Policies
An Introduction: Professionalism
The policies and procedures outlined below are driven by the overarching commitment of the Paralegal Program faculty to provide students with the best possible training to enter the profession of the law. As Judge Baer aptly stated:
"A profession is not a business. It is distinguished by the requirements of extensive formal training and learning…a code of ethics imposing standards qualitatively and extensively beyond those that prevail or are tolerated in the market place…and, notably, an obligation on its own members…to conduct themselves as members of a learned, disciplined and honorable occupation" — Hon. Harold Baer, Manhattan Federal Judge, Matter of Freeman, 34 NY2d 1, 7 (1974).
Admission and Retention Policy
Students who wish to be Paralegal Program majors, must apply for admission to the program. Until a student has completed the program admission requirements, below, a student is designated as a Paralegal Program "Intent.” Once a student successfully completes Introduction to the Legal System (LEGL 211) and advanced Legal Writing, Research, and Analysis (LEGL 304W), and is admitted to the Program, the Program Coordinator will change the student’s transcripts to state that the student is a Paralegal major.
Students should complete the Application for Admission once they complete (or are completing) LEGL 211 and LEGL 304W. If a student is completing LEGL 211 and LEGL 304W, the student will be allowed to register for the next series of Program courses as if the student is already a designated Program major. If the student does not achieve the requisite grade in either LEGL 211 or LEGL 304W, the student remains unqualified for admission and must withdraw from any upper level LEGL courses for which the student has registered. The student is welcome to repeat either LEGL 211 or LEGL 304W according to the Program Retention Requirements.
Timely application for admission to the Program does not guarantee admission. A student who is declined admission for any term is free to re-apply for admission in a later term.
Program Admission Requirements
Program admission criteria are:
Admission to the University as an undergraduate or second bachelor’s degree candidate;
Completion of ENGL 121, Composition II: Researching the Public Experience with a grade of "B" * or higher;
Completion of LEGL 211, Introduction to the Legal System with a grade of "B-" or higher;
Completion of LEGL 304W, Legal Writing, Research, and Analysis , with a grade of "C+" or higher; and
A cumulative EMU GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale **.
Program Retention RequirementsIn addition to Program Admission requirements, Program majors will be required to:
Complete each program core course (e.g., all courses having an LEGL prefix [except LEGL 211 and LEGL 304W – see above], as well as BMMT 220) with a minimum grade of "C";
Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale; and
Maintain a cumulative major GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
A student whose cumulative GPA or cumulative major GPA falls below 2.5 will be placed on Program probation for the next succeeding term. If the student fails to raise his or her cumulative GPA or cumulative major GPA, or both, as the case may be, to 2.5 or higher with the grades earned during the probationary term, the student will be dismissed from the Program. For purposes of this policy, a student who is placed on Program probation as the result of a deficient GPA at the close of a winter term will have until the close of the next fall term to raise his or her GPA to 2.5 or higher. If a student earns lower than a "C" in any Program core course (except LEGL 211 and LEGL 304W – see above), the student will be allowed to repeat the course two times. If the student fails to earn a "C" or better in the repeat course, the student will be dismissed from the Program.
* Students applying for admission to the Program as Second Bachelor’s Degree candidates must present evidence of having completed an acceptable college-level English composition course with a grade of "B" or higher. A remedial English composition or writing course is NOT an acceptable college-level English composition course.** Transfer students seeking admission to the Program must present evidence of having completed equivalent courses with the minimum required grades and must also present evidence of having satisfied the minimum GPA requirement.
The Program Admission and Retention Policy was effective beginning with the winter 2005 term. These retention grade policies supersede general EMU grade policies for the Paralegal Studies major.
Advising
Whether you are considering a Paralegal major or are certain you wish to pursue a Paralegal major, you are encouraged to meet with advisors before beginning your program at EMU and throughout your time at EMU. The process for advising differs depending on whether you begin at EMU as a first-year student, a transfer student, or a student seeking a second bachelor degree.
First Year Students
First Year students who declare a Paralegal Intent major should contact the GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology Student Services Office for advising. It is recommended that students schedule an appointment through the appointment scheduling system. Attending orientation before the first advising appointment at EMU is required for first year students. Students are encouraged to connect with the advising office each semester to make sure they are on track with program requirements. New students who need information about orientation can visit the EMU orientation website.
Transfer Students
Transfer students who declare a Paralegal Intent major must schedule an appointment with an advisor in the GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology Student Services Office before they are able to enroll for classes. It is recommended that students schedule an appointment through their appointment scheduling system. This is extremely important to be sure that transfer credit has been received and tabulated to your student record. This will insure you do not take courses you do not need or may be covered under a specialized articulation agreement. Transfer students should be sure to send a final transcript from all transfer institutions once coursework is completed. Transfer students may complete the Online Transfer Orientation by visiting the Transfer Admissions website. Students are encouraged to connect with the advising office each semester to make sure they are on track with program requirements.
