The Paralegal program prepares students for careers as assistants or aides in the legal profession. Upon completion of this curriculum, the paralegal graduate will qualify to work under the supervision of a lawyer. Specific areas of training include legal research and writing, case screening and evaluation, civil litigation, probate administration, office management, accounting, servicing and filing of legal documents, and preparation of legal forms. Students have the option of either an Associate of Applied Science degree which consists of 67 semester credit hours and takes approximately two years to complete, or a Legal Technician Certificate which consists of 19 semester credit hours and takes approximately one year to complete. A graduate from an accredited college or university holding a baccalaureate degree may receive an AAS Degree upon successful completion of approximately thirty-four (34) semester hours of specialty and any appropriate leveling courses as determined by the Division Dean. This is a Tech-Prep program that provides students with opportunities to gain advanced technical skills. High school students may receive college credit for approved courses taken during high school. High school students should discuss this option with their high school counselor. Others may contact the department head at Midland College for information. The degrees and certificates in this field offered by Midland College and the courses needed to achieve these credentials are presented in the following sections. Students interested in this program should contact the Division office to obtain additional information and/or acquire a degree or certificate plan. Please note that courses that require prerequisites are denoted by an asterisk (*).