2016-2017 CATALOG AND STUDENT HANDBOOK COURSE DESCRIPTIONS PHT 2800 Physical Therapist Assistant Capstone 20 hours, 2 credits This course is a synthesis of material from all courses. Students will complete a portfolio demonstrating proficiency in transferable skills. Additionally, students will prepare for the national Physical Therapist Assistant licensure exam. Prerequisites: All Physical Therapist Assistant Courses Co-requisite: Physical Therapist Assistant Clinical II PHY 4060 Understanding Ourselves Through Physics: From Newton to Your Cell Phone 40 hours, 4 credits This course tracks how we have understood ourselves and our world—including time, space, gravity, and our gadgets—as understanding of physics has evolved. Topics will include Newton’s “discovery” of gravity, Einstein and relativity, energy particles and waves, the atom and how we use it, Schrödinger’s cat, and modern technologies. Prerequisites: None PLA 1013 Introduction to Law and the Legal System 40 hours, 4 credits Students will examine the American legal system from a variety of perspectives. They will survey topics including essential history, the working structure of government, issues of court procedure, and specific legal concepts. In addition, they will investigate the role of the paralegal in the legal system, and the impact of legal ethics on the paralegal. Paralegal students will gain a foundation for further paralegal study, and students from other disciplines will gain an appreciation of the legal system’s impact on their disciplines. Students will prepare a resume as part of this course. Prerequisite: None PLA 1203 Civil Litigation and Procedure I 40 hours, 4 credits Students will examine the roles lawyers and paralegals’ in handling civil cases and the means by which the objectives of litigation may be achieved. Strategy and mechanics of civil procedure will be explored in depth, and students will be required to prepare complaints, motions, and answers. Pre- or co-requisite: Introduction to Law and the Legal System PLA 1223 Civil Litigation and Procedure II 40 hours, 4 credits Students will continue to develop and refine litigation skills. The course will focus on discovery, pre-trial procedure, trial procedure, post-trial procedure, and initial appellate documents. Prerequisite: Civil Litigation and Procedure I PLA 1573 Contracts: Managing Legal Relationships 40 hours, 4 credits This course will provide students with a practical approach to the law of contracts. The class discussions and assignments will include analyzing contracts, breach of contracts, and the remedies provided for a breach of contract. Prerequisite: Introduction to Law and the Legal System or enrolled in certificate PLA 2204 Law Office Technology: Cyberspace and the Paralegal Profession 40 hours, 4 credits This course introduces students to the fundamentals of how to use computer technology to accomplish tasks performed by paralegals in a law office. Students will be introduced to and given the opportunity to utilize law-oriented computer software applications. Students will be exposed to exercises designed to provide the skills utilized by paralegals in file management, time, and docket management and computer- based legal research and document movement. Prerequisite: Introduction to Law and the Legal System PLA 2320 Legal Research 40 hours, 4 credits This course introduces the legal research process for paralegals. An overview of legal source materials and how and when they are incorporated in the legal research process will be examined. Students will develop information literacy skills specific to the Paralegal field by working with primary sources, like state and federal enacted law and secondary sources, like legal encyclopedias, treatises, and state specific practice books. Students will develop skills such as legal application, analysis, and synthesis skills by identifying and classifying the best sources that apply to legal problems. Students will evaluate the relevance of sources for specific problems and critically evaluate the level of authority of various legal sources. Prerequisite: Introduction to Law and the Legal System or enrolled in certificate PLA 2330 Legal Writing 40 hours, 4 credits After examining the sources of law and the structure of the federal and state court systems, students will be introduced to case and statutory analysis and to an understanding of the role of the paralegal in performing substantive legal analysis and writing tasks. They will learn how to analyze and synthesize written opinions. Students will use the results of their research from the Legal Research course in connection with at least three (3) significant writing projects, including memoranda of law. High level communication skills will be developed to effectively communicate in writing to different potential readers, including clients, attorneys in an office, trial court judges, and appellate panel judges. Analysis and preparation of high level legal content as well as formatting, citation rules, and other items needed for writing in this field will be developed. Students will organize an appellate brief which requires specific, rule based, formatting and structural content. This content includes items such as tables of cases and other authorities, a table of contents, statement of the case, argument, and conclusion. Prerequisites: Legal Research; English Composition PLA 2435 Corporate Law 40 hours, 4 credits This course will provide students an overview of the formation, operation, and dissolution of the corporate entity. Stockholders rights and remedies as corporate owners will be examined. Corporate documents and corporate formalities will be discussed. Prerequisite: Introduction to Law and the Legal System PLA 2476 Employment Law 40 hours, 4 credits Students will develop an understanding of selected legal issues involved in human resource management. Legal issues to be addressed include: labor relations, employee rights, sexual harassment, diversity, and compensation and