Second Bachelor Degree Students
Students who have previously earned a bachelor degree and wish to complete a second bachelor degree in Paralegal at EMU should first schedule an appointment with the GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology Student Services Office using the appointment scheduling system. You will then be put in touch with the Paralegal Program Coordinator to discuss a program of study to complete your degree at EMU. The Program Coordinator will determine if credit earned from prior academic coursework can apply to the second degree. Students pursuing a second bachelor degree are not required to complete EMU general education requirements.
Course Enrollments
Every course has an enrollment limitation, or cap. With the exception of LEGL 488L4, all program courses are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Inability to enroll in a program course, whether caused by untimely registration or otherwise, may lead to delays in your graduation.
Every course also has enrollment minimums set by the University. If a course in which you have enrolled is cancelled because of low enrollment, you should contact the program coordinator if you need help in making other arrangements.
Course Overrides
General Override Procedure
If you wish to request an override for a LEGL course, contact the program coordinator in an email containing the following information: name, E#, course name and the course CRN (course registration number). Failure to provide this information may result in the program coordinator’s ignoring the override request until a proper email is received. The program coordinator will refer override requests to the appropriate instructor of record for approval and processing.
Prerequisite Overrides Are Strongly Disfavored
Course sequences are designed in a way such that later courses build upon skills and competencies taught in their prerequisites. A prerequisite override will be granted only under exceptional circumstances, and only if the student can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the program coordinator and the course instructor that his or her learning and performance in the course will not be impaired on account of the override. A prerequisite override does not excuse the student from taking the overridden course, nor is an override considered to be fulfillment of the overridden course. A prerequisite override only allows the student to take a sequential course out of order.
BMMT Department policy mandates that only the instructor of record for a course may override a prerequisite to that course, unless the instructor of record for a course is an adjunct instructor. If the instructor is an adjunct, then the student must consult the program coordinator for assistance.
Course Substitutions
Each program course is part of the curriculum because it is designed to impart skills and competencies that are essential or useful to paralegals and other legal professionals. Substitutions for required Program courses will be granted only under exceptional circumstances, and only if the student can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the program coordinator that he or she has the competencies of the course for which substitution is being sought. In every case, a student seeking a course substitution must obtain the permission of the program coordinator before taking the course that the student will seek to have substituted for a program course.
Incompletes
Incompletes are strongly discouraged.
University policy provides that an Incomplete (“I”) grade is awarded only when a student (i) has completed the majority of the work of a course and (ii) the work has been of acceptable quality (C or better for undergraduate students, B or better for graduate students). Yet, the required amount of work has not been completed because of illness, necessary absence, or other satisfactory reasons. It is never applied to poor work or to absence from class by the student.
The student must inform the instructor of the reason for the requested incomplete. The instructor may at his or her discretion agree to the request. Except in cases of unforeseeable emergency, a request must be submitted before the close of the last week of regularly scheduled classes for the term in which an incomplete is requested.
If a student receives a grade of incomplete (“I”) in a course, the student should not re-register for the course. An “I” grade must be replaced by a grade within one calendar year from the end of the semester or session in which the grade was given. The initiative for removal of an incomplete rests with the student. If an “I” is not converted by the end of the one-year period, the “I” remains as a permanent part of the student’s record.
The time for removal of an “I” may be extended upon written recommendation of the instructor and approval of the Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology. Such extension will be granted only under unusual circumstances. The student must inform the instructor of the reason for the requested extension. The instructor may at his or her discretion agree to the request. Except in cases of unforeseeable emergency, a request for an extension must be submitted at least two weeks before the expiration of the “I” deadline.
Prior Learning Assessment Hours
If a student qualifies for credit through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA), a maximum of 9 LEGL core credit hours may be earned through PLA. For more information about PLA or transfer credit, please consult the program coordinator. Program Internship Requirements
LEGL 488L4 [formerly LEGL 417L4] is a mandatory requirement for all students who wish to receive a degree with a Paralegal major. LEGL 488L4 is offered during the fall, winter, and summer semesters.
Paralegal major students typically take LEGL 488L4 during one of their last semesters. A student may enroll in LEGL 488L4 once the student has completed LEGL 211 and LEGL 304W and has completed or will be concurrently enrolled in LEGL 311, LEGL 313, LEGL 404, and LEGL 405. Permission of the Paralegal Studies Program Coordinator is required to register for LEGL 488L4.
LEGL 488L4 requires a minimum of 150 hours at the Washtenaw County EMU Legal Resource Center under the supervision of an attorney employed by Eastern Michigan University. The Legal Resource Center is located in the Washtenaw County Courthouse in downtown Ann Arbor. The Legal Resource Center is open 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, when EMU is in session. At the start of the summer, fall, or winter semester, the Legal Resource Center Site Supervisor works with students individually, and the group as a whole to set student schedules. Students who enroll in the course are assumed to be available the days and times the Legal Resource Center is open. While the Site Supervisor will attempt to accommodate scheduling requests, there are no guarantees. LEGL 488L4 also includes an online component delivered through Canvas.
