Paralegal Programs Available at Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University appears in our ranking of the 50 Most Affordable Online Paralegal Degree Programs.
Southern Utah University offers several programs that can help students meet the challenges and difficulties of working as a paralegal. Most students choose the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) program in Paralegal/Legal Assistant. Students who successfully complete the program’s two years of classes can transfer to a pre-law program or complete an interdisciplinary studies program at a four-year school. They can take a class on administrative law or do an internship for credit. Paralegal majors must also take 13 courses, including Introduction to Law, Criminal Law and Procedure, Capstone in Paralegal Studies, Torts and Legal Interviewing, Investigation and Case Prep.
A similar program allows students to major in pre-law. This program includes paralegal studies and political science classes. Students spend two years as they take prerequisites that can help them in a full pre-law program and assist them in getting into law school. Deductive Logic in Philosophy is one of the courses available, which helps students sharpen their skills and learn how to use deductive reasoning when making decisions. Other courses that pre-law majors can take include Constitutional Law and Introduction to Criminal Justice. The university offers a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice that can also prepare paralegal students for attending law school.
The Legal Studies Student Association is an organization run by students that is open to all paralegal, criminal justice and law majors. It hosts field trips that let students see court cases live and offers workshops for those applying to law school and those who want to transfer to work on a law degree. Southern Utah University also has a Legal Scholars program that provides additional assistance for students. They can get help preparing for the LSAT, sign up for monthly field trips and workshops, participate in mock trials and learn about volunteer opportunities across Utah.
About Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University is a public university that originally opened as a normal school. Established in 1897 as the Branch Normal School, it kept this name until 1913 when it became the Branch Agricultural College. This coincided with a change to the school’s curriculum, which added new agriculture programs to prepare students for working in the emerging industries in Utah at the time. The school would become the College of Southern Utah in the 1950s and Southern Utah State College in the 1960s. It finally gained university status in 1990 and officially became Southern Utah University or SUU.
The educational history of the university is evident today through the teacher preparation and similar programs offered. Students can also earn one of 140 bachelor’s or associate’s degrees from SUU or enroll in one of its graduate programs. The Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges named SUU as one of fewer than 30 universities in the nation that offer both science/research and liberal arts programs. Its campus also has a strong reputation because it is home to the Utah Summer Games and the Utah Shakespeare Festival every year. More than 10,000 graduate and undergraduate students attend SUU annually.
Southern Utah University Accreditation Details
Paralegal majors attending SUU can use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to get financial aid because the university has regional accreditation. The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) granted accreditation to SUU after reviewing the experience of its professors, the programs available for students and other factors. NWCCU accreditation also gives SUU the authority to accept credits when a student transfers after evaluating that student’s transcript. The nursing, dance, art and design programs offered by this university also have accreditation.
Southern Utah University Application Requirements
SUU offers different applications for students applying during their junior or senior years. The application designed for high school juniors allows them to get an admissions decision by the end of the summer and know if they received an acceptance letter before they start their senior years. All high school students will use the same application, which asks that they set up accounts to complete and submit the application online. They will need to fill out sections that ask about their educational histories and personal information. SUU asks for the student’s date of birth, social security number, phone number and home address too.
Other requirements for incoming students include a $50 application fee, official school transcripts, and an official test score. SUU accepts both the SAT and ACT and requires that any student under the age of 24 submit a test score. It will accept transcripts submitted in person, online or via fax, but those transcripts must be official and have the name and address of the school on the front as well as the student’s full name and all the classes taken up until the issuance of the transcript and the grades earned. High school juniors can submit an unofficial transcript and provide the university with a mid-year report during their senior years and a final transcript when they graduate.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Any student who lives in Utah full-time qualifies for the SUU in-state rate. The same rate applies to online students who live in Utah. This rate starts at $514 per credit hour and rises to $3,385 for those who take at least 10 credits of classes. They do not pay any additional fees or costs unless they take 19 or more credits. Nonresidents who do not live in Utah when they apply pay $1,527 for their first credit hour of classes. They can take 10 to 18 credit hours of courses and qualify for full-time status for a rate of $10,293 each semester.
Students who complete a degree program at SUU graduate with an average of 57% less debt than students who attended other universities did. Once the university receives a transcript and a test score, it will determine if the student qualifies for a merit scholarship. Students can get scholarships worth $500 and full rides that cover all of their estimated costs. SUU has an online calculator that lets students see what scholarships they qualify for based on their grades and scores. Financial aid is also available for those who use the FAFSA, including grants, direct student loans, and work-study. Students applying to the paralegal studies or pre-law program at Southern Utah University can apply for both government financial aid and SUU scholarships.