benefits law. The primary orientation of the course will be to enable learners to recognize the spirit and purpose of the legal framework of enterprise so that learners can embrace compatible strategies and avoid cutting corners in the short-run, which can ultimately result in major disasters. Prerequisite: Introduction to Human Resource Management PLA 2587 Torts: Auto Accidents and Other Legal Injuries 40 hours, 4 credits This course examines the fundamentals of tort law and provides a basic understanding of the principles of tort litigation. Through classroom discussions, projects and supervised library research, students will develop an overview of causes of actions in torts and their relevancy to the paralegal. Prerequisite: Introduction to Law and the Legal System PLA 2610 Real Estate Law 40 hours, 4 credits This course provides the basic concepts of the law of real property enabling the student to perform connected duties in a law office, title company, or financial institution. Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to prepare purchase and sales agreements, deeds, mortgages, closing statements with perorations and other real estate related documents. The student will have a working knowledge of title searches and a thorough understanding of closing procedures. The student will also become familiar with mortgage foreclosures, landlord/tenant law, and zoning regulations. Prerequisite: Introduction to Law and the Legal System PLA 2800 Family Law 40 hours, 4 credits This course is designed to teach the student to handle client interviews, to draft necessary pleadings and supporting documents, and to perform research relative to the practice of family law and domestic relations matters. The student will develop an understanding of the law relating to marriage, cohabitation, divorce, annulment, custody and support, adoption, guardianship and paternity. Students will draft pleadings and documents including antenuptial and property settlement agreements. Prerequisite: Introduction to Law and the Legal System PLA 2816 Paralegal Capstone 50 hours, 5 credits This course will provide students with an opportunity to integrate learning, skills, and theoretical knowledge from the Paralegal program in the form of real-world paralegal activities simulated in the online environment. Interview videos will be reviewed and analyzed, paralegal files completed, and electronic office and paperless office methods will be practiced. Pre- or co-requisite: Law Office Technology: Cyberspace and the Paralegal Profession; Expected to be the final lower-level core course completed PLA 2940 Paralegal Internship 130 hours, 5 credits This course provides the student with the opportunity to gain practical work experience under the supervision of an attorney. The student must periodically submit written reports to the supervising instructor describing his/ her experiences during the internship. The student is evaluated by his/her supervisor at the conclusion of the internship. Prerequisite: Expected to be the final lower-level core course completed POT 4001 Political Thought 40 hours, 4 credits The aim of this course is to understand and appreciate some important authors and traditions of political thought. The course will cover such topics as authority, consent, freedom and obligation. Prerequisite: None PRN 1086 Introduction to Practical Nursing 20 hours, 2 credits This course introduces the student to key concepts of practical nursing. The student will be exposed to the practical nursing expectations and scope of practice in diverse healthcare settings. Also included are aspects of patient-centered care based upon evidence and quality. The concept- based framework for the Practical Nursing Program is introduced with special emphasis placed on teamwork, safety, communication, and Nursing informatics. Students will delve into the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to practice safely in the nursing profession by discovering their own learning styles and personal identities. Prerequisite: Admission to the Practical Nursing Program PRN 1192 Fundamentals of Practical Nursing 112.5 hours, 6 credits PRN 1192 Lecture (30 hours, 3 credits) PRN 1192L Lab (15 hours, .75 credits) PRN 1192LL Clinical (67.5 hours, 2.25 credits) This course is comprised of a theory, lab, and clinical component where students are introduced to the fundamental concepts and nursing abilities required to meet basic health and wellness needs. The theoretical basis for nursing judgment, patient-centered care, growth and development, and basic physiological concepts are presented. Emphasis is placed on knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to provide safe, quality care for a diverse set of clients across the lifespan. Special emphasis is placed on teamwork, communication, and nursing informatics as it pertains to the healthcare infrastructure. The student must demonstrate proficiency in a variety of nursing skills in order to successfully complete this course. Prerequisite: Admission to the Practical Nursing Program Pre- or co-requisite: Introduction to Practical Nursing PRN 1245 Practical Nursing I 110 hours, 6 credits PRN 1245 Lecture (32.5 hours, 3.25 credits) PRN 1245L Lab (10 hours, .5 credits) PRN 1245LL Clinical (67.5 hours, 2.25 credits) This course is comprised of a theory, lab, and clinical component where students are building on the functional ability and nursing judgment required to meet basic health and wellness needs. The theoretical bases for education and health promotion, as well as pain management, are presented. The student must demonstrate increasing proficiency in all knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to provide, safe, quality care for diverse clients across the lifespan in order to successfully complete this course. Prerequisite: Fundamentals of Practical Nursing Pre- or co-requisites: Basic Pharmacology; Nutritional Principles in Nursing 888-5-RASMUSSEN 91 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
