The primary goal of the Paralegal Studies Program is to prepare students for positions as paralegals as a means of improving the accessibility, quality, and affordability of legal services. West Valley’s Paralegal Studies Program is responsive to the needs of the State of California and contributes to the advancement of legal professionals.

A paralegal may perform the same functions as an attorney except those that only a licensed attorney may perform. Paralegals cannot give legal advice, appear in court, or otherwise engage in the unauthorized practice of law. The practice of law by non-attorneys is strictly prohibited by law.

WVC Paralegal Program List of ABA Approved General Education; Revised May 2019

Area A – Language and Rationality

ENGL 001A, 001B, 001C; MATH 000D, 000G, 001, 002, 003A, 003B, 004A, 004B, 004C, 010, 012, 019, 106, 106R; PHIL 002, 003, 017; COMM 001, 010, 020

Area B – Natural Sciences

ANTH 001; ASTR 010, 011, 014, 020, 021; BIOL 002, 010, 011, 013, 014, 018, 022, 023, 024, 036, 037, 041, 042, 045, 048; CHEM 001A, 001B, 002, 012A, 012B, 030A, 030B; GEOG 001; GEOL 001A, 001B, 015, 020; OCEA 010; PSCI 010, 020; PHYS 002A, 002B, 004A, 004B, 004C, 010; PSYC 002, 007

Area C – Humanities

ASLA 060A, 060B; ARTS 001A, 001B, 001D, 004, 007, 010, 012A, 012B, 013, 014; ENGL 005A, 005B, 006A, 006B, 007A, 007B, 012, 013, 018, 043, 044, 046, 047, 048, 049; FRNC 001A, 001B, 002A, 002B, 050A, 050B, 051A, 051B; GERM 001A, 001B, 002A, 002B; HUMN 001A, 001B; ITAL 001A, 001B, 002A, 002B, 050A, 050B, 051A, 051B; JPNS 001A, 001B, 050A, 050B; LATN 050A; MUSC 001, 002, 009, 010; PHIL 001, 003, 004, 005; SPAN 001A, 001B, 002A, 002B, 003A, 003B, 050A, 050B, 051A, 051B; THEA 010, 014A, 014B, 015

Area D – Social Science (Series 1)

ADMJ 001; ANTH 002, 003, 004; ECON 001A, 001B; GEOG 002, 006; HIST 004B, 012, 014, 016, 020; POLI 002, 003, 004; PSYC 001, 017, 025; SOCI 001, 045

Area D – Social Science (Series 2)

HIST 017B; POLI 001

Area E – Lifelong Learning and Development

COMM 004, 008; LIBR 004; PSYC 012, 025

Area F – Cultural Diversity

COMM 012; CHST 005; COUN 050; ENGL 012, 013, 018, 046; PHIL 021; PSYC 009; SOCI 020; WGQS 001

ABA Legal Speciality

At least 9 units of Legal Speciality must be taken in the synchronistic modality.

PARA 018, 019, 021, 022, 023, 025, 027, 029A, 029B, 032, 036, 037, 043, 068