A student who seeks to complete an internship at a location other than the Legal Resource Center, must submit a written request to the Coordinator of the Paralegal Studies Program and the Director of the School of Technology and Professional Services. Allowing a student to complete an internship at a location other than the Legal Resource Center is a rare exception. Whether the exception applies is in the discretion of the Director of the School of Technology and Professional Services. To submit a written request for an exception, a student must have worked full-time for a minimum of three years at the law office of the proposed internship. In the written request, the student must provide the name and address of the law office, start date, hours per week, and tasks performed; identify a Michigan licensed attorney who has agreed to supervise the student on-site engaging in different tasks in new areas of law that allows the student to build new skill sets; and provide a compelling reason for the exception request. As with LEGL 488L4, an internship at a location other than the Legal Resource Center requires a minimum of 150 hours on site and an online component.
Program of Study
The program offers legal courses (those with an "LEGL" prefix) based on a standard schedule. This standardized schedule was created so that each program major can develop a plan of study leading to graduation. The program coordinator is available to help you with your plan of study. However, it is your responsibility to plan your studies through graduation. This means that you must be familiar with: (1) all University General Education requirements, including all prerequisite courses; (2) all program course requirements, including all prerequisite courses; and (3) all University graduation requirements. Failure to develop and follow a plan of study may cause delays in your graduation.
Independent Study
In the rare case, there may be a need for a student to engage in a course of “Independent Study.” All Independent Study requests must be approved by the Professor as well as by the School Director and the program coordinator. Independent Studies are neither permitted as a substitute for University and program degree requirements nor as a part of a plan to improve a student’s GPA. There is an Independent Study Application, which can be obtained from the program coordinator.
Standard Course Scheduling
The Program offers courses each fall and winter on a standard course schedule. In other words, we offer the same LEGL courses each fall term, and the same LEGL courses each winter term. This schedule was created so that students can plan their schedules well in advance, and to accommodate the scheduling needs of a variety of students. Courses having an LEGL prefix will be scheduled as described here, but the fact that a course is scheduled does not guarantee that there will be sufficient enrollment for that class to be offered. If a course is canceled for lack of enrollment, students should consult the Program Coordinator regarding possible substitution or transfer to another section. In the summer term, one or two LEGL courses may be offered.
See course schedules.
Student Responsibilities
The Paralegal Faculty welcomes every student to our vibrant and exciting Paralegal classes. Faculty members are committed to do all that they can to insure your educational success. Part of the Program’s overall educational goal is to provide a professional atmosphere in which students can learn the necessary legal background and skills to enter the legal world. Part of this professional atmosphere demands professional conduct and that utmost respect be shown towards faculty, staff and fellow students. If a student has an issue with a professor, etiquette requires that the student address the issue directly with the professor and not with the Program Coordinator or another faculty or staff member. Students should remember that professional conduct includes understanding that negative comments about any faculty member, fellow student or staff member, made either in the classroom or outside of it, are not just unprofessional but may generate disciplinary action against the student.
As part of the preparation for the legal profession, the Paralegal Program maintains a "zero tolerance" for cheating and plagiarism. Each Paralegal Program student is expected to read and comply with these Program Policies & Procedures, the University’s Student Judicial Code and all rules outlined in respective course syllabi.
Faculty members welcome your questions about the great field of law!
Transfer Students
Minimum Program Hours
Regardless the number of hours accepted by the University for transfer credit, and irrespective of other courses that may be required, students seeking a Bachelor of Science degree or a Second Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Paralegal must complete a minimum of 6 hours of foundational courses, 33 hours of legal specialty courses, 15 hours of Business and Information Processing Courses, and 18 hours of Restricted Elective Courses. To receive a degree from Eastern Michigan University, a student must take a minimum of 30 hours at Eastern Michigan University.
Transfer Students: Transfer Credit
Once you are a declared Paralegal major, the Program Coordinator is your program academic advisor. The Paralegal Program Coordinator has authority to approve transfer credit for certain program courses. Specifically, the Program Coordinator has authority, in his or her discretion, to approve transfer credit for courses having a "LEGL" prefix. The Program Coordinator cannot approve transfer credit for any courses with prefixes other than these. The Paralegal Program also requires Business & Information Processing Courses (“BMMT”). The BMMT Program Coordinator has authority, in his or her discretion, to approve transfer credit for courses having a "BMMT" prefix. The Program Coordinators cannot approve transfer credit for any University General Education courses, nor can the Program Coordinators approve transfer credit for program courses that are offered through other departments (e.g., "ACC"; "LAW"; "PLSC"). Students seeking transfer credit for a non-LEGL or non-BMMT course must consult with the GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology Academic Adviser or with the department offering the courses for which transfer credit is sought.