic during the noon hour.)

Registrar
Transcripts of courses taken in the Paralegal Assistant Program are obtained by writing to the Office of Academic Records,102 O'Dowd Hall, Oakland University, Rochester MI 48309.  

Oakland University Bookstore (248) 370-2404
Texts for most courses will be available at the Oakland University bookstore in the lower level of the Oakland Center. Paralegal Program texts are usually in stock one week prior to the start of the term. Students shopping early should call the bookstore to determine availability and hours of operation.

Textbook Outlet (248)377-2884
Texts may be available at the Textbook Outlet located in a shopping mall at the northeast corner of Squirrel Road and Walton Boulevard, across from the University.   Call to confirm hours of operation.

Adams Pratt Oakland County Law Library (248) 858-0011
Address: 1200 N. Telegraph Rd., Pontiac, MI
Call for hours of operation.

Oakland University Library (248) 370-2492
To check books out students must have a student card, which may be obtained by calling the ID Card office (248)370-2291 located in room 112 Oakland Center.  Call the library to confirm hours of operation.

Location of Courses
Unless otherwise noted in the program brochure, Fall, Winter, and Spring term evening classes will be held at Seaholm High School located on Lincoln at the corner of Evergreen/Cranbrook and Lincoln in Birmingham. Saturday and computer classes will be on the Oakland University Campus. Room numbers for individual classes at Seaholm High School will be posted on the bulletin board outside room F102, near the entrance labeled   Community Education. At Oakland University classroom locations will be posted on the doors to the building where the class is to be held.

Class Cancellations
In the event of bad weather listen to local radio and television stations or call the OU Hotline at (248) 370-2000 to determine if your class site is closed. If the Center for Executive and Continuing Education cancels a class for a reason other than weather, the office will call all those registered for class. Therefore, it is important that our office have your current address and home/business phone numbers. If you change your address or phone, please let us know immediately.

Paralegal Program for Credit

Oakland University undergraduates may take the Paralegal Program for credit, and those who complete program requirements as a part of their degree will receive the Paralegal Program Certificate in addition to their baccalaureate degree.

Paralegal Program Entry Requirements-Credit Students
Credit students must be admitted both to the Paralegal Program and to Oakland University. Admission requirements to the Paralegal Program are listed on page 1 of this publication. Admission requirements for Oakland University are published in the Oakland University Undergraduate Catalog.

Credits Awarded
Most of the OU Paralegal Program Courses meet for 30-hours and awards two (2) credit hours for each course.  There may be exceptions, such as course 2575 CALR, which meets for 20 hours and awards one (1) credit hour. Undergraduates majoring in Political Science may apply up to eight (8) legal assistant credit hours toward the forty (40) required credit hours in the major. Students majoring in other areas may take program courses as electives or as part of a concentration in the Bachelor of General Studies. Contact our offices immediately if you are interested in the OU Paralegal Program for undergraduate credit as new programs and opportunities are opening up all the time for an education in the legal field.

Required Courses
To earn the ABA Approved Paralegal Program Certificate, undergraduate or "for-credit" students must satisfy the same course requirements as noncredit students.

Tuition & Fees
Credit students must pay both the non-credit certificate tuition , as well as the OU for-credit tuition.

Registering for Courses
Students should come to the School of Business Center for Executive and Continuing Education office to register and pay for non-credit courses. Students should go to the Registrar or use the OU SAIL system to register for undergrad for-credit courses. Policies and information related to registering and paying for credit courses can be found in the Oakland University Schedule of Classes.

Recapturing Paralegal Program Courses for Credit
Students who completed Paralegal Program courses for continuing education units (CEU) and who later wish to apply these courses to an undergraduate degree at Oakland University may recapture those courses for University credit. To recapture a CEU bearing course for credit, students should call the Paralegal Program office to confirm the eligibility of the course(s) to be recaptured.  Registration is handled through the Registrar during the University’s regular registration periods.  Cost is the current per credit hour tuition for an upper division undergraduate course along with any applicable fees.  The course(s) recaptured will be included in the next grade report issued by the Registrar's office.

Beginning Winter 2010 recapturing credit will not longer be an option.

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