Eastern Kentucky University Paralegal Programs
Eastern Kentucky University appears in our ranking of the Top 10 Best Value Online Bachelor’s Degrees in Paralegal Studies.
Law firms across the country need paralegals who can assist them with preparing for cases and with managing the daily operations of the firm. Eastern Kentucky University offers three paralegal studies program that each have approval from the American Bar Association (ABA). All programs include eight-week classes and come with job assistance in the future. The university can help students find jobs in firms near any of its campuses. Students will also work with professors who have their own law degrees and some teachers who are practicing lawyers. Eastern Kentucky University offers both online and partially online programs for paralegal majors.
An Associates Degree in Paralegal Studies is one of the available programs. Students can take most classes online but will need to earn a minimum of 10 credits through fieldwork or classes taken on a university campus. Students can also supplement their degrees with a certificate in an area such as communication studies, youth studies or social intelligence. The courses in this program deal with various aspects of the law, including civil, criminal and family law. Also available is a Bachelors in Paralegal Studies.
Both of these programs include the same required courses. Students must complete the paralegal studies core, which includes 37 credits of classes such as Introduction to Law, Real Estate/Bankruptcy Practice and Legal Administration and Computer Applications. They can also select from legal electives, including Paralegal Evidence and Trial Skills, Criminal Law Practice and Procedure, Corporations and Business Organization Practice and Estate Planning and Procedure.
Students in either degree program must do a paralegal internship too, which teaches them what paralegals do in the field. The university can arrange for students to work in a firm that specializes in a specific area of the law. Each program includes a seminar course too. A paralegal studies certificate program is available for students who have a bachelor’s degree. Students only need to take 30 credits of classes to earn a paralegal studies certificate.
About Eastern Kentucky University
Eastern Kentucky University is a public university that started life in 1874 as Central University. This university experienced financial troubles that led to it merging with Centre College. When the state decided to open its first normal school, it chose the Central University location. Eastern Kentucky State Normal School No. 1 opened in 1906 and quickly became one of the region’s largest schools. This normal school would later become Eastern Kentucky State Normal School and Teachers College and then Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College. As a teachers college, it offered teaching programs that included observations and experiences in the field. The university now uses the Eastern Kentucky University name as well as EKU and Eastern.
EKU spent millions of dollars since 2012 to make its campuses more modern. Its main campus is in Richmond, Kentucky, but Eastern also has campuses in Corbin, Manchester, Lancaster, and Hazard. Those campuses are smaller in size and serve as regional centers but provide students with the same opportunities they would find on the Richmond campus. U.S. News and World Report ranks EKU among the best schools in the southern United States and as having one of the best online bachelor’s programs in the country. Forbes ranked EKU as one of the best public colleges, a top American school and one of the best colleges in the south. Across all campuses, Eastern has an enrollment of nearly 17,000 students.
Eastern Kentucky University Accreditation Details
EKU has accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), which is what lets it give financial aid packages to incoming students and those who continue their studies. Its accreditation is in good standing with this organization, and the university renews its accreditation every 10 years. This type of accreditation also means that students can transfer credits from EKU to another college and that they can transfer in some of their credits too.
Eastern Kentucky University Application Requirements
Students who completed no more than 23 credit hours can apply to the university as a freshman. Freshmen will use an application that is different from the one used by transfer students. Students must also score 18 on the English, 19 on the math and 20 on the reading sections of the ACT or score 490, 480 and 490 on the same sections of the SAT to qualify for acceptance. Accepted students must have a grade point average of 2.5 or higher in high school too.
To apply to EKU, students will use the university’s application and pay its $35 fee. They will then submit their official scores from either test and their high school transcripts. EKU offers a paper application that students can download and submit in lieu of using the online application. Those who meet the test and GPA requirements will receive standard acceptance to the university. It also offers conditional acceptance for those who only meet one requirement and success first acceptance for those who have higher grades and scores. The success first program is similar to the honors and scholars programs offered by other colleges.
Tuition and Financial Aid
One benefit of attending EKU is that it charges the same rate for all undergrads. Whether students live in Kentucky or another state, they pay just $409 per credit hour for any paralegal studies class. This rate is the same for both degree and certificate students too. Students who are in the military can qualify for an active duty discount and pay only $250 per credit hour for their classes. All students face some university fees and are responsible for any of the supplies or books that they need.
EKU has financial aid counselors who can provide students with the school code they’ll use when filing the FAFSA. Those counselors can also help students understand the different types of financial aid available and what they might see in their own packages. The university bases its aid packages on the total cost that the student faces and his or her family contribution. Grants, federal loans and alternative loans are just some of the available options. Students who submit an application, essay and two letters of recommendation by April 15 may receive EKU scholarships. Eastern Kentucky University will also make payment arrangements and accept tuition reimbursement plans for students enrolling in its paralegal studies programs.
