Paralegal Program

Program Objectives

The objectives of the Mt. San Antonio College Paralegal Program are to:

1. To implement a paralegal education framework that provides students with an adequate education in general studies, a core paralegal curriculum, and additional courses in specialty areas.
2. To maintain a sound, but flexible educational framework that is responsive to the dynamic nature of the legal profession.
3. To maintain a quality education program that stresses practical application and development of job skills as well as the teaching of legal theory.
4. To enhance the ability of students to reason, understand, and apply correct principles by teaching analytical and critical skills as opposed to rote learning.
5. To develop competency in paralegal students so graduates are occupationally prepared to work in the paralegal field in a variety of settings.
6. To provide students with the opportunity to participate in practical legal internship settings in order to improve their understanding and enhance their job abilities in the paralegal field.
7. To maintain a program that instills proper respect for the legal profession, its ethics, and its foundations.
8. To promote professional responsibility by teaching ethical legal principles and practice.
9. To meet the needs of the student population that is ethnically diverse, age variable, and comes from a variety of backgrounds.
10. To ensure that students have written and verbal communication skills, as well as reading skills, that will enable them to communicate effectively with both attorneys and clients.
11. To provide students with the technological skills necessary to enter the paralegal field without requiring additional technological training.
12. To assist students in the employment process.