Bachelor of Arts program in Criminal Justice

The baccalaureate program provides a full complement of Criminal Justice courses. Additional course work is taken in Sociology, Psychology, and Political Science. Each year in the spring the Criminal Justice program sponsors a Job Fair where representatives from various Criminal Justice agencies and occupations from a number of different states set up booths and interview students for possible employment.

Pre-law and Paralegal Studies Concentration: The PLPS concentration is offered within the criminal justice program both in-person and online. The concentration in Pre-law and Paralegal Studies at NSU provides a well-rounded liberal arts degree with a legal focus of study. Those who successfully complete this concentration will be better able to transition into either a juris doctor program or directly into the legal field as a paralegal. Paralegals are professionals who work under the supervision of attorneys in most states and can perform legal research, writing, and analysis like an attorney. Paralegals cannot give legal advice or represent clients in court in Louisiana, but they play a key role in saving law firms and clients money.
 
Pre-law and Paralegal Studies Concentration Requirements: The NSU Pre-law and Paralegal Studies Concentration is a seven-course, 21-hour focused concentration of pre-law study within the B.A. degree in Criminal Justice. Students completing this concentration and degree requirements will graduate with a B.A. Criminal Justice, with a Concentration in Pre-law and Paralegal Studies. Students desiring to add this concentration may do so by contacting the Registrar’s office to make this change in their curriculum.

Pre-law and Paralegal Studies (250B): (21 semester hours) including PLPS 3010 (Introduction to Law), six hours of PLPS 4020 and 4090 Legal Research and Writing, and fifteen hours of substantive law electives. Choices for substantive law electives include Contract Law, Civil Litigation, Real Estate & Mortgages, Family Law, Wills and Trusts, American Indians and the Law, Corporate Law, and Torts and Personal Injury Law. All classes are taught by attorneys or judges with litigation experience and emphasize the development of a portfolio of legal documents, from pleadings and contracts to detailed memoranda of law.

Pre-law and Paralegal Certificate of Completion Program: The NSU Pre-law and Paralegal Studies Certificate Program is an eight-course, 24-hour course of study designed to be completed in two years. Students may enroll at the beginning of any semester and the courses need not be taken in order. The courses are taught by attorneys or judges and will prepare the students to work in most legal settings. Students develop a portfolio of work. Enrollment is open to anyone with a high school diploma, however, to succeed, students will need to bring basic familiarity with word processing software and solid writing skills. ACT scores are not necessary. Students completing the program will receive a Certificate signifying their completion of the